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Just don't turn the ball over.
I don't think those games mean anything. Spurs didn't start playing well until after the break. If I remember right game 4 was the second of a back to back and something like the 5th game in 7 days and the Spurs jumped out to a big 1st half lead, then gave it up in the third and Pop pulled the plug early in the 4th.
Just don't turn the ball over.
It doesn't, but the Nets were 4-0 against the Heat, and we saw how that turned out. The Thunder have looked worse than we have in these playoffs, so I'm not sure if they're totally "there" as a team — plus we have homecourt, which will be huge.
Huge difference, Miami was coasting like the Lakers the year the Sonics beat them 4-0 in the regular season. OKC is a legit threat, its like when the spurs gave the Lakers problems (I think it was the 03 season) and they dethroned them.
No doubt OKC is the biggest threat, but to make them out to be the biggest challenge yet for us is a bit of a mistake and underestimating our team. It's easy to go back to the 2012 situation, but we were worse then, and OKC was better, and we were up 2-0 before we just lost it.
We have a much better shot at winning against them this year. It's not going to be easy nor will it be guaranteed, but I feel like our chances this time around are a lot better.
You said exactly the same thing about the Blazers. Look how that turned out.
I still vividly remember Adams bullying Tim and refs not calling anything
Spurs are probably in the film room today going over these games and the Clips games. Plus they will be going over the playoff games both teams have played thus far.
Nets swept the Heat in the season. Regular season a lot of times doesn't mean nothing. Spurs swept the Mavs, look how that turned out. W/o Harden, I don't see OKC beating the Spurs in a 7 game series that the Spurs have HC advantage.
The Spurs-Thunder games seem to have a common trait -- three of the four quarters are relatively even.
OKC wins the other quarter (usually the 2d or 3d) by about ten points.
OKC, like most great teams, wins on runs -- one good run per game usually will do.
The blocked shots stat also sticks out -- OKC (especially Ibaka) is blocking a ton of Spurs' shots inside.
For all the conspiracy theorists, we know the refs can do a lot -- but they can't block shots. I'm pretty sure that's not the refs.
And I pointed out all the major advantages the Spurs had and how Parker can/should dominate, which he did..
They don't have many advantages in this series, tbh..
Do you want to feel better about the regular season losses? Brooklyn won all 4 regular season matchups against the Heat this year and were ousted in 5 in the playoffs (real season). The regular season doesn't mean anything.
The real concern for the Spurs is to bring the requisite amount of energy every night to beat the Thunder. No slacking allowed. They must protect the ball and value every possession. I've been saying this all year - The Spurs are the best team in the league. The Thunder are mediocre but crazy athletic and make up for their horrible offensive philosophy with aggressiveness. They bring it every night.
P.S. Skip Bayless is a dumb ass and a pussy. This is the playoffs! This is no time to be scurred. If you think your team is the best then you welcome the best compe ion. Bring on the Thunder, I want to see us beat their asses.
First and foremost how well Tony Parker handles Ibaka lurking will be telling. Also, lessen Jackson's impact sort of like the Spurs did with Devin Harris in the dallas series. Then they will have a great of chance winning the series .
Agree. I still favor the Clippers coming out of that series and facing the Spurs. I see the spurs getting the easiest matchups as possible.
As the Heat just proved against the Nets, the regular season can be fools gold. However, if you look at all of the scores (Spurs vs Thunder) with the exception of the last one, the games were close. The Spurs are playing very well right now, and the Thunder have been largely unimpressive thus far in the playoffs.
OKC's length and athleticism is a problem. Sefolosha and Ibaka have been the primary problems defensively, as they prevent TP from initiating the offense. That problem will be magnified if Parker isn't 100%. As we saw in the second half of game 5 against the Blazers, the Spurs can still be elite without Parker going off. Manu and Patty Mills will have to play well for that to happen. Their play has been up and down thus far.
As someone else pointed out, Leonard is best when he is allowed to roam defensively. He's more Scottie Pippen than Bruce Bowen. Given that smaller defenders have given Durant problems this post season, it might be wise to put Danny Green on him and allow Kawhi to guard either Sefolosha or Westbrook most of the time, with the former being the optimal choice. Stopping Westbrook from scoring should not be a priority. The Spurs should let him feast and try and contain everyone else, as OKC's others have traditionally destroyed us. The fact that Westbrook takes many ill advised shots is a bonus.
OKC is a team full of Derek Fishers led by Derek Fisher. Our worst nightmare.
It's just this simple the refs don't call fouls against okc when they play us, this leads to fastbreak points. If they did call fouls and okc was playing our halfcourt D for most of the game we would win easy.
It's simple. Don't lose a home game.
Remember that Miami was 0-4 against the Nets and just eliminated them in 5. Playoffs are a whole new season.
Apparently, Spurs fans are really banking on the correlation between the nets v heat series and them with OKC. Its two completely different scenarios. The nets are a team you coast against, the Thunder are not. It DOESNT mean Spurs wont or cant win, it just means its a very difficult match up for them.
The Spurs love to let the opposing bigs shoot long range open jumpers. Duncan rarely leaves the paint. Too bad Ibaka loves hitting those open jumpers. Someone has got to go out and contest his jumpers and it will be hard when the Thunder put Ibaka at center, matched up against Duncan.
OP forgot to mention Westbrook was out game 3 this season. Thunda still beat us.
IMO the key to this series will be this guy. He shot a miserable 2-16 in game 1 reg season. then went to shoot 55% the other 2 games.
If Spurs can somehow make Westbrook play like Chimpbrook. they have a chance.
If Westbrook becomes efficient shooter Spurs are ed.
I will go ahead and say it... If Westbrook shoots 45% or better vs the Spurs. the Spurs are ed. deadly beatdown by the hand of the Thunda
If westbrook shoots under his current playoff average which is 43.5% Spurs will have a good chance at the upset.
Assuming that the Thunder are up next, I actually think that Splitter's recent successes with both Nowitzki and Aldridge are hopeful signs in defending Ibaka. Ibaka is a different dude than those guys, but Tiago has shown some ability to defend in space against proficient (and in Aldridge's case, fairly athletic) shooters and at least make them work for what they get.
Generally, the question for the Spurs is finding some way to either limit the Thunder scoring to Durant and Westbrook without a big third scorer or to ensure that if a third scorer comes along, everyone else is pretty much silent. I used to think, back in the heyday of Spurs/Lakers, that the real key to beating LA was keeping Kobe below about 1.00 points per shot; if he's going to get 30, make him take 30 shots to get there. I don't think it's realistic to expect that against Durant, but if you can keep him closer to 1 PPS than 2 PPS, it makes things a little bit more doable. All the way around, it's much more easily said than done.
Easy, too, to get caught up in the assumption that the Thunder are next; still think the Clippers might have something to say about that.
^ disagree. Splitter is not good at defending pick and pop players (which Ibaka is) just look at the Finals last year and Bosh
totally different animals and I'm not sure Splitter would be of any use
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