Game 5 Preview: Hoping Time Stands Still

[timvp]

After the first two games of this series, I was extremely impressed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even though they lost, they illustrated uncommon chutzpah for a team so young. No matter what the Spurs threw at the Thunder, OKC came roaring back. Particularly in Game 2, the Spurs played as well as I've ever seen a Spurs team play offensively, yet there they were in the fourth quarter forcing the Spurs to sweat it out.

Fast forward two games and now I'm terrified by what I see. In rewatching Game 4 a couple times, one thing was abundantly clear: The Thunder are a championship quality team. The only thing between Oklahoma City and their first championship is time.

Coming into this series, while I respected the Thunder's talent, there were still plenty of chinks in the armor. Defensively, their rotations were inconsistent, especially late in the shot clock. Transition defense wasn't always as strength and they weren't good at stopping the ball at the point of attack. Offensively, although blessed with copious amounts of individual ability, the Thunder weren't a good passing team, turned the ball over a lot and their role players weren't offensive threats. In other words, OKC was beatable.

Unfortunately for the Spurs, those weaknesses are vanishing before our very eyes as the Thunder metamorphize into the juggernaut they hoped was still a year or two away. Those inconsistent rotations have been replaced by a relentless pursuing defense that fully utilizing their team's infinite length. The Thunder have slowed San Antonio's running ways by getting back on D and they've found solutions (namely alternating defenders on Tony Parker and switching pick-and-rolls involving Manu Ginobili) to force the Spurs into secondary sets.

On offense, we've witness even more eye-catching maturity. In the regular season, the Thunder were last in the league in assists and first in turnovers. The last two games, Oklahoma City has 50 assists and only 21 turnovers. For a team that averaged 18.5 assists and 16.4 turnovers, that's an unfathomable about-face, especially to occur in the Western Conference Finals.

As for why it's happening all of a sudden, it's rather simple: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are figuring out how to play a winning brand of basketball. Previously, the Thunder were basically a team that had three superstars who took turns carrying the load. It was a your-turn, my-turn type offense. But over the last two games, the Thunder have started to mold all their talents together to form one multipronged offensive attack.

It's no accident that OKC's role players are now flourishing. When Durant, Westbrook and Harden drive into the lane, they're suddenly just as dangerous with the pass as they are with the shot. Even just a couple weeks ago, that simply was not the case.

As for the Spurs, what do you do against a team that is growing by leaps and bounds right before your eyes? The coaching staff can tweak the defense a bit. Each individual can try to bring even more desperation to that end of the court. But, at the end of the day, San Antonio is in the unenviable position of relying on hope. If the Thunder keep improving and reach the absolute apex of their potential, this Spurs team simply can't beat them. San Antonio simply lacks the defense wherewithal to handle that monster. Needless to say, hopefully that doesn't happen. Hopefully the Thunder hit a speed bump or two before reaching their ceiling.

Thankfully, there is reason to believe those hopes will become reality. First of all, maturation typically doesn't happen this fast in the NBA. Learning to win championships takes a lot of time, effort and heartache. Maybe the Thunder will be able to flip the switch from the league's most isolation-heavy offense to a well-oiled machine in mid-flight -- but that's not usually how it works.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the Spurs having homecourt advantage in two of the final three games is huge. Being a young team, it's no surprise that the Thunder played with a tremendous amount of juice in front of their ravenous home crowd. And while they've already been road warriors in earlier rounds in these playoffs, their role players would be hard-pressed to duplicate their Game 4 performances in the AT&T Center.

(An interesting note regarding homecourt dominance: The four teams still alive in the playoffs are a combined 28-2 at home during the postseason. That's an ungodly winning percentage of .933; let us hope that trend continues Monday night.)

In Game 5, I really think the main key is to get back to playing the freewheeling type of basketball that powered the 20-game winning streak. Smart, crisp passes. Hart cuts to the basket. Fearless shooting. Run. Run. And more running. Use the crowd's energy to fuel the attack and never let up. We know the Thunder are going to keep charging forward so there can't be any type of lull in the action.

It's going to test the Spurs to their core. We must hope the Thunder will halt their evolution for the time being while believing in the Spurs ability to get back to their winning formula.




POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Should the Spurs show the OKC's role players more respect?
It's difficult to say that Serge Ibaka should continue to be given open jumpers after we watched him go 11-for-11 in Game 4 ... but I think that's what the Spurs have to live with. To have a prayer of slowing down their Big 3, the Spurs have to sag off of their role players. If OKC's bigs go 22-for-25 two more times in this series, you shake their hands and wish them luck in the Finals.

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
I'm torn. On one hand, doing so would create open shots for Durant's teammates. On the other hand, Durant is someone who can beat you by himself down the stretch of a game. Considering he's been very good on the road in the playoffs, I think Pop should have those double-teams ready to go if Durant heats up again.

Should Pop overhaul the offense?
No. Even though a number of Spurs struggled in Game 4 on the offensive end, the team as a whole still scored at a rate of 112 points per 100 possessions -- a very, very healthy rate. I believe Pop should just bank on more players performing better. The only real adjustment I want to see is for Pop to make it a point for this team to run as much as possible. The quicker the overall pace, the better chances the Spurs have to win.

[Cow Eye]

1. I agree Danny Green should be given another half. If he blows it, then I wouldn't mind seeing Manu play the entire second half with a marginal amount of rest. What did he have in game 4, about 25 minutes?

2. Matt Bonner should not play, but Tiago should be given a quarter to see how he responds. If he keeps being a pussy, yank his ass.

3. Yes, imho.

4. Yes, of course. I'm kinda getting tired of this "new team's" reluctance to commit to being defensive oriented.

5. I think if he knocks down two in a row, in rhythm, in the fourth quarter, they should immediately start doubling.

6. I agree, no. 2 losses isn't enough to just junk everything they've worked with for the entire season. I think adjusting the entire offense might stand to do more harm than good considering the players are already used to things at this point. I just hope it doesn't bite them in the ass...

[Andthentherewas21]

Well put, now we just hope the Spurs come out and play with a purpose tonight.

As far as Green is concerned, I think you give him his usual 4-6 before you bring in Manu and see how he is on both sides of the floor. If hes productive on both, or at least disruptive on D and none factor on offense I think you live with it. If hes neither, I think you've got to burn Manu more (though foul trouble can always get in the way of that)

Same thing with Splitter. Give him his usual sub into the game, but if he can't be productive on both sides of the floor, you've got to switch him out and give Blair a chance. Bonner shouldn't step foot in the At&t center, but if he does chances are he gets playing time so pray for a sandwich past its prime in the next 16 hours.

Still i think with the home crowd and enough effort, the Spurs have a good chance tonight. :flag:

[spursparker9]

Any chances that Bonner will not be playing scared at home?

[100%duncan]

Don't put Parker or Manu on Durant in crunch time when Kawhi and Jax are in the floor.

