Is Splitter of any real value in an OKC series?

[DD]

Would like to hear from the keen basketball minds on here how they think he will fit in such a matchup.

[Mugen]

I'd advocate Splitter getting more mins than Duncan when OKC goes to the small ball lineup as Tiago has a better chance of guarding Ibaka than Tim does tbh.

[spursfan1000]

Hes perfect for the series tbh

[midnightpulp]

Pop will probably start with Splitter, since he's been our best defensive big these playoffs, but if the Spurs have trouble scoring, expect to see Diaw to pull Ibaka or Perk out of the lane.

Splitter does have a role, though. A Duncan/Diaw frontline will be mercilessly attacked by Westbrook, KD, and The Straw That Stirs The Drink. Splitter/Duncan is a lot more formidable in the shot-blocking/shot-changing department. Not to mention keeping o-boards to a minimum.

[Man In Black]

As long as he frustrates the hell out Ibaka...then yes, he has value. He needs to screen hard to prevent Ibaka's penchant for weakside blocking. I don't think Splitter needs to try to score on anything other than putbacks. Should the comp be OKC, all Tiago needs to focus on is Defense and Rebounds and setting hard screens and boxing out on rebounds he cannot get to. If he does that, then that places emphasis on guys like Perkins and Durant and Westbrook to gang rebound which limits their fastbreak opps.

[ElNono]

He'll probably check Ibaka in the elbow, where spearchuker likes to camp. Which makes me think he might not end up being that much help defensively. I could see Pop going with Diaw for more offense, and I do see a role for Splitter against the likes of Collison or Adams with the second unit...

[midnightpulp]

He'll probably check Ibaka in the elbow, where spearchuker likes to camp. Which makes me think he might not end up being that much help defensively. I could see Pop going with Diaw for more offense, and I do see a role for Splitter against the likes of Collison or Adams with the second unit...

We sagged off him in 2012 to cut off penetration.

Gamble didn't pay off then, but I'd still rather give him that shot than roll the red carpet out for OKC penetration, which is now even better with the emergence of Jackson.

[ElNono]

We sagged off him in 2012 to cut off penetration.

Gamble didn't pay off then, but I'd still rather give him that shot than roll the red carpet out for OKC penetration, which is now even better with the emergence of Jackson.

Not sure, tbh... we'll see... the thing with Tiago is that he's not a shot blocker... so his value under the basket, outside of rebounding, is somewhat limited... especially when you have athletic guys like Russ and KD coming at you...

[spurraider21]

he's going to have to

[benstanfield]

Against OKC I like Diaw better in the starting 5. Can post up Ibaka or bring him out to the perimeter, and on D he's quick enough to run KD off the 3pt line and get back to contest an Ibaka jumper.

I think Splitter would be perfect as a smallball 5 matched up with Ibaka. Could guard the PnR better than TD and bring Ibaka to the perimeter when setting screens for Manu which could clear up the lane. But I don't think Pop will ever play Splitter over TD in small ball mode. At least from what I recall he's shown that he'll watch Tim get torched by WB/KD on the PnR until the bitter end.

[AchillesHeel]

His numbers against OKC were pretty terrible this season, tbh..

[RobbyH]

At least from what I recall he's shown that he'll watch Tim get torched by WB/KD on the PnR until the bitter end.

:lol spot on.. can't forget about Nash/Amar'e doing the same in 2010 either.

[ElNono]

I think Splitter would be perfect as a smallball 5 matched up with Ibaka. Could guard the PnR better than TD and bring Ibaka to the perimeter when setting screens for Manu which could clear up the lane. But I don't think Pop will ever play Splitter over TD in small ball mode. At least from what I recall he's shown that he'll watch Tim get torched by WB/KD on the PnR until the bitter end.

He did in the 1st round against Dallas, when Splitter and Manu were torching Dirk and Blair on the P&R...

[benstanfield]

He did in the 1st round against Dallas, when Splitter and Manu were torching Dirk and Blair on the P&R...

Probably has more to do with wanting Tiago/Boris on Dirk at all times. In crunch time I just don't see Pop pulling TD for Tiago, short of Ibaka morphing into Dirk/LMA. Or 6 I guess.

[ElNono]

Probably has more to do with wanting Tiago/Boris on Dirk at all times. In crunch time I just don't see Pop pulling TD for Tiago, short of Ibaka morphing into Dirk/LMA. Or 6 I guess.

yeah, that's why I was saying with the 2nd unit...

[ezau]

People thinking that the OKC-Clips series is already over.

[Mal]

Only with whistle

[Mal]

People thinking that the OKC-Clips series is already over.

