Stop taking away from OKC

[Rogbok]

I know there is tons of talk about the officiating, even from the national media, but that was not what cost the Spurs the game. Sure it did not help and was definitely an advantage for OKC.

From what I saw, what really cost us the game was missed open shots in the second half. Duncan began hesitating on his looks from the top of the key and most times that he does this, he usually ends up missing. Compare that to the first half when Duncan was catching it and firing almost immediately and hitting. If the Spurs kept hitting their open shots, then they would have won. Heck, even if they had hit half of their open shots, they probably would have won because it would have put additional pressure on OKC and things would likely have played out differently. At that point, the officiating probably would not have mattered.

I will not lie, watching the officiating was aggravating and upsetting, but do not hold that against OKC. They are a great team and should be treated as such. Congratulations Thunder.

I look forward to seeing what the Spurs do in the off season and next year. I personally feel they will still be playing well next year and could go far in the playoffs.

[thispego]

only idiots are holding it against OKC, they just accepted the gift that was given to them. what, people expected them to stop the game and forfeit because the refs were favoring them? Anyone who is holding it against the thunder are idiots, anyone not holding it against the league/refs are idiots.

[100%duncan]

^Man, det sig is owning.

[boutons_deux]

The refs tarnished the victory of the excellent Thunder, not the fans.

[TXstbobcat]

The Thunder are a great team. The spurs had chances to win games 4, 5, and 6. The Thunder hit so many clutch shots down the stretch. Congrats to them. I am proud of the spurs making it this far in the playoffs.

[ro_50]

Congrats to the Thunder.

[CitizenDwayne]

Congrats on games 3, 4 and 5.

[thispego]

The Thunder are a great team. The spurs had chances to win games 4, 5, and 6. The Thunder hit so many clutch shots down the stretch. Congrats to them. I am proud of the spurs making it this far in the playoffs.

spurs didn't get a chance to make their clutch shots

[xellos88330]

I know there is tons of talk about the officiating, even from the national media, but that was not what cost the Spurs the game. Sure it did not help and was definitely an advantage for OKC.

From what I saw, what really cost us the game was missed open shots in the second half. Duncan began hesitating on his looks from the top of the key and most times that he does this, he usually ends up missing. Compare that to the first half when Duncan was catching it and firing almost immediately and hitting. If the Spurs kept hitting their open shots, then they would have won. Heck, even if they had hit half of their open shots, they probably would have won because it would have put additional pressure on OKC and things would likely have played out differently. At that point, the officiating probably would not have mattered.

I will not lie, watching the officiating was aggravating and upsetting, but do not hold that against OKC. They are a great team and should be treated as such. Congratulations Thunder.

I look forward to seeing what the Spurs do in the off season and next year. I personally feel they will still be playing well next year and could go far in the playoffs.

Not blaming the Thunder at all. It is good to see them go. I just don't like how they got there. For a majority of the fourth quarter the Spurs had to hit 100% from 3 to close the gap. The Thunder were getting way too many bullshit no contact, or minimal contact calls. They are too good of a free throw shooting team for that to happen. Physical play was allowed for the Thunder, but not for the Spurs. When the Spurs would get something going, there would be an offensive foul. Terribly officiated game.

It is easy to say all you have to do is hit your shots, but really you have to hit 100% from 3 to have a chance with the way the game was officiated. You aren't being allowed to play proper defense and if you touch the other team (or in some cases don't touch them) you are giving them free points. A good free throw team like the Thunder are going to knock them down. Only way to make up points is to get and-1's (which the officials took away a couple) or hit nothing but 3's.

[sammy]

* Fuck OKC Cheaters w/Refs attached

[DeadlyDynasty]

Good to see some Spurfans with backbone...props OP:tu

[Rogbok]

It is easy to say all you have to do is hit your shots, but really you have to hit 100% from 3 to have a chance with the way the game was officiated. You aren't being allowed to play proper defense and if you touch the other team (or in some cases don't touch them) you are giving them free points. A good free throw team like the Thunder are going to knock them down. Only way to make up points is to get and-1's (which the officials took away a couple) or hit nothing but 3's.

