If Serge Ibaka Was Playing...

[TampaDude]

If Ibaka was playing, the Thunder would still lose.

You guys who use the awful mentality of, "The Spurs couldn't have done some of that stuff if Ibaka was out there", need to stop and think. Would they actually go that hard inside if he was? No, they'd be doing other to abuse other holes in OKC's defense, and OKC would still lose.

Y'all act like Pop abusing OKC's ty bigs is "lucky" rather than completely on purpose.

^ this

We completely dominated the Thunder last night. Even if Ibaka was playing and was 100%, we still would have won.

[mavsfan1000]

I would've loved to see a close series. But OKC has no shotblocker now. It's a layup line for San Antonio. Collison should study how Ibaka guards the rim. But I guess you can't study athleticism.

[kidd_91]

that means serge is "the real mvp"

[DBMethos]

OKC should start Mama Durant at the four spot.

[cd021]

Thunders defense has been fairly shaky since post all star break. Thats probably a big reason why they didn't win the #1 seed. They obviously aren't going to be anywhere as good on that end. They also can't stay big with 3 offensive non factors in Perk, Sef and Collison. Butler isn't a great defender neither is Westbrook or Fisher. Its kind of a perfect storm for them.

Not to mention offensively where the Spurs can pack the paint ,when they have a true big on the floor or throw a combo of Parker, Green, Manu, Leonard, Diaw, Mills, or Belinelli with Duncan or Splitter and go small.

Their "3 headed monster" combined for 9 points,15 rebounds 2 blocks, 7 PF, +/- - 27, in 57 minutes.

[mudyez]

Stats support OK City much better against the spurs when Ibaka is on the floor.

I don't doubt that, but as a reader I 'd be like: "WTF? Does ESPN think I can't remember what I just read 6 seconds ago?"

...and as a Spurs fan I'm like: "ESPN blows some OKC s hard....gets med over its BSPN face...keeps blowing...gets another load right into the muth....can't get enough...gimme one more load...uh yeah....okc, on my wife...its still not enough... on my 6 year old children!...see you in the next game recap my love"

[rascal]

For the people that say the Spurs are lucky. What about that stretch of the 3 playoffs (09-11) where the Spurs Big 3 were battling plantar fasciitis (Duncan/Parker), jumper's knee (Duncan), broken ankle (Manu), broken hand (Parker), broken arm (Manu).

That is why everyone wrote the Spurs off. But they failed to realize the Spurs weren't fully healthy in any of those seasons.

Spurs had they share of the injury woes. You can include the early 00's when Elliott, Anderson, Duncan (father's death) and Robinson being out of the playoffs as well. Injuries happen. Magic had to play C against Moses Malone (one of the best C/PF ever) to win a championship when Kareem went down. Injuries happen.

Spurs were fine in many of those cases, they took the court and even had big games in those times. Totally different than a guy being out for the playoffs. That broken Manu arm is bull overrated. He was playing and playing well.

[rascal]

Injuries are a part of sport, they happen and there is nothing you can do about it. I'm tired of hearing how Spurs have the easy path every year (like last year, where they faced Grizzlies in the WCF), that's bull . Other teams have just as "easy" path as we do. If they don't have a player who could stop 38 year old player, well, that's their fault. If they don't rest players during the season, again their fault. Every team is responsible for their players, and not others.
this "what if Ibaka was playing" , because right now it's irrelevant. He is not playing, but the Thunder got blown out despite having "2 best players of this series" ().

Thunder don't have the best two players. Durant,Duncan,Parker,Westbrook,Leonard
Spurs have the 2nd,3rd and 5th best players.

[smaka]

Thunder don't have the best two players. Durant,Duncan,Parker,Westbrook,Leonard
Spurs have the 2nd,3rd and 5th best players.

I was just reffering to some opinions who stated that. Obviously, I don't agree.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Spurs were fine in many of those cases, they took the court and even had big games in those times. Totally different than a guy being out for the playoffs. That broken Manu arm is bull overrated. He was playing and playing well.

I have had plantar fasciitis, believe me it hurts. It feels like someone is stabbing you in the heel with a knife when you sprint or jump. That is why everyone rode Duncan as done when he couldn't post anyone and he couldn't stop anyone in the post for those couple of years. If you ever get it, I hope you don't, you will probably begin to understand how painful it would be to have play against the best talent in the world with that pain.