Thunderrefs wont lose game 7, after what happend today.

[dfens]

I'd advocate Splitter getting more mins than Duncan when OKC goes to the small ball lineup as Tiago has a better chance of guarding Ibaka than Tim does tbh.

don't know about that one. It's like saying let's free the lane and guard jump shots. With kwahi in the lineup I think timmy is the way to go. Tiago lets you with zero rim defense and with KD/westbrick/jackson/ibaka that is not a good idea. Plus tim more than makes up for it on offense since they have little depth in big (ibaka,porkins,adams, ?)

I actually think it might not be a bad ideea to try some minutes kwahi on westbrook/jackson and put danny green or diaw on durant... since their offense is so stagnant it could really cause trouble.

[dg7md]

People thinking that the OKC-Clips series is already over.

Indeed. While I think the Thunder will win in 7, this thread is bump worthy if the Clippers pull it off. :lol

[dfens]

Would like to hear from the keen basketball minds on here how they think he will fit in such a matchup.

against steven adams, so from the bench. Other than that I don't see where he can contribute. Ibaka really gives him problems with his athleticism and porkins is too big.

[Calispursfan11]

We're likely to see some Parker on Durant and possibly Bonner on Westbrook tbh. Pop will find a way to help OKC and thunderefs.

[Seventyniner]

If the Thunder go small with Abaka as the only big, Duncan is the one who will have trouble staying on the floor. He'd be valuable in posting up on offense but he can't guard a Westbrook/Abaka PnR the way Splitter can.

[mercos]

Splitter did very well in the 2012 Conference Finals before his then abysmal free throw shooting was exploited. OKC going to Hack-a-Splitter in Game 2 was the turning point in the series. The Ginobili-Splitter pick and roll is key for the Spurs, because Manu won't let them get away with switching like Parker often does. He will attack the big, whether it is Durant or Ibaka.

[TDMVPDPOY]

nothin more then a punching bag if they do meet...

spurs will not make it out of that series with a win

[ezau]

Although I understand the fear of most Spurs fans when it comes to this possible matchup, there are several things that the Spurs have now that they didn't have in 2012:

1. The emergence of Kawhi Leonard on the offensive and defensive end----Whether he'd be guarded by WB or KD (Sefalosha will cover TP), Leonard will make either one of them work on the defensive end. I'm pretty sure we will see Kawhi postup WB more often in this series.

2. Danny Green--You could say that he's gone cold in two consecutive series now, but it doesn't take a lot to for him to heat up. The Spurs fell against the Thunder in 2012 because Green shot very poorly. If Westbrook is on him, the Spurs should run a ton of hard screens just to wear Westbrook out. It would be funny if Brooks decides to leave Green open in the perimeter, especially after seeing how Green torched the Heat in the Finals:lol

3. Tiago Splitter-- He will have a tough time against Ibaka and Pork, but Splitter won't be completely useless in this series. I'd expect him to punish OKC in the PnR and I would dare Brooks to employ that hack-a-Splitter strategy again.

4. Boris Diaw's aggressiveness- Boris is more aggressive now on the offensive end than in any point in his career if I remember. OKC would pay dearly if they leave him wide open or if they switch a smaller guy on him.

5. James Harden-No need to explain this.

Spurs are deeper and more talented now than in 2012 while the Thunder have pretty much stayed the same, especially when Harden left.

[Franklin]

but today's durant is more established and experienced than he was 2 years ago imho, and the refs are giving OKC more help than ever before. I'd rather play monkeyball than OKC in the conference finals at least a series vs. monkeyball will be fairly whistled.

[sexinthatsx]

Back in 2012 it was Boris Diaw who dismantled OKC for the first two games before hiding under a rock for the next 4 games. If anything, Boris Diaw's play will be huge

[Robz4000]

Hard to say. If he plays like he did in the first round he'll be their best big in the series. If his balls shrivel he'll fit in on the bench well enough.

Personally I'm hoping to see Baynes vs Adams at some point.

[Robz4000]

Hard to say. If he plays like he did in the first round he'll be their best big in the series. If his balls shrivel he'll fit in on the bench well enough.

Personally I'm hoping to see Baynes vs Adams at some point.

[ezau]

but today's durant is more established and experienced than he was 2 years ago imho, and the refs are giving OKC more help than ever before. I'd rather play monkeyball than OKC in the conference finals at least a series vs. monkeyball will be fairly whistled.

I get your point, but to say that the Spurs have no chance against MacVeigh City is totally absurd. The Spurs will be underdogs, but they have HCA, their bench is deeper, and their best players have finally reached peak form.