Most of the open shots I am referring to were in the third quarter. If at least some of those, say 50%+ went in, then the really horrible officiating may not have taken such a hold on the game because the game would not have been as close going into the fourth quarter.

Now, do not get me wrong, I am pissed with the league and the officials. The league for letting things like this go on and tarnishing their product and the officials for just making horrendous calls. I do not think I would have a problem with the bad calls, if they would just be consistent in making those bad calls on both teams.

[vanvannen]

OKC is just way more talented on each and every position and KD is plain unstoppable (at least without Bruce Bowen). The Spurs' strength was its depth, which after game 3 disappeared. I'm even surprised the Spurs where able to win 2.

That said, the officiating on game 6 was preposterous. No team in the history of basketball could have beaten OKC with that officiating.

[vanvannen]

Also TP disappearing act in the 2nd half hurt the Spurs badly.

[Trill Clinton]

OKC is just way more talented on each and every position and KD is plain unstoppable (at least without Bruce Bowen). The Spurs' strength was its depth, which after game 3 disappeared. I'm even surprised the Spurs where able to win 2.

That said, the officiating on game 6 was preposterous. No team in the history of basketball could have beaten OKC with that officiating.
alladis

[temujin]

To be honest, really really honest, I didn't like some of the stuff that came out from OKC.
I had a favourable PRE-judice for OKC.
I have a much less favourable POST-judice now.
They are NOT the new Spurs, for sure.
Too much punk acting by several players.

[weebo]

Bad officiating kills momentum and makes you passive.

No one here is is saying the Thunder paid the refs off and that's why they won. The Spurs missed shots but you can't expect them to go 100% from the field just to have a chance to win. The biggest gripe people have around here is that the officiating got in the way of the players deciding the outcome. Too many times it happened in this series, for and against the Spurs (the Ibaka's goal tending comes to mind). That said, had the officiating not been an issue you would most likely have seen threads blaming Pop, Bonner, or the wilting vaginas on the Spurs bench.

[dbreiden83080]

Yes lets all eternally kiss the asses of the team that just beat us..

[mytespurs]

I agree-all the vitriol & hate on OKC-I
know the officiating was bad but spurs had opportunities-OKC was better team & were clutch when necessary-as disappointed as I am re: spurs demise I'm glad OKC is representing the west and I will root for the young thunder!!

[mytespurs]

I agree-all the vitriol & hate on OKC-I
know the officiating was bad but spurs had opportunities-OKC was better team & were clutch when necessary-as disappointed as I am re: spurs demise I'm glad OKC is representing the west and I will root for the young thunder!!

[spursfan09]

Not taking anything away from OKC at all.

But do you think OKC will get these kind of calls against the Heat or Boston?

[Spurminator]

I have to give props to their fans. Most arenas would have been dead in the first half but you never got the impression they thought they were out of it. I think it really had an impact on their team.

[Keepin' it real]

It would be ironic if OKC -- the beneficiary of many bullshit calls vs. the Spurs -- suffered the same fate in the NBA Finals, ala Dallas Mavericks 2006. Then OKC fans will scream about the bad officiating and cry that it's not fair ... and Spurs fans will say "Welcome to our nightmare, bitch."

[Josepatches_]

* Fuck OKC Cheaters w/Refs attached

[Josepatches_]

Not taking anything away from OKC at all.

But do you think OKC will get these kind of calls against the Heat or Boston?

Sure

They are the most-favored team of the league. It was the first time Lakers didn't have refs playing for them in the playoffs. It says all.

It's all for Durant.Stern loves that boy.You cant breathe on him.

[TE]

I am not going to sit here and lie about it, I really don't think the better team won this series. Sure, OKC won games 3, 4, and 5 as the better team, but not game 6, tbqh.

[Jimcs50]

I am not going to sit here and lie about it, I really don't think the better team won this series. Sure, OKC won games 3, 4, and 5 as the better team, but not game 6, tbqh.



