Spurs: Ibaka will not change the outcome of the series

[DMC]

if the league always got what it wanted, the spurs wouldn't have been to 5 finals

It's not black or white. The league could very well influence the officiating for any particular series. That doesn't mean the league can instantly pick the winner, but they can skew the odds one way or another by something as simple as early to mid game out of bounds change of possession calls. Those are never reviewed and you almost never seen anyone question them after the game. It's those calls in the critical points of the game that get scrutinized, and the league knows this, so they know they have a way to ensure one team gets more possessions than they otherwise would.

Fans are basically stupid to the first half of the game, wiping it away from their memories except for dunks and other highlights. Change of possession calls are questionable at best, and downright wrong at worst. I thought the Thunder got every 50/50 call in the 1st half, but when the Spurs pulled away, the calls started going more the Spurs way or being more obviously correct. That's because there was no more need to skew the outcome, it wasn't helping.

Just watch the out of bounds calls and how they seem to go against the same team over and over for at least a half. Watch how charges are called when it's clearly a blocking foul. Then watch how that stops in the 2nd half the other team is still gaining ground.

You cannot tell me that it's a coincidence. It's intentional. What corporation doesn't try to maximize it's profits?

[spurraider21]

It's not black or white. The league could very well influence the officiating for any particular series. That doesn't mean the league can instantly pick the winner, but they can skew the odds one way or another by something as simple as early to mid game out of bounds change of possession calls. Those are never reviewed and you almost never seen anyone question them after the game. It's those calls in the critical points of the game that get scrutinized, and the league knows this, so they know they have a way to ensure one team gets more possessions than they otherwise would.

Fans are basically stupid to the first half of the game, wiping it away from their memories except for dunks and other highlights. Change of possession calls are questionable at best, and downright wrong at worst. I thought the Thunder got every 50/50 call in the 1st half, but when the Spurs pulled away, the calls started going more the Spurs way or being more obviously correct. That's because there was no more need to skew the outcome, it wasn't helping.

Just watch the out of bounds calls and how they seem to go against the same team over and over for at least a half. Watch how charges are called when it's clearly a blocking foul. Then watch how that stops in the 2nd half the other team is still gaining ground.

You cannot tell me that it's a coincidence. It's intentional. What corporation doesn't try to maximize it's profits?

I do think the officials play favorites. Anybody who has watched the Thunder routinely would notice this. I was responding to the "NBA is rigged" comment, which implied winners are basically pre-determined WWF style

[Calispursfan11]

[LkrFan]

Why?

Stop trolling son. He shoots a high percentage against your bigs. Decent rebounder. He's an elite swatter. Without him, the lane is wide the open for TP and whoever else wants an easy layup. His absence changes the whole complexity of this series and you know this maaaan.

-15 points for this thread

* standsPERIOD

[LkrFan]

It doesn't exactly work like you're saying.

If Ibaka is in the paint, the Spurs aren't in the paint as much. That puts them further out, and that puts KD and RW where they are accustomed to being. With Serge out, someone has to try to fill that gap and there's no one there who can defend the paint and score from both inside and outside. he could very well make a 20+ ppg difference if he is locking down the paint and being another person that the Spurs have to defend against both inside and out.

Serge's absence is the difference in this series. I am convinced of that.

The perimeter defense sucked because they had to watch the paint as well. It all goes hand in hand.

^ Truth.

[Thebesteva]

N0 LyF3 ScRuB already welching in this thread tbh

[spurraider21]

Stop trolling son. He shoots a high percentage against your bigs. Decent rebounder. He's an elite swatter. Without him, the lane is wide the open for TP and whoever else wants an easy layup. His absence changes the whole complexity of this series and you know this maaaan.

