Game Blog: Spurs vs. Thunder - Game 5

[ploto]

LOL, you've got it backwards. That's the way the Spurs played to get the #1 seed and to win 31 out of 33 games. The real fluke is what we were seeing in games 3-4 and part of game 5.

Spurs won 20 games in a row but that really does not matter when the first 18 of those were not against OKC. We saw 1 good quarter in game 1 and a good game 2. Utah and the Clippers just are not very good.

[Quiet Strength]

Nothing left for Pop to try.

The Thunder are just better--too fast, too long, and especially more clutch this series. Every single time they have NEEDED a shot in the last three games, they have gotten it

They are growing up before our eyes, including Brooks as a coach, and unfortunately we are the victims.

It is not impossible, but it does not look likely right now.

Yeah there is something left.. pop has to play his best players heavy minutes.

[Bruno]

Props to the Thunder. They have some great players and for a team that young they show a lot of character.

Spurs fought hard. Some players could have played better but, overall, Thunder seems to just be the better team. It's a serie between 2 great teams and 1 has to lose it. Suck it's Spurs but that's basketball.

Thunder will be heavily favorite in game 6 but Spurs have to show up and fight hard like tonight. After that, you never know.

[Ice009]

Manu and Jackson are two players who should always be playing for a team that has a chance to win a Championship.

They're just supreme compe ors and aren't scared of big games or big shots. Both should always be on a team that has a chance to win it.

[SpursFaninMS]

Yeah there is something left.. pop has to play his best players heavy minutes.

Looking at the box, who are you talking about?

[Obstructed_View]

They're too fast

Every thunder player beat their man down the court every time

So the key to completely stimying the Spurs' 120 point per game offense was "get back on defense"?

[Quiet Strength]

Looking at the box, who are you talking about?

Same players that ended the game.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

So the key to completely stimying the Spurs' 120 point per game offense was "get back on defense"?

Unless the spurs were purposely running slow

The thunder played very disciplined, focused transition defense, and you have to credit them for that

There were times when we had 3 on 2 or even numbers, and by the time the ball was in their court, they had turned the numbers to their favor

Also, the Parker 1 man fast break ALWAYS.disappears deep into the playoffs

[DPG21920]

Spurs fought hard - in spurts. Enough to be happy but leave you questioning them when you study the 3 straight losses in the WCF including being the only team to lose at home in the WCF while having not lost 3 straight all year coming off of 20 straight wins of playing solid crisp and composed basketball.

[Spurologist]

Excellent postgame interview from manu.

[Obstructed_View]

Unless the spurs were purposely running slow

The thunder played very disciplined, focused transition defense, and you have to credit them for that

There were times when we had 3 on 2 or even numbers, and by the time the ball was in their court, they had turned the numbers to their favor

Also, the Parker 1 man fast break ALWAYS.disappears deep into the playoffs

I haven't seen a single long outlet pass from a rebound in the last three games. Either the Thunder are developing into the best defensive team we've ever seen, Scott Brooks is the greatest coach since Phil Jackson, or the Spurs have just forgotten what got them 20 wins in a row.

[SpursFaninMS]

Same players that ended the game.

Parker: 40
Manu: 38
Duncan: 33
Leonard: 35
Jax: 30

[Budkin]

I just finished the game on DVR. Im just sitting here stunned. How could we have not won this game? How?

[Ice009]

Excellent postgame interview from manu.

What did he say?

[PublicOption]

The Thunder are just better--too fast, too long, and especially more clutch this series. Every single time they have NEEDED a shot in the last three games, they have gotten it

They are growing up before our eyes, including Brooks as a coach, and unfortunately we are the victims.

It is not impossible, but it does not look likely right now.

I don't think there's anything left for Pop to do. I'd like to see us take some more chances on defense and risk them getting by you for a dunk. This whole giving Ibaka jumpers bull is not working.

your the kind of suckers the league is made for.

[Quiet Strength]

Parker: 40
Manu: 38
Duncan: 33
Leonard: 35
Jax: 30

Jax and leonard could handle more minutes and manu could have played 40 like parker. Neals defense hurts the spurs.. especially against a great offense team like okc. If he cant hit shots.. he shouldnt play.

[Manu-20]

I just finished the game on DVR. Im just sitting here stunned. How could we have not won this game? How?

hurts but im staying postive there is a chance the spurs can win game 6 in OKC.

[Ice009]

What did Manu and Sjax say post game?

[SpursFaninMS]

I haven't seen a single long outlet pass from a rebound in the last three games. Either the Thunder are developing into the best defensive team we've ever seen, Scott Brooks is the greatest coach since Phil Jackson, or the Spurs have just forgotten what got them 20 wins in a row.

Our team didn't forget what won them 20 games. Our offensive system won us 20 games. We just can't run our offense.

Brooks isn't a genius. He realized what everyone else in the NBA does: If you can simultaneously stop Parker's penetration, especially off the pick and roll (and in many cases, not even allow him to get to the pick), while still being able to get out on the wings: You will beat us. Brooks, unlike others, happens to have the personnel to do it. What in the took him so long to put Thabo on Parker, I don't know.

Tony Parker, as we have known him this season, has been taken out of the picture. He scored 20 tonight, yes, but I have never seen him work harder for 20 and hit more difficult shots. Most importantly, though, he is not the facilitator we are used to. He can't penetrate. He's typically not being allowed to get to the pick and roll and when he does, their length keeps him from doing anything with it. We've had two full games to figure out how to get him going again, and it hasn't happened. No reason to think Game 6 will be better.

It may not be sufficient, but it is necessary for Ginobili and Duncan to both have huge games (COMPLETE GAMES).

[SpursFaninMS]

your the kind of suckers the league is made for.

Why? Because I don't about everything and put it all on the coaches and players? Or because I can admit when my team is getting outplayed?

[JRHernandez88]

Tonight was an awesome game even though we lost. I was in the stands and the arena was absolutely going bonkers. If Manu would of hit that 3 at the end it would have exploded! Oh well, GOOD TIMES... If we win this series it's gona be SWEET as ... Damn who would of known it was going to turn out this way? The Spurs are with their backs against the wall and our main concern has surfaced. All playoffs we wondered what would happen when the Spurs were tested while the Thunder came into this series with clutch wins against quality oppenents. Now it's time to see what we are made of. Will we rise CHAMPIONS?

[adonis827]

This is not yet over for sure. Let's go spurs!

[therealtruth]

Why are OKC players able to hit the pull up jumper when they are run off the line while our players can't? Daequan Cook is one of the best at that.

[Obstructed_View]

Confidence.

[cutewizard]

it looks like the NBA shall have the series it craves:

Thunder vs Heat! Durant vs James!