I concur


This series was supposed to go back to SA.

The Spurs got reamed

[sammy]

It would be ironic if OKC -- the beneficiary of many bullshit calls vs. the Spurs -- suffered the same fate in the NBA Finals, ala Dallas Mavericks 2006. Then OKC fans will scream about the bad officiating and cry that it's not fair ... and Spurs fans will say "Welcome to our nightmare, bitch."

Agreed!

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Let me be very clear - OKC isn't the best team of the planet. That.

[sammy]

I concur


This series was supposed to go back to SA.

The Spurs got reamed

Agreed! The better team was hosed!

[Rummpd]

All I can say is good luck Miami or Boston and never thought I would say that- the Thunder already too full of themselves for winning what IMO will always be one of the most tarnished last three called games in NBA history favoring one team. Lot of talent on OKC but they are not angels and should not always have the sun and wind behind every effort they made down the stretch playing 8 on 5 in essence.

[Solid D]

OKC played at an extremely high level. They are very talented. They have 6 players on their roster who were selected in the NBA lottery. The Spurs have 1 lottery player.

The Thunder played exceptional defense and Derek Fisher was a major addition in late March. Fisher's impact in Game 6, particularly with his heady and tough perimeter defense, was a big key to winning 4 straight. OKC made better adjustments, taking advantage of their length and speed, but these teams were closely matched. OKC made big plays and shots more often than the Spurs, especially down the stretch. The Thunder played with a strong will to win and should have achieved success.

Let's not take away from the Spurs and what they accomplished. The prominent officiating served to detract from the game and affected it, to be sure.

[TampaDude]

Y'all are missing the bigger picture here. The NBA wanted OKC in the Finals instead of the Spurs, because the Spurs were a tougher matchup for the team the NBA REALLY wants to win it all...the Miami Heat.

Don't believe me? Watch the refs take over ECF Game 6 tonight to ensure a Miami victory.

The Heat are going to ride the whistles all the way to another NBA Championship. Book it.

[TE]

Y'all are missing the bigger picture here. The NBA wanted OKC in the Finals instead of the Spurs, because the Spurs were a tougher matchup for the team the NBA REALLY wants to win it all...the Miami Heat.

Don't believe me? Watch the refs take over ECF Game 6 tonight to ensure a Miami victory.

The Heat are going to ride the whistles all the way to another NBA Championship. Book it.

If that's what it takes for the Thunder to feel cheated out then so be it. There should have been a game 7 tomorrow. Screw OKC. Plus, Lebron needs to ring already.

[tesseractive]

All I can say is good luck Miami or Boston and never thought I would say that- the Thunder already too full of themselves for winning what IMO will always be one of the most tarnished last three called games in NBA history favoring one team. Lot of talent on OKC but they are not angels and should not always have the sun and wind behind every effort they made down the stretch playing 8 on 5 in essence.

So was the officiating somehow the difference in the 32-18 3rd quarter too? In games 3, 4 and 5, as well?

You started calling a multiyear dynasty before we'd even won the conference finals, and now that we lost, you're pronouncing that the fix was in. Just sack up and admit that they beat us.

Basically, you're acting like a Suns fan.

[KDtrey5]

OKC is just way more talented on each and every position and KD is plain unstoppable (at least without Bruce Bowen). The Spurs' strength was its depth, which after game 3 disappeared. I'm even surprised the Spurs where able to win 2.

That said, the officiating on game 6 was preposterous. No team in the history of basketball could have beaten OKC with that officiating.

Bruce bowen is like what 6'6? Durant would of abused him with his height. You spurs fans act like this dude was scottie pippen stop lol

[tesseractive]

Bruce bowen is like what 6'6? Durant would of abused him with his height. You spurs fans act like this dude was scottie pippen stop lol

This.

Durant would have killed the 2004-2007 Spurs the same way Dirk always did. And in my opinion (and I don't expect it to be that controversial except among Mav fans), Durant is better than Dirk.