-15 points for this thread

* standsPERIOD

ibaka changes the series. but there's no asterisk. do the lakers get an asterisk for their 09 ring because ginobili was out, and the mavs bounced the spurs in the first? what about in the second round when yao got hurt and the lakers still barely won in 7 against ing hayes/landry/aaron brooks? what about the fact that KG was out so the celtics got bounced instead of repeating?

injuries happen. the spurs have had them in the past too

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

N0 LyF3 ScRuB already welching in this thread tbh

Maybe you're too busy jerking off Big got, IDK, regardless I already told you I'd make the bet

[ambchang]

You do realize I believe the league is rigged for the most part right? I think in a non rigged league I would take the Spurs. However, what the NBA wants is ALWAYS what they get. I think time and time again its been proven that whatever story line benefits the NBA is the one that coincidentally prevails. Heat win, book it

I am not sure the league cares more about who wins as to who plays. What I mean is as long as they have the two teams they want in the finals in a compe ive series, they will get the ratings. That said, spurs vs heat is really not the ideal matchup, they'd much rather have okc vs heat.

We'll see if okc will come back to win the series.

[ambchang]

It doesn't exactly work like you're saying.

If Ibaka is in the paint, the Spurs aren't in the paint as much. That puts them further out, and that puts KD and RW where they are accustomed to being. With Serge out, someone has to try to fill that gap and there's no one there who can defend the paint and score from both inside and outside. he could very well make a 20+ ppg difference if he is locking down the paint and being another person that the Spurs have to defend against both inside and out.

Serge's absence is the difference in this series. I am convinced of that.

The perimeter defense sucked because they had to watch the paint as well. It all goes hand in hand.

I am willing to say serge makes a difference in a game to game basis, but he's not a big enough difference to change the outcome of a series.

Serge in the paint will still not stop the spurs from going past the perimeter defense of okc, which has so far stunk.

[ambchang]

Stop trolling son. He shoots a high percentage against your bigs. Decent rebounder. He's an elite swatter. Without him, the lane is wide the open for TP and whoever else wants an easy layup. His absence changes the whole complexity of this series and you know this maaaan.

-15 points for this thread

* standsPERIOD

Remind me why 99 was an * again?

[100%duncan]

Ibaka in, Spurs in 6 or 7

Ibaka out, beatdown

Pretty much this

[313]

Ibaka in, Spurs in 6 or 7

I was thinking this in the RS, but after seeing the Thunder in the posteseason , even with Ibaka, this series would have been over in 5 or 6. After I heard about Ibaka this became a clean sweep/gentlemen's sweep

[313]

think there's a good chance that the spurs would probably be down 0-2 if they were playing the full strength thunder without kawhi, who's basically the equivalent of losing ibaka for the spurs (emerging but not a primary scorer, key defensive piece), so yeah losing ibaka could definitely change the outcome of the series

Without Kawhi we don't have a SF, so not really the same. I'm not sure who Ibaka is equivalent to on our roster but it's not Kawhi. Splitter? Diaw? Danny?

[urunobili]

You'll get answers to this. He's coming back as per Woj's twitter tbh

[RsxPiimp]

It doesn't exactly work like you're saying.

If Ibaka is in the paint, the Spurs aren't in the paint as much. That puts them further out, and that puts KD and RW where they are accustomed to being. With Serge out, someone has to try to fill that gap and there's no one there who can defend the paint and score from both inside and outside. he could very well make a 20+ ppg difference if he is locking down the paint and being another person that the Spurs have to defend against both inside and out.

Serge's absence is the difference in this series. I am convinced of that.

The perimeter defense sucked because they had to watch the paint as well. It all goes hand in hand.

It would change a lot of things. Ibaka is their 3rd scoring option and their best defender. His 14 ppg, 10 rpg, 4bpg against the Spurs is severely missed.

Serge did a great job containing Griffin in the Clippers-Thunder series, holding him down to 42% in their 1on1 match-ups.

exactly, to dismiss ibaka's presence as if he doesn't play one of the most important defensive role is pure comedy

[RsxPiimp]

I am willing to say serge makes a difference in a game to game basis, but he's not a big enough difference to change the outcome of a series.

Serge in the paint will still not stop the spurs from going past the perimeter defense of okc, which has so far stunk.

[ambchang]

So you think serge will make a 25 difference in the last two games? I doubt it.

He may help the thunder win a game or two, but he's not changing the outcome of the series.