[racm]

Pace, pace, pace. One of the reasons OKC drew even was slowing down the game.

Another note: the non big 3 Thunder players combined for 23 points the last time they were on the road. That's fewer points than how much Serge Ibaka scored.

[Russo21]

Any chances that Bonner will not be playing scared at home?

no

[Slippy]

It's difficult to say that Serge Ibaka should continue to be given open jumpers after we watched him go 11-for-11 in Game 4... but I think that's what the Spurs have to live with

If the Spurs had a guy on their team catch fire going 11 for 11 they would of won game 4

Why chance it? Hope on the defensive side wont get the Spurs far. Stops will.

At the least put a hand in face and be prepared for the drive. Have a guy with the ability to recover soon enough guarding Ibaka. He probably will miss a few playing away from home but he has well and truly proven he can sink the open jump-shot .

[MoSpur]

What about playing a zone defense from time to time? Wouldn't that make if difficult for OKC to drive into the lane? Force them to take outside shots?

[Russ]

You hit the nail right on the head, timvp. Great analysis.

There's one thing that might get the Spurs through this, Manu Ginobili.

The last time the Spurs were playing a team we weren't sure they could beat they also went up 2-0. Then they also lost the next two. Defending NBA champ Detroit, 2005.

Manu took over as the series wore on the and the Spurs used HCA to win in 7.

(Of course, they also needed Horry in Game 5. The closest thing they have to a clutch 3-point shooter now is Gary Neal. Does Neal win it tonight?)

[DarrinS]

No 4 down
No Bonner
Minimize turnovers

[MmP]

Look how we are all in the Blair bandwagon all of the sudden.
Go spurs go.

[DarrinS]

And if Parker starts getting hot, maybe Westbrook can be punked into playing a more selfish brand of basketball. An OKC team that shares the ball is a scary thing to behold.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Don't put Parker..... on Durant in crunch time when Kawhi and Jax are in the floor.yeah. I didn't understand why that crap was happening so much Saturday.

[Mugen]

Pretty much timvp's most optimistic way of saying "Spurs are fucked." :lol

[Jimcs50]

I think our shooters need to have Robert Horry's attitude and just not care if they make the shot. They are trying too hard. Just let the open 3s fly.

[Keepin' it real]

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
I'm torn. On one hand, doing so would create open shots for Durant's teammates. On the other hand, Durant is someone who can beat you by himself down the stretch of a game. Considering he's been very good on the road in the playoffs, I think Pop should have those double-teams ready to go if Durant heats up again.

Let Durant get his. Focus on stopping everyone else.

[MR-Clutch]

More pick n pops for Duncan(Duncan shoot, instead of hesitating).

Let Kawhi soak up bonners minutes.

find playing time for blair.

[Russo21]

Go the fucken san antonio spurs. Gonna be a big one. Could be the game that etches the history books as to who the 2012 champions might be. Gonna be HUGE. I want the home crowd to be absolutely Thunderous ala utah jazz home crowd in the 90s. Let's rain a shitstorm on the Thunder and show them what spurs basketball is really like. Let's show them we have the best fans in the league and can be as loud and daunting as any other fanbase in the association . GO THE FUCKEN SPURS GO SPURS GO!! Massive fucken game

[MR-Clutch]

PiyOF6DW-Qo
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LETS GO SPURS!!

[Russo21]

This one is on the players, the coaches, the fans in the building, and for fans watching on tv on every continent on the globe who cant do anything but scream and yell at the TV. Let's do it for all of us/them. GO SPURS GO Show some passion and fire. I want every spur fan in the at & t centre to cheer extra hard and extra loud for us unfortunate fans who cant get to the game. Basketball is a team game all the way from the players and coaches, to the fans in the building and fans around the world. Go the san antonio spurs!! I want to see the nuttiest crowd at the AT&T centre i've ever seen. Help get our beloved spurs over the line and Rock the shit out of the AT&T centre!!

[Basketball Power]

So timvp is saying the thunder are a better team and only a miracle can help the spurs win




Great

[jiggy_55]

POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Should the Spurs show the OKC's role players more respect?
It's difficult to say that Serge Ibaka should continue to be given open jumpers after we watched him go 11-for-11 in Game 4 ... but I think that's what the Spurs have to live with. To have a prayer of slowing down their Big 3, the Spurs have to sag off of their role players. If OKC's bigs go 22-for-25 two more times in this series, you shake their hands and wish them luck in the Finals.

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
I'm torn. On one hand, doing so would create open shots for Durant's teammates. On the other hand, Durant is someone who can beat you by himself down the stretch of a game. Considering he's been very good on the road in the playoffs, I think Pop should have those double-teams ready to go if Durant heats up again.

Should Pop overhaul the offense?
No. Even though a number of Spurs struggled in Game 4 on the offensive end, the team as a whole still scored at a rate of 112 points per 100 possessions -- a very, very healthy rate. I believe Pop should just bank on more players performing better. The only real adjustment I want to see is for Pop to make it a point for this team to run as much as possible. The quicker the overall pace, the better chances the Spurs have to win.

1. Keep Manu on the bench, I fully expect Green to get back on track at home and after a rough patch.

2. Splitter no doubt.

3. Sure, Pop should give him just a few minutes in the 1st half and see how he responds. If he's aggressive, rebounding, and making smart decisions he's ten times the player Bonner is.

4. Nope, Ibaka and Perkins simply can't shoot that well again. It's almost impossible.

5. If he gets hot, yes get the ball out of his hands or try to deny him the ball completely without doubling.

6. Nope, get back to run and gun like we did in games 1 & 2.

[jiggy_55]

After the first two games of this series, I was extremely impressed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even though they lost, they illustrated uncommon chutzpah for a team so young. No matter what the Spurs threw at the Thunder, OKC came roaring back. Particularly in Game 2, the Spurs played as well as I've ever seen a Spurs team play offensively, yet there they were in the fourth quarter forcing the Spurs to sweat it out.

Hmmm timvp, don't you think the same can be said about the Spurs in Game 4? Durant was on fire in the 4th, Ibaka had the 2nd best shooting night in playoff history, Perkins was on his way to scoring a season high, and yet the Spurs were right there in the 4th and cut the lead to four points a few times before they finally knocked them out. On the other hand, Parker and Manu were struggling, as were role players like Green and others. I think we have more than enough to win the series even with the Thunder's improvements in games 3 & 4.

I'm confident in the Spurs ability and game plan, and I'm confident someone like Green is going to get going in which will be a major x-factor tonight. Green is going to get a lot of open looks and he's going to start burying them tonight. I do believe we're winning tonight's game and the series.

