Spurs in 6
Most of the series will revolve around FT shooting. That's why the Thunder are where they are right now. 3 players in top 10 in FTA is just insane.
In this way the Thunder could very well be like Miami in the 2006 Finals. I hope it won't be THAT disgusting.
Blah, blah, blah. The Spurs are like the Patriots, nobody understands how they win, they just do.
Spurs in 5.
Long story short, one hopes the Spurs' propensity for playing as a team on offense while not fouling on the other end of the court will come in handy this series.
I think it will come down to holding down homecourt. The Spurs need to come out and win 2 at a home at all costs. If that happens, I doubt the Thunder can regroup and win 4 out of the next 5. If the Spurs can go 2-0, they win in 6.
The Spurs should play like the championship is on the line tonight. Everyone brings their best effort, no exceptions.
I believe they can.
Last edited by z0sa; 05-27-2012 at 03:09 AM.
Same here, Spurs in 5.
If you aren't a pro writer, you should be.
L.J. = Gentle Basketball Genius.
I hope someone from the F.O. always reads and ponders your posts. I often forward them along to my best friend who is an assistant division 1 basketball coach.
Good writeup.
I said the Spurs would beat the Thunder in five a long, long time ago. So suffice it to say, I'm not changing my prediction now.
Biggest omission... Mavs had Avery Johnson and (can't remember his name) that former Spurs staffer that knew their whole system, so the Mavs were always one step ahead. The Thunder have Scott Brooks, and the Spurs have Pop. Spurs in 6.
The Spurs could lose this series. If they don't play with the precision and energy they've displayed they could lose it. They need to keep the pressure on the thunder to have to perform flawlessly to have a chance against the Spurs. If the Spurs make them have to play perfect basketball they won't keep up.
Game 1 was .277. That's right down the middle and survivable.During the regular season, the Thunder were the best team in the league at getting to the free throw line. They averaged .333 free throw attempts per field goal attempts. The Spurs, conversely, were the second best team at keeping opponents off the line by allowing only .221 FTA/FGA.
That mention of "cold shooting" had me thinking in the first half.
the mavs had also beaten the spurs during the 06 regular season, winning it 3 to 1. it really shouldn't have been a surprise that they beat the spurs in the playoffs. spurs have gone 9-2 now against okc. here's hoping it continues.
from adande espn column:How important is it for the Thunder to get to the line? Extremely important. In the playoffs, the Spurs are shooting 49.1% from the field to the Thunder's mark of 46.5%. If you give a bonus for three-pointers (eFG%), the disparity grows: 54.8% for SA, 50.6% for OKC. But because the Thunder get to the line so often (24.3 FTA per game) and shoot such a high percentage (84%), OKC's offensive efficiency has been even higher than the Spurs in the playoffs (112.4 vs. 112.0). And it's even more impressive once you consider that Oklahoma City has faced much better defenses in these playoffs than the Spurs.
"I couldn't make a layup," Harden said. "I couldn't make a shot."
Even worse, he couldn't make a free throw … because he didn't attempt any.
"It affected me," Harden said. "I live at the line. Getting to the free-throw line and getting easy points, it definitely helps me. I've just got to be ready. Got to be more aggressive at getting to the basket and being able to finish in Game 2."
good call.
As for my final prediction, it may come as a surprise after what I laid out above but I'm going to predict the Spurs advancing in five games. While many are forecasting this to be an epic battle that will go the distance, I don't see it that way. These two teams are so different that I just don't anticipate a long, drawn out battle.
If the Thunder's offensive superstars prove to be indefensible and the Spurs can't stop their parade to the free throw line, Oklahoma City will probably make short work of the Spurs. If San Antonio is going down, I think it'd be in flames.
Conversely, if things begin to roll in the Spurs direction, I believe this recent dominance will continue. As long as the Spurs can slow OKC's big three -- even a little bit -- while limiting fouls, that will create the needed fast break opportunities that will kickstart the offense that will commence the avalanche.
so after one game, would we say things are rolling in the right direction or should we wait until game 2 to really judge things?
It's a bad omen that the refs had Durant going to the line so easily at the end of the game. If he sneezes and gets to the line in San Antonio, things are going to be much worse in OKC.
Did you think nobody was going to check your facts? They split the season series with Dallas because they coasted in the last one. It really shouldn't have been a surprise that they beat the Spurs when the Spurs wouldn't play their centers.
lemme check, wouldn't be the first time i missed something...
looks like you're right, must've looked at the wrong team going down the schedule.
Sorry for overreacting. It was a widely perpetuated myth that the Mavs dominated the Spurs during that stretch. I'll never completely forgive Pop for benching those two guys.
Yeah
That and benching Bruce with 4 fouls in the 4th quarter, game 1 against lakers 2008.are his two biggest mistakes ever
^Even worse, it was three fouls in the third quarter. Spurs were up 20, Bowen got his third foul and Pop inexplicably benched him. Lakers scored the next 14 points with Kobe lighting up Udoka. Season lost.
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