[KaiRMD1]

I think the biggest difference makers in 2012 was the switch to Thabo on Parker. When you stop Parker, you stop the offense and Thabo has no been effective. Does the presence of Serge make a difference in the paint, I'm sure it does but with the way the Spurs play, it may not. Danny Green ain't missing wide open threes anymore which helped keep a lot of Thunder defenders in the paint. Serge may be too dumb to realize the long term affects that playing through the pain can do to him in the long term but I'm hopeful he will play. I only wish I didn't have to listen to the combined efforts of Kerr & Miller on sunday but we can't have it all.

[DMC]

I am willing to say serge makes a difference in a game to game basis, but he's not a big enough difference to change the outcome of a series.

Yes he is. A series is just a game to game basis until one team wins 4 games. Serge being out is more damaging to OKC than Westbrook being out, and they were defeated in the 2nd round last year when Westbrook was out so yeah, it makes a difference. In fact, any time a starting center is out, it makes a huge difference. Even a small difference however can swing a series. It doesn't need to be a 35 point swing. Spurs don't score 120 if Serge is playing, the game slows down, it's a FT shooting contest. A 10 pt swing would make all the difference in the world.

Serge in the paint will still not stop the spurs from going past the perimeter defense of okc, which has so far stunk.

Perimeter defense is designed to funnel the ball handler to the help. Serge is the help. They don't have to stop them, that would lead to silly perimeter fouls. Let the action happen at the rim.

[DMC]

Stop trolling son. He shoots a high percentage against your bigs. Decent rebounder. He's an elite swatter. Without him, the lane is wide the open for TP and whoever else wants an easy layup. His absence changes the whole complexity of this series and you know this maaaan.

-15 points for this thread

* standsPERIOD

Pussies and assholes.

[Spurs9]

I think the biggest difference makers in 2012 was the switch to Thabo on Parker. When you stop Parker, you stop the offense and Thabo has no been effective. Does the presence of Serge make a difference in the paint, I'm sure it does but with the way the Spurs play, it may not. Danny Green ain't missing wide open threes anymore which helped keep a lot of Thunder defenders in the paint. Serge may be too dumb to realize the long term affects that playing through the pain can do to him in the long term but I'm hopeful he will play. I only wish I didn't have to listen to the combined efforts of Kerr & Miller on sunday but we can't have it all.

The difference maker in the 2012 series was Harden. Splitter also was a dog turd, Leonard was a rookie, Danny Green wasn't hot. We are a much better team all around even compared to last year and OKC is simply not as good even with a healthy team. When you have a guy like Westbrook always getting so emotional over every play and playing hero ball they aren't going to win. Westbrook has been playing the same way for years, hes definatley got going to change now. Even after that 35point loss he said we don't need to change anything, we just need to keep playing the way we always play
Green and Leonard can actually defend them so they don't get smoking hot like they do against most teams in the league. Its too easy to get into Westbrooks head as the spurs for him to get in the right mental mindset to pull it out. Brooks obviously tried to make adjustments in game 2 and got whooped even more. The entire thunder fanbase is clinging to 2012 and a half healthy guy.

[KaiRMD1]

The entire thunder fanbase is clinging to 2012 and a half healthy guy.

Your entire post can be summed up by this sentence ol' sport, truth in that sentence alone.

[Calispursfan11]

Yes he is. A series is just a game to game basis until one team wins 4 games. Serge being out is more damaging to OKC than Westbrook being out, and they were defeated in the 2nd round last year when Westbrook was out so yeah, it makes a difference. In fact, any time a starting center is out, it makes a huge difference. Even a small difference however can swing a series. It doesn't need to be a 35 point swing. Spurs don't score 120 if Serge is playing, the game slows down, it's a FT shooting contest. A 10 pt swing would make all the difference in the world.




Perimeter defense is designed to funnel the ball handler to the help. Serge is the help. They don't have to stop them, that would lead to silly perimeter fouls. Let the action happen at the rim.

Semi intelligent analysis.

[mavsfan1000]

What Durant is for the offense, Ibaka is for the defense. He is OKC's only rim protecter. Defensive players don't quite get as much hype as the offensive players. But OKC is like a layup line without Ibaka. And it's not like Ibaka was poor on offense. He got 15 points a game.