[elbamba]

POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Should the Spurs show the OKC's role players more respect?
It's difficult to say that Serge Ibaka should continue to be given open jumpers after we watched him go 11-for-11 in Game 4 ... but I think that's what the Spurs have to live with. To have a prayer of slowing down their Big 3, the Spurs have to sag off of their role players. If OKC's bigs go 22-for-25 two more times in this series, you shake their hands and wish them luck in the Finals.

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
I'm torn. On one hand, doing so would create open shots for Durant's teammates. On the other hand, Durant is someone who can beat you by himself down the stretch of a game. Considering he's been very good on the road in the playoffs, I think Pop should have those double-teams ready to go if Durant heats up again.

Should Pop overhaul the offense?
No. Even though a number of Spurs struggled in Game 4 on the offensive end, the team as a whole still scored at a rate of 112 points per 100 possessions -- a very, very healthy rate. I believe Pop should just bank on more players performing better. The only real adjustment I want to see is for Pop to make it a point for this team to run as much as possible. The quicker the overall pace, the better chances the Spurs have to win.

Believe

FIFY. You can't jinx the team now.

[Russo21]

So timvp is saying the thunder are a better team and only a miracle can help the spurs win




Great

Fuck what TiMVP said then he's talking shit. We got this!!:flag:

Go tim fucken duncan, go emmanuel freakin ginobili, go tony fucken parker, go stephen nasty jackson, go boris fucken diaw, go super rook leaonard, go the grizzly blair fucken tear the thunder apart rip the cunts to shreds.

Fuck off Bonner and Splitter miss the bus to the game or something useful like that.

Now im talking to you guys in here and in san antonio, everyone who bleeds black and silver. To the guys attending the game. Get us over the line boys. This home crowd better be louder and crazier then i have ever witnessed them. Help us out guys i know you can. Cheer crazier and louder then you ever have. Go home with no voice left at nights end. The Spurs need you.

Let's do this!!!! Drive for fucken 5

[TDomination]

Hmmm timvp, don't you think the same can be said about the Spurs in Game 4? Durant was on fire in the 4th, Ibaka had the 2nd best shooting night in playoff history, Perkins was on his way to scoring a season high, and yet the Spurs were right there in the 4th and cut the lead to four points a few times before they finally knocked them out. On the other hand, Parker and Manu were struggling, as were role players like Green and others. I think we have more than enough to win the series even with the Thunder's improvements in games 3 & 4.

I was thinking the same thing.

Are Thunder a great team? YES but so are the spurs. If we both played our absolute best basketball, honestly its a toss up and I would have to give the advantage to the home team.

I felt like Thunder were playing so amazing in Game 4 but we were right there in the end. I'm praying that being at home will be enough to put us over the top for game 5. The energy that the players receive from sleeping in their own beds, being in front of their own crowd will make difference. Hopefully it translates to a win tonight!

[Mal]

Spurs dont need Bonner to spread the floor. Thunder simply give Spurs room to shot an open 3. They crowd the paint and leave shooters open. If only Green, Jax, Neal were able to hit those

[Keepin' it real]

Durant was on fire in the 4th, Ibaka had the 2nd best shooting night in playoff history, Perkins was on his way to scoring a season high, and yet the Spurs were right there in the 4th and cut the lead to four points a few times before they finally knocked them out.

Yep. As well as OKC played, the only thing that kept the Spurs from winning was the 2nd luckiest playoff shooting performance of all time. There's no way that will happen twice more in this series, so unless the Spurs suffer a key injury, they should prevail.

[TDomination]

Fuck what TiMVP said then he's talking shit. We got this!!:flag:

Go tim fucken duncan, go emmanuel freakin ginobili, go tony fucken parker, go stephen nasty jackson, go boris fucken diaw, go super rook leaonard, go the grizzly blair fucken tear the thunder apart rip the cunts to shreds.

Fuck off Bonner and Splitter miss the bus to the game or something useful like that.

Now im talking to you guys in here and in san antonio, everyone who bleeds black and silver. To the guys attending the game. Get us over the line boys. This home crowd better be louder and crazier then i have ever witnessed them. Help us out guys i know you can. Cheer crazier and louder then you ever have. Go home with no voice left at nights end. The Spurs need you.

Let's do this!!!! Drive for fucken 5

lol I really wanted to Roll my eyes at your post but as I continued reading I began getting energized.

Our crowd BETTER bring it tonight. Im talking about a crowd that is standing and cheering for the majority of the game. We got homecourt for the entire playoffs. Lets make it an advantage. If we win all of our home games, we will be champs!:ihit

[TDomination]

Yep. As well as OKC played, the only thing that kept the Spurs from winning was the 2nd luckiest playoff shooting performance of all time. There's no way that will happen twice more in this series, so unless the Spurs suffer a key injury, they should prevail.

Exactly.

Even in the interview yesterday with Pop, he mentioned that hes not going to change much on defense because he knows he doesn't have to. Make minor adjustments but honestly he just knows that they are not going to shoot that ridiculous % again, especially on the road.

And IF they did....when then all we can do is :lol and be :depressed at how stupid lucky they are

[DarrinS]

Spurs dont need Bonner to spread the floor. Thunder simply give Spurs room to shot an open 3. They crowd the paint and leave shooters open. If only Green, Jax, Neal were able to hit those


Who's going to step up and have one of those games like Jaren Jackson, Steve Kerr, Bruce Bowen, etc.?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

You missed a part LJ.

What made Durant so successful in the fourth in game 4 was that we were switching every screen. Some fans will remember this exercise in futility against Dallas, Memphis, and the Fakers, in the past.

Well, it was back Saturday night. Nearly every possession of the fourth, and all but one of Durant's consecutive field goals, saw the Spurs switch the screens on the perimeter.

They were doing this most of the game, but what made this different was that Brooks started having Westbrook screen for Durant. So he kept getting Parker onto Durant, a brutal mismatch that Kevin was all too happy to take advantage of.

We made a tweak to the D later in the series of Durant scores after a timeout (putting Manu on Westbrook), but that simply resulted in Manu on Durant instead of Parker. As much as I like Manu, that's still a bad matchup.

We've got to fight over those screens, run some sort of a trap at Durant coming off them, something, or OKC will just keep running it over and over again like they did in game 4.

[Durant 35]

Should be a good one... No doubt we will go in with great confidence while spurs might be Abit concerned.

[jiggy_55]

Should be a good one... No doubt we will go in with great confidence while spurs might be Abit concerned.

That could be true... but the experience of most of our players will keep them from getting rattled easily.

[Durant 35]

That could be true... but the experience of most of our players will keep them from getting rattled easily.

The vets yes but will be interesting how the young guns handle it all...

[therealtruth]

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I still would prefer more Splitter or small ball first. Pop wasn't afraid to go to Tim-Tiago against the Clippers. Maybe that will help get Splitter's confidence going again. I called it earlier in the season when Pop started messing with Splitter's minutes that we would no longer see the Splitter you could run your offense through on the block. Now's he's become strictly a pick and roll player.