Manu only had one good game in the Memphis series. He even said after the series he was in pain mostly and couldn't focus.

Playing with a painful injury is sometimes more detrimental to your team than if you just sat. If Serge came back, it would be pointless. His mind wants to play, but when he wants to go for a rebound or block shot, and his body (torn flexor muscle) tells him no, he will realize, no matter how strong your will is, sometimes your body wins out.

[mclinejr]

thunder shouldn't be playing for the finals if the absence of one player hurts them this bad. if spurs lost any of their key players, the difference would be negligible.

[EVAY]

…the announcers would have to come up with some other reason for the Spurs winning games.

[ErnestLynch]

Ibaka is more valuable than Westbrook against the Spurs, as I said before the game, tbh..

However, nobody remembers injuries..

2013: no Westbrook
2009: no Garnett, no Yao, no Jameer Nelson
2006: No Amare
2004: Karl Malone misses Finals
2003: no Dirk, no Webber
2000: no Duncan

Then we had Manu break his arm in the next to last game of the season one year. In a pointless meaningless game. Caught between a pick and roll...He played anyway, but ....

[rascal]

I have had plantar fasciitis, believe me it hurts. It feels like someone is stabbing you in the heel with a knife when you sprint or jump. That is why everyone rode Duncan as done when he couldn't post anyone and he couldn't stop anyone in the post for those couple of years. If you ever get it, I hope you don't, you will probably begin to understand how painful it would be to have play against the best talent in the world with that pain.

Manu only had one good game in the Memphis series. He even said after the series he was in pain mostly and couldn't focus.

Playing with a painful injury is sometimes more detrimental to your team than if you just sat. If Serge came back, it would be pointless. His mind wants to play, but when he wants to go for a rebound or block shot, and his body (torn flexor muscle) tells him no, he will realize, no matter how strong your will is, sometimes your body wins out.

Manu averaged 35 minutes a game and 20.6 points a game(better than his regular season average in 2011 playoffs) so i am not buying he was all that injured.

Nothing like Ibaka who is not even on the court.

[rascal]

thunder shouldn't be playing for the finals if the absence of one player hurts them this bad. if spurs lost any of their key players, the difference would be negligible.

If the Spurs lost Duncan they would get swept by a healthy OK City. Key players are huge difference makers.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

If the Spurs lost Duncan they would get swept by a healthy OK City. Key players are huge difference makers.

The way Splitter and Baynes played while Duncan wasn't on the floor on Monday, I wouldn't be so sure about that.

[Jenks]

Spurs were winning this series with Ibaka

Biggest changes for the Spurs since 2012 - massive improvements from Leonard, Splitter, Mills (let's see Brooks resort to hack-a-splitter now)
Biggest change for the Thunder since 2012 - lost their second best player (not including Joey Crawford)

If anyone thinks OKC was pulling this out when you consider 2012, and after watching them need extreme league and ref help to get through the first 2 rounds this year, they are ing delusional.

[313]

Spurs were winning this series with Ibaka

Biggest changes for the Spurs since 2012 - massive improvements from Leonard, Splitter, Mills (let's see Brooks resort to hack-a-splitter now)
Biggest change for the Thunder since 2012 - lost their second best player (not including Joey Crawford)

If anyone thinks OKC was pulling this out when you consider 2012, and after watching them need extreme league and ref help to get through the first 2 rounds this year, they are ing delusional.

[313]

Bonner got more minutes in 2012 than Splitter

/thread

[UZER]

People are acting like it's the same teams from 2012.

Everyone, with th exception of Manu who has lost consistency, on the spurs has improved since 2012, even Duncan since he was noticeably hobbled.

While the thunder has regressed since losing harden, or at least maintained the same level with the improvement of Durant and WB.

It took a perfect storm to beat SA, including Ibakas perfect game, and the bogus game 6 officiating.

[rascal]

Spurs were winning this series with Ibaka

Homer Speculation. No one knows one way or another.

[look_at_g_shred]

Homer Speculation. No one knows one way or another.

nor does it matter

[Jenks]

Homer Speculation. No one knows one way or another.

We'll never know. And we'll never know if Ibaka would have scored a single point or altered a single shot during the series if he played. Who knows, Scott Brooks may have benched him the entire series. All we can do is wildly speculate! /s

[313]

nor does it matter

[rjv]

....we wouldn't have to waste our time with stupid threads.