Should the Spurs show the OKC's role players more respect?
Yes

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
Throw different looks. You can't give consistent looks against a great player.

Should Pop overhaul the offense?
No.

Start SJax over Green. Get Kawhi defending Westbrook and Jax on Durant. Bring Manu and Green off the bench. Green played well at the 3 in the Clippers series and Manu can help get him going.


If the Spurs had a guy on their team catch fire going 11 for 11 they would of won game 4

Why chance it? Hope on the defensive side wont get the Spurs far. Stops will.

At the least put a hand in face and be prepared for the drive. Have a guy with the ability to recover soon enough guarding Ibaka. He probably will miss a few playing away from home but he has well and truly proven he can sink the open jump-shot .

It's not just about allowing open shots. It's about allowing open and in rhythm jumpshots. The Spurs have to disrupt OKC's offensive rhythm.

[Obstructed_View]

If the Spurs don't run, none of that shit matters.

[therealtruth]

You missed a part LJ.

What made Durant so successful in the fourth in game 4 was that we were switching every screen. Some fans will remember this exercise in futility against Dallas, Memphis, and the Fakers, in the past.

Well, it was back Saturday night. Nearly every possession of the fourth, and all but one of Durant's consecutive field goals, saw the Spurs switch the screens on the perimeter.

They were doing this most of the game, but what made this different was that Brooks started having Westbrook screen for Durant. So he kept getting Parker onto Durant, a brutal mismatch that Kevin was all too happy to take advantage of.

We made a tweak to the D later in the series of Durant scores after a timeout (putting Manu on Westbrook), but that simply resulted in Manu on Durant instead of Parker. As much as I like Manu, that's still a bad matchup.

We've got to fight over those screens, run some sort of a trap at Durant coming off them, something, or OKC will just keep running it over and over again like they did in game 4.

The Spurs have got burned by switching in the past meanwhile the Thunder have had great success with it.

[therealtruth]

I think it's obvious Pop has to maximize SJax-Leonard time on the court. Last series was more of a Green-Leonard series but this one requires more SJax.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I don't think thunder have improved as much offensively as you say.

Defensively, hell yes, and quite frankly that's all they need to best us.

Offensively? Harden and westbrook both had sub par games in game 4. Ibaka going Reggie Miller on us seriously was the difference

[TDMVPDPOY]

go hard or go home this game

[Capt Bringdown]

IMO we're in "it's gonna take a miracle" mode.
The playoffs is where you get exposed, and OKC is showing the world that the Spurs are not as good as their 20 game winning streak seemed to promise. OKC was rattled and perhaps intimidated in games 1 & 2. But now they're justifiably confident that they can beat the Spurs.

OKC have bottled up Parker and made Tim & Manu look old. With the exception of game 2, Spurs have been down in every game and in constant come-from-behind mode. OKC knows they can beat our defense because they've done it in every game.
Hoping for a miracle, but the Spurs are most likely done. OKC is the better team.

[Bulwark]

The Thunder front court had to go 22 of 25 to beat us. If they do that every game or even at a 50-60% clip from the outside then we can't beat them. But that performance will be difficult to replicate. Methinks it was a fluke.

That said, do I detect some serious doubt the Spurs can pull of a series victory with nothing but hope on their side?

[FromWayDowntown]

Game 5 officials: Scott Foster (crew chief), Mike Callahan, Tom Washington

Scott Foster
12th game in 2012, 96th career playoff game, 11th conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Gm. 3 BOS/MIA))

2012 Playoffs:
SA: 2-0 (Game 4 at Utah, Game 1 v. LAC)
OKC: 2-0 (Game 4 at Dallas, Game 5 v. LAL)

Home teams: 39-24 since 2007, 7-4 in 2012

Spurs
9-4 all-time
4-2 at home
no previous conference finals games

OKC
3-3 all-time
1-2 on road
0-1 in conference finals (lost Game 3 v. DAL in 2011)

Mike Callahan
10th game in 2012, 129th career playoff game, 22nd conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Gm. 3 BOS/MIA))

2012 Playoffs
first game for either team

Home teams: 33-23 since 2007; 5-4 in 2012

Spurs
14-8 all-time
10-3 at home
2-2 in conference finals (lost Game 5 v. DAL, 2003; lost Game 4 v. PNX, 2005; won Game 1 v. UTH, 2007; won Game 3 v. LAL, 2008)

OKC
1-1 all-time
0-1 on road (lost Game 3 at Memphis 2011 WCSF)
no previous conference finals games

Tom Washington
9th game in 2012, 111th career playoff game, 20th career conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Game 2 of MIA/BOS))

2012 Playoffs
SA: 1-0 (Game 3 at LAC)
OKC: 1-0 (Game 5 v. LAL)

Home teams are 31-18 since 2007; 6-2 in 2012

Spurs
8-6 all-time
6-0 at home
2-1 in conference finals (won Game 6 at DAL, 2003; won Game 5 v. UTH, 2007; lost Game 5 at LAL, 2008)

OKC
2-1 all-time
1-1 on road
1-0 in conference finals (won Game 2 at DAL in 2011)

[Obstructed_View]

What made Durant so successful in the fourth in game 4 was that we were switching every screen. Some fans will remember this exercise in futility against Dallas, Memphis, and the Fakers, in the past.

And the Suns. Remember Grant Hill shooting jumpers over Timmy while he stood there with a dumb look on his face? Not a pleasant memory.

[Bulwark]

IMO we're in "it's gonna take a miracle" mode.
The playoffs is where you get exposed, and OKC is showing the world that the Spurs are not as good as their 20 game winning streak seemed to promise. OKC was rattled and perhaps intimidated in games 1 & 2. But now they're justifiably confident that they can beat the Spurs.

OKC have bottled up Parker and made Tim & Manu look old. With the exception of game 2, Spurs have been down in every game and in constant come-from-behind mode. OKC knows they can beat our defense because they've done it in every game.
Hoping for a miracle, but the Spurs are most likely done. OKC is the better team.
Apt handle... That was discouraging and I hope you are wrong but good points nonetheless.

[Bulwark]

go hard or go home this game
We'll be at home this game... I know: /smart a** remark.

[dbreiden83080]

So basically you feel if OKC plays to their full potential we can't win. I think the Spurs can and will win if they return to their full potential. I don't think we will see the best of the Thunder on the road.

[Capt Bringdown]

We need another episode similar to Jaren Jackson vs the Lakers in '99.

A lot of people scoff at the importance of role players, but look at what Ibaka and Perkins did in the last game.

IMO, role player(s) contributing in improbable ways are a necessary ingredient to championship runs.
I'd love to see Neal go apeshit in game 5.

[ajballer4]

Should be a good one... No doubt we will go in with great confidence while spurs might be Abit concerned.

On the other hand, while you guys do have confidence, they know they have to take one on the road.

That's the key. Can they do it?

[Obstructed_View]

So basically you feel if OKC plays to their full potential we can't win. I think the Spurs can and will win if they return to their full potential. I don't think we will see the best of the Thunder on the road.

If OKC plays to their full potential and the Spurs continue to struggle, the Spurs can't win.

[silverblk mystix]

Pop needs to show Parker the tape of the 42 point game tony had and a bunch of assists too.

Remember that Tony? The one that had a chip on his shoulder because Westbrick was an all-star?

The tasmanian devil Tony that destroyed the thunder practically by himself-that is the Tony that has to show up tonight.

[silverblk mystix]

Pop needs to show Parker the tape of the 42 point game tony had and a bunch of assists too.

Remember that Tony? The one that had a chip on his shoulder because Westbrick was an all-star?

The tasmanian devil Tony that destroyed the thunder practically by himself-that is the Tony that has to show up tonight.

[dbreiden83080]

If OKC plays to their full potential and the Spurs continue to struggle, the Spurs can't win.

Duh...

I said Spurs return to their full potential...

[rmt]

I think that OKC learned a lot from watching tape of SAS in games 1 and 2. Why wouldn't they say to themselves - what's stopping us from sharing/passing the ball like that and then we're younger, faster, jump higher and shoot (their stars) better than SAS' big 3. This, of course, in addition to their change in defense - in particular, on TP.

For the Spurs, seems like a lot of hesitancy (mainly the big 3) - whether through fear of turnovers or whatever, but it's affected their offense.

[ElNono]

Game 5 officials: Scott Foster (crew chief), Mike Callahan, Tom Washington

Scott Foster
12th game in 2012, 96th career playoff game, 11th conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Gm. 3 BOS/MIA))

2012 Playoffs:
SA: 2-0 (Game 4 at Utah, Game 1 v. LAC)
OKC: 2-0 (Game 4 at Dallas, Game 5 v. LAL)

Home teams: 39-24 since 2007, 7-4 in 2012

Spurs
9-4 all-time
4-2 at home
no previous conference finals games

OKC
3-3 all-time
1-2 on road
0-1 in conference finals (lost Game 3 v. DAL in 2011)

Mike Callahan
10th game in 2012, 129th career playoff game, 22nd conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Gm. 3 BOS/MIA))

2012 Playoffs
first game for either team

Home teams: 33-23 since 2007; 5-4 in 2012

Spurs
14-8 all-time
10-3 at home
2-2 in conference finals (lost Game 5 v. DAL, 2003; lost Game 4 v. PNX, 2005; won Game 1 v. UTH, 2007; won Game 3 v. LAL, 2008)

OKC
1-1 all-time
0-1 on road (lost Game 3 at Memphis 2011 WCSF)
no previous conference finals games

Tom Washington
9th game in 2012, 111th career playoff game, 20th career conference finals game (2nd in 2012 (Game 2 of MIA/BOS))

2012 Playoffs
SA: 1-0 (Game 3 at LAC)
OKC: 1-0 (Game 5 v. LAL)

Home teams are 31-18 since 2007; 6-2 in 2012

Spurs
8-6 all-time
6-0 at home
2-1 in conference finals (won Game 6 at DAL, 2003; won Game 5 v. UTH, 2007; lost Game 5 at LAL, 2008)

OKC
2-1 all-time
1-1 on road
1-0 in conference finals (won Game 2 at DAL in 2011)

Thanks! :toast

[Budkin]

The fact that we have home court will be just enough to get by these guys... They won't have that huge lift that they have at home, and we will.

[ajballer4]

The fact that we have home court will be just enough to get by these guys... They won't have that huge lift that they have at home, and we will.

I'm confident in this too. Spurs know they lose this game, it's all but over. OKC can fall back on their game 6 at home

[4down]

Hope is a good thing, my friend, but I wouldn't say the Spurs have only hope to rely upon.

The team they face is human, that they won the last two games only proves that the Spurs are as well.

If they are willing to attack, they yet have the ability to show someting special.

Believe.

[Obstructed_View]

Duh...

I said Spurs return to their full potential...

Duh no you said that someone else said that, and you were wrong. I was clarifying.

[sa_butta]

The Spurs have proved they can beat this team. OKC has made adjustments to find way to slow the Spurs down, however the Spurs too can make adjustments. It's a chess match and tonight we make our move. The Spurs will now come out with the energy and intensity in front of the home crowd. The Spurs know they have to take control of this series tonight or they will starring at elimination right in the face. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili need to find ways to stay aggressive and penetrate. Also our shooters need to knock down the open looks. We rely heavily on our 3pt. shooters.

[RashoFan]

Great analysis timvp.
Thunder have been playing amazingly the past 2 games.
Spurs fans at the AT&T need to bring their "A" game energy tonight.
Spurs and Pop have a hell of a battle on their hands.

Go Spurs Go!!!


Believe

[td4mvp21]

I'm very worried about this game. I think the good news is that despite the adjustments by OKC, the Spurs still had a pretty good offensive outing last game. OKC had to play nearly perfect on offense and rely on a KD miracle quarter to secure the win. If the Spurs can get back to being physical on defense, they should be able to win. OKC will have the momentum and confidence, though.

[dbreiden83080]

Duh no you said that someone else said that, and you were wrong. I was clarifying.

I'm wrong about something that hasn't happened yet... Is game 5 over and i mssed it?? I am saying the following...

Spurs need to play to their full potential to get back on track and Thunder's level hopefully drops some but if it doesn't i still think they can win if the Spurs plays to their full potential.. We are on the same side here. Why don't you quit nitpicking so much like a little kid...

[timvp]

You missed a part LJ.

What made Durant so successful in the fourth in game 4 was that we were switching every screen. Some fans will remember this exercise in futility against Dallas, Memphis, and the Fakers, in the past.

Well, it was back Saturday night. Nearly every possession of the fourth, and all but one of Durant's consecutive field goals, saw the Spurs switch the screens on the perimeter.

Actually, only two of Durant's baskets in the fourth were after Parker or Ginobili switched off onto him.

The rest during that run:

-A one-on-one score over Leonard.

-Pin-down screen, no switch, score over Leonard.

-A transition basket when he drove by Duncan and scored over Parker

-Backdoor alleyoop over Jackson

-Jumper over Jackson after a pin-down without a switch

[Cant_Be_Faded]

So Parker and manu only guarded Durant twice on Saturday?

Boy, sure seemed like more than that to me

[timvp]

I don't think thunder have improved as much offensively as you say.To go from the worst passing team in the NBA by a mile to an elite passing team is a pretty large improvement, IMHO.


So basically you feel if OKC plays to their full potential we can't win.If both teams are at 100% of their potential, I give the edge to the Thunder. As good as these Spurs are, their defense still relies on smoke, mirrors and loading up on the other team's best players. If the Thunder's Big 3 rotates scoring while making passes to open role players, the Spurs defense will be stretched pass its limits. On the other end of the court, the Spurs offense can be dominant but the Thunder have the personnel to put up at least a little bit of a fight.

All that said, I'm not saying the Spurs have no chance or the Thunder should be the decided favorite. Young teams rarely if ever play at 100% on the road. If the Spurs can get this game, then they can finally put some legitimate pressure on the Thunder.

[SenorSpur]

Any chances that Bonner will not be playing scared at home?

It doesn't matter. In the playoffs, Bonner has historically played scared at home AND on the road.

[tenbeersbold]

Unless Green and Splitter produce,we're gonna need hero ball from the Big 3 to win.
Hell, if Gino keeps turning over the ball,give Mills some burn w/ the second unit to see if he can get the 3-ball going.

More Blair and give Mills some burn to see if he can shake it up,hell at least he'll keep the tempo UP! Which seems to throw the Thunder off somewhat.

Do the Thunder have anyone that could keep up w/ Mills speed-wise?

[timvp]

So Parker and manu only guarded Durant twice on Saturday?

Boy, sure seemed like more than that to me

RIF. His fourth quarter baskets.

[tesseractive]

Coming into this series, while I respected the Thunder's talent, there were still plenty of chinks in the armor.
Admit it -- you just put this in so ESPN wouldn't copy you. :lol

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Timvp the assist issue is surely tied to the huge number of points in the paint they're getting in games 3 and 4. I dunno the numbers but wasn't it more than we had?

And don't those assists on easy points in the paint go down if we have a respectable interior defensive presence like we're supposed to?
Duncan was slow as hell in the first half of game 4, and the other bigs were poor defensively in both games.

Not saying its impossible their passing is trending upward, but I'm convinced it has to do with spurs defense trending downwards.

That is very worrisome.

[Legacy]

POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Should the Spurs show the OKC's role players more respect?
It's difficult to say that Serge Ibaka should continue to be given open jumpers after we watched him go 11-for-11 in Game 4 ... but I think that's what the Spurs have to live with. To have a prayer of slowing down their Big 3, the Spurs have to sag off of their role players. If OKC's bigs go 22-for-25 two more times in this series, you shake their hands and wish them luck in the Finals.

Should the Spurs throw double-teams at Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter?
I'm torn. On one hand, doing so would create open shots for Durant's teammates. On the other hand, Durant is someone who can beat you by himself down the stretch of a game. Considering he's been very good on the road in the playoffs, I think Pop should have those double-teams ready to go if Durant heats up again.

Should Pop overhaul the offense?
No. Even though a number of Spurs struggled in Game 4 on the offensive end, the team as a whole still scored at a rate of 112 points per 100 possessions -- a very, very healthy rate. I believe Pop should just bank on more players performing better. The only real adjustment I want to see is for Pop to make it a point for this team to run as much as possible. The quicker the overall pace, the better chances the Spurs have to win.


http://t.qkme.me/35rthw.jpg

[Plumblbw]

Do you think Bonner only played 2 minutes to keep him fresh for this evening?

Just kidding...

If Bonner is nailed to the pine this evening what happens with the big rotation? They can't just give his minutes to Blair, because Splitter and Dejaun won't work together (no spacing). Does it mean we'll need to keep Diaw or Duncan on the floor at all times to space the floor or will we see more small ball with Jack / Leonard at the 4?

[tesseractive]

Do you think Bonner only played 2 minutes to keep him fresh for this evening?

Just kidding...

If Bonner is nailed to the pine this evening what happens with the big rotation? They can't just give his minutes to Blair, because Splitter and Dejaun won't work together (no spacing). Does it mean we'll need to keep Diaw or Duncan on the floor at all times to space the floor or will we see more small ball with Jack / Leonard at the 4?

Personally, I'd rather see DeJuan get minutes with the first unit and use Diaw when Splitter's in. And yeah, I'm sure we'll see Jack/Leonard at the 4 some as well.

[Plumblbw]

Personally, I'd rather see DeJuan get minutes with the first unit and use Diaw when Splitter's in. And yeah, I'm sure we'll see Jack/Leonard at the 4 some as well.

Thanks.

I did think of that pairing too, but guessed Pop won't want to change his starting lineup. I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[41times]

Series tied 2/2

Game 5 is the Big One

Winner tonight will win the series.

Spurs favored by 5 points.

Shoot 40% from 3 pt land tonight and the Spurs will win.

[wildbill2u]

The one thing that stood out for me in game 4--aside from the unbelievable shooting by their non-shooting bigs-- was OKC's hustle and desire.

They got every long offensive rebound. Perkins was beating out bigs down the court. One on play Westbrook, missed a shot, missed a steal, and still ran down the ball on our endline to deflect it out of bounds.

They pressured and trapped our ball handlers all over the court and disrupted our offensive sets with steals and deflections or by causing turnovers.

If they want it more than we do tonight, we will be going fishing soon.

[Spursmania]

Goddamn! Seems like most everyone thinks OKC is unbeatable and unstoppable. They played fantastic the last two games. Their role players played out of this world and they were all more aggressive and had the desire to kick our ass. They look dangerous.

Similarly, just a couple of games ago, everyone was kissing the Spurs'ass. They are unbeatable, wow- they are surgical, Tim Duncan has found the fountain of youth, Parker is the team's MVP --slicing and dicing everywhere, the Spurs are magical to watch, etc...

Which one of these teams will live up to the hype? I predict the Spurs will step it up.

Manu will have a HUGE game. Green finally hits his 3's and looks alive on D. Bonner will play limited minutes and Pop plays Blair for at least 10 minutes tonight. Parker lights it up on the court getting motivation from the MVP chants he hears. Leonard and SJAX play unbelievable D.

Spurs will win tonight. They haven't been this successful all year to give up now. OKC played so damn good the last game, I really doubt they can duplicate the effort. Durant is phenomenal, but I don't believe all of a sudden they are a passing team and have become this share the ball bb team in 2 games. Old habits die hard and they come back quickly especially when you are under pressure. OKC's demise begins tonight.

B-E-L-I-E-V-E!!

[crc21209]

Goddamn! Seems like most everyone thinks OKC is unbeatable and unstoppable. They played fantastic the last two games. Their role players played out of this world and they were all more aggressive and had the desire to kick our ass. They look dangerous.

Similarly, just a couple of games ago, everyone was kissing the Spurs'ass. They are unbeatable, wow- they are surgical, Tim Duncan has found the fountain of youth, Parker is the team's MVP --slicing and dicing everywhere, the Spurs are magical to watch, etc...

Which one of these teams will live up to the hype? I predict the Spurs will step it up.

Manu will have a HUGE game. Green finally hits his 3's and looks alive on D. Bonner will play limited minutes and Pop plays Blair for at least 10 minutes tonight. Parker lights it up on the court getting motivation from the MVP chants he hears. Leonard and SJAX play unbelievable D.

Spurs will win tonight. They haven't been this successful all year to give up now. OKC played so damn good the last game, I really doubt they can duplicate the effort. Durant is phenomenal, but I don't believe all of a sudden they are a passing team and have become this share the ball bb team in 2 games. Old habits die hard and they come back quickly especially when you are under pressure. OKC's demise begins tonight.

B-E-L-I-E-V-E!!

+1. Of course the Thunder were going to play well on their home court. And as in every Playoff series, the role players for the Thunder stepped up at home. Just like our role players should feel more comfortable tonight and step it up. I also agree with you about the passing by the Thunder in the past 2 games. We all know they are more of an ISO team and don't share the ball as much as they did in Games 3 and 4. I don't think they will be sharing the ball in San Antonio as well as they did back in OKC.....

BELIEVE.

[therealtruth]

Goddamn! Seems like most everyone thinks OKC is unbeatable and unstoppable. They played fantastic the last two games. Their role players played out of this world and they were all more aggressive and had the desire to kick our ass. They look dangerous.

Similarly, just a couple of games ago, everyone was kissing the Spurs'ass. They are unbeatable, wow- they are surgical, Tim Duncan has found the fountain of youth, Parker is the team's MVP --slicing and dicing everywhere, the Spurs are magical to watch, etc...

Which one of these teams will live up to the hype? I predict the Spurs will step it up.

Manu will have a HUGE game. Green finally hits his 3's and looks alive on D. Bonner will play limited minutes and Pop plays Blair for at least 10 minutes tonight. Parker lights it up on the court getting motivation from the MVP chants he hears. Leonard and SJAX play unbelievable D.

Spurs will win tonight. They haven't been this successful all year to give up now. OKC played so damn good the last game, I really doubt they can duplicate the effort. Durant is phenomenal, but I don't believe all of a sudden they are a passing team and have become this share the ball bb team in 2 games. Old habits die hard and they come back quickly especially when you are under pressure. OKC's demise begins tonight.

B-E-L-I-E-V-E!!

The Spurs looked vulnerable in the first two games. I don't think OKC has looked as vulnerable.

[The_Worlds_finest]

3 Hours!!!! GO SPURS GO!!!!

[DPG21920]

Spursmaina, not that the Spurs can't win, but what you said is the scary part to me, not the motivating part. Spurs come off of their best game of the season and OKC puts a quick stop to a historic run with a 2 game viscious beat down. That makes me worried that they stopped an unbelievable streak by making adjustments and have figured it out.

[TD 21]

I love all the over the top, dramatic, circle-of-life analysis of this game . . . unfortunately, it's all nonsense.

The Spurs can absolutely beat the Thunder, even if they've magically transformed overnight and "figured it out" and here's why: Because all they need to do is beat them two out of three and they have two of the games at home.

In other words, Duncan, for example, can't come close to matching Durant over the long haul at this point in their careers, but he absolutely can for a few games. How do I know? Because if you payed attention to the advanced stats from the first two rounds, he was right there with him in a lot of categories and better in some. Ginobili doesn't have the legs (supposedly) to play roughly 35 high level minutes consistently, but he doesn't have to do it consistently at this point, he just has to do it for a few games. He's still the wildcard in this series, just from a minutes standpoint alone. If he can play at the level he did during the regular season, only for 10-12 more mpg, then that's basically like adding a star player mid-series. Only one who has impeccable chemistry with the team already.

[DPG21920]

Amazing analysis. I never thought about the fact the could win because they need to win.

[Legacy]

Goddamn! Seems like most everyone thinks OKC is unbeatable and unstoppable. They played fantastic the last two games. Their role players played out of this world and they were all more aggressive and had the desire to kick our ass. They look dangerous.

Similarly, just a couple of games ago, everyone was kissing the Spurs'ass. They are unbeatable, wow- they are surgical, Tim Duncan has found the fountain of youth, Parker is the team's MVP --slicing and dicing everywhere, the Spurs are magical to watch, etc...

Which one of these teams will live up to the hype? I predict the Spurs will step it up.

Manu will have a HUGE game. Green finally hits his 3's and looks alive on D. Bonner will play limited minutes and Pop plays Blair for at least 10 minutes tonight. Parker lights it up on the court getting motivation from the MVP chants he hears. Leonard and SJAX play unbelievable D.

Spurs will win tonight. They haven't been this successful all year to give up now. OKC played so damn good the last game, I really doubt they can duplicate the effort. Durant is phenomenal, but I don't believe all of a sudden they are a passing team and have become this share the ball bb team in 2 games. Old habits die hard and they come back quickly especially when you are under pressure. OKC's demise begins tonight.

B-E-L-I-E-V-E!!


Oh yeah...


http://gifs.gifbin.com/reverse-1232022988_12.gif (http://www.gifbin.com/981864)

[dbreiden83080]

Spursmaina, not that the Spurs can't win, but what you said is the scary part to me, not the motivating part. Spurs come off of their best game of the season and OKC puts a quick stop to a historic run with a 2 game viscious beat down. That makes me worried that they stopped an unbelievable streak by making adjustments and have figured it out.

How was game 4 a beatdown? Spurs were within 2 i believe in the 4th and 4 a few times. A call here or there a play here or there. We also had a few defensive breakdowns. Tony and Manu could not have played any worse.. Game 3 was a beating, game 4 was winnable..

[TD 21]

Amazing analysis. I never thought about the fact the could win because they need to win.

I'm not sure if you're referring to me, but you appear to be and if you are, then you failed to comprehend my point. My point wasn't that "they could win because they need to win", my point was that short term, the Spurs can still match the Thunder's high end talent. People have this idea that if the Thunder's mental matches their physical, then the Spurs stand no chance. But I don't buy it. Next season, probably. Right now, no.

:tu for the over the top sarcasm though.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Thanks for rundown timvp. :tu

Sadly, I've been thinking the same thing about the Thunder - they were good enough to win game 1, stayed in game 2 after going down by 22 in the 3rd, and have been transcendent at home... as you say, "growing before our eyes".

That being said, I don't think OKC's bigs will shoot 22/25 again, and if they do then I guess they deserve to win.

Time for the Spurs not to panic and to get them back to what got them here in the first place: controlling the tempo (ie. run at all times); metronomic motion sets in the half court, most importantly including tough screens (to my eyes our screens in OKC l;acked the bite they had in games 1 and 2); getting back in transition, and relentless effort in the half-court D.

I think the key players in the game will be TP (really needs to find a way to score again), and our 5-headed forward rotation of Diaw, Leonard, Jax, Splitter, and Grizz - they need to get nasty and outplay Perkins/Ibaka/Collison. I have a feeling a couple of those guys are going to have big games. Oh, and we really need Super-Manu, not Turnobili, to appear.

So far this series reminds me a bit of the 2005 Finals - two big wins to each team at home, going into the key game of the series. That game turned out to be one of the great contests in Finals history, and we needed 21pts in the last 17mins of the game from a (to that point) dormant Big Shot Rob to steal it in OT. I feel like something similar will happen today.

Spurs by 2. *gulp*

[DPG21920]

How was game 4 a beatdown? Spurs were within 2 i believe in the 4th and 4 a few times. A call here or there a play here or there. We also had a few defensive breakdowns. Tony and Manu could not have played any worse.. Game 3 was a beating, game 4 was winnable..

OKC pretty much beat the Spurs down. Even though in game 4 Spurs made some runs, OKC just quickly quited most runs. That's not the point. To suddenly stop a team dead in their tracks when you get home is one thing, to stop a team dead in their tracks coming of some of the best ball they have every played in their franchise history is another.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

OKC pretty much beat the Spurs down. Even though in game 4 Spurs made some runs, OKC just quickly quited most runs. That's not the point. To suddenly stop a team dead in their tracks when you get home is one thing, to stop a team dead in their tracks coming of some of the best ball they have every played in their franchise history is another.

Once again, shades of the 2005 Finals - we smacked the crap out of them in games 1 and 2, they did the same to us in games 3 and 4. Let's hope game 5 goes the same way it did then, although maybe not so heart-stopping! :lol

[dbreiden83080]

OKC pretty much beat the Spurs down. Even though in game 4 Spurs made some runs, OKC just quickly quited most runs. That's not the point. To suddenly stop a team dead in their tracks when you get home is one thing, to stop a team dead in their tracks coming of some of the best ball they have every played in their franchise history is another.

The history of the playoffs is filled with series like this. Crazy shifts of momentum and what not.. Sometimes the team up 2-0 finds itself in a war through 4 sometimes it goes 1-1 all the way to game 7.. I didn't see anything in game 4 that tells me the Spurs can't beat this team at home. If Tony, Manu and Tim play well and the bench is more comfortable no reason they can't win. OKC had some players do things they have never done in their whole careers in game 4, Ibaka turned into Reggie Miller...

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

One would think OKC is due for a letdown and a reversion to their ways. But that won't happen unless the Spurs force the issue and put them in a tailspin and create some chaos for them, so to speak. For that to happen we need several bench members to get out of their funk/get a clean bill of health from their gynecologist.

To me, it's 50/50. It's only guesswork. We'll see who shows up.

[timvp]

I love all the over the top, dramatic, circle-of-life analysis of this game . . . unfortunately, it's all nonsense.

The Spurs can absolutely beat the Thunder, even if they've magically transformed overnight and "figured it out" and here's why: Because all they need to do is beat them two out of three and they have two of the games at home.

TD 21 with the scoff timvp yet come to the same conclusion goods.

[DPG21920]

The history of the playoffs is filled with series like this. Crazy shifts of momentum and what not.. Sometimes the team up 2-0 finds itself in a war through 4 sometimes it goes 1-1 all the way to game 7.. I didn't see anything in game 4 that tells me the Spurs can't beat this team at home. If Tony, Manu and Tim play well and the bench is more comfortable no reason they can't win. OKC had some players do things they have never done in their whole careers in game 4, Ibaka turned into Reggie Miller...

Sure, but Kawhi turned in to Pippen. I never said Spurs cannot win; i am simply saying that unlike other series, teams didnt destroy teams and stop them dead in their tracks when they were in the midst of one of the most unreal grooves in the history of the game.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Sure, but Kawhi turned in to Pippen. I never said Spurs cannot win; i am simply saying that unlike other series, teams didnt destroy teams and stop them dead in their tracks when they were in the midst of one of the most unreal grooves in the history of the game.

Um, again, 2005 Finals. :bang

But this year we don't have Big Shot Rob. Going on what happened in that series, the guy who has been quietest will explode, so I guess we can look forward to a huge game from Green, Splitter or Blair! One can only hope... :oops

[Bill_Brasky]

Leonard is the only player on the Spurs that I think can somewhat stay in front of Durant. Jackson has done a great job of being physical but if Durant gets the ball he blows by him every time.

I think it is absolutely key to have Leonard on Durant in the 4th.

[TD 21]

TD 21 with the scoff timvp yet come to the same conclusion goods.

Oh, you mean like you did with the whole gutless worms discussion? Only this time, we didn't come to the same conclusion . . .

"If the Thunder keep improving and reach the absolute apex of their potential, this Spurs team simply can't beat them." - timvp

My conclusion is that even if they "reach the absolute apex of their potential", that the Spurs can still beat them . . . this season. Don't misconstrue that to mean it wouldn't be extremely difficult though.

[Capster]

Pretty much timvp's most optimistic way of saying "Spurs are fucked." :lol

Hey Mugen, shut your pie hole!:flag::flag::flag:

[Slippy]

You know, it was massive improvement on offense for the most part of 2nd half by the spurs. It was a matter of getting stops.

You gotta mix it up with Durant but he still going to get his. The one adjustment the spurs should make is send a proper double team. Kawai seemed confused on how and when to apply it. If the Spurs limit thunder role players input, then they should come out on top.

A loud home crowd going nuts will be the difference.

[timvp]

POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Huge real life failure by Pop.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

How does he get so rattled like this in the playoffs

Is the spurs book on the Duncan era going to point to Pop as the main reason spurs earned an early and late reputation as chokers?
Collapses are not easy
And we seen to many for one era

[polandprzem]

Pop was gr8 in reg

[timvp]

Big picture, it was 2-2. No big reason to panic. Best of three with two at home. Should have just kept going with what was working.

I could have agreed with starting Ginobili or elevating Blair or trying more midget ball or removing Green completely ......... but not all the possible got damn maneuvers at the same time.

[therealtruth]

Big picture, it was 2-2. No big reason to panic. Best of three with two at home. Should have just kept going with what was working.

I could have agreed with starting Ginobili or elevating Blair or trying more midget ball or removing Green completely ......... but not all the possible got damn maneuvers at the same time.

Pop looked confused with some of those weird lineups.

[Obstructed_View]

Parker needs to watch a replay of the game where he went off on Westbrook.

[polandprzem]

Pop either wanted to confuse Brooks - which is not his style
Or he wanted to give some players a try - in a meaning - if you fuck this two minutes I'm giving you, you gonna get benched.

It's hard to believe Pop was messing the rotation so much. But it's hard to believe in what's going on.


LJ maybe 2-2 was not time for panic but this game was so important that losing it cause everybody to jump of the cliff. So that was pretty damn important game tbqo

[SA210]

How does he get so rattled like this in the playoffs

Is the spurs book on the Duncan era going to point to Pop as the main reason spurs earned an early and late reputation as chokers?
Collapses are not easy
And we seen to many for one era

It should point to Pop, but people are stupid, so it probably won't