Winner of Game 4 takes the series?

[slick'81]

We don't know though what would have happend in games 1&2 if ibaka was healthy

[Agloco]

This. OKC is asserting their will against the Spurs. And Ibaka is flat out dominating us. When one player makes such a huge impact on your entire offense, what else can you call it but utter domination?
We were all hoping to see something different tonight, but I think deep down most of us expected this.

I think we've gotta take this with a grain of salt. OKC at home, playing not to go into a 3-0 hole, and their defensive ace coming back from injury. Yes, some of this was home cooking but there was more at work than the trend we saw during the regular season.

Concerning it is, but I'm not passing judgement until after game 4. If this happens again then I'm of the opinion that Ibaka is just that disruptive to the Spurs on his own. The Spurs will have to depend on home cooking to see them through. I believe that they have the horses this time around to get it done.

[Agloco]

I won't be surprised if he continues to do so. But the Spurs won't continue to shoot this poorly, rebound this poorly, or turn the ball over so much. Games 1 and 2 in 2012 were much closer to Spurs losses than people care to remember. The Thunder had SA solved in Game 2 but couldn't surmount the lead the Spurs had built, and the rest is history. Ibaka may have been out for the first two this time, but those annihilations were no flukey result of that. The Spurs were more aggressive, more fluid, and more polished than they were against OKC in their last outings. Ibaka will make the series more compe ive, but the Spurs can overcome that. There's no Harden to pour in 20+ a night, Sefolosha might as well be dead, and Jackson hasn't torched them yet. So far in this series, minus some signs of life from Fisher, it's been 8 or 9 on 2-3. Tonight, the roles switched. If the Spurs just play slightly better, they can win close games.

Pretty much agree with all of the observations here. This is going to be very interesting going forward. And, quite frankly, I like it better this way. The Spurs need to earn their trip to the Finals.

[Capt Bringdown]

I think we've gotta take this with a grain of salt. OKC at home, playing not to go into a 3-0 hole, and their defensive ace coming back from injury. Yes, some of this was home cooking but there was more at work than the trend we saw during the regular season.

Yeah, we'll see if game 3 was just an emotional one-off. I think there's more to it than that, however.

[baseline bum]

Pretty much agree with all of the observations here. This is going to be very interesting going forward. And, quite frankly, I like it better this way. The Spurs need to earn their trip to the Finals.

I liked it better with the cakewalk and extra rest while Miami fought to the death against Indiana last year.

[weebo]

It's the playoffs. Every game is a must win.

[Horry Hipcheck]

I liked it better with the cakewalk and extra rest while Miami fought to the death against Indiana last year.

We all did. But Indy's going down in 5, six at best, and the Spurs simply aren't benefitting from the luxury of a second consecutive pushover WCF opponent.

[Capt Bringdown]

The Spurs need to earn their trip to the Finals.

Um, why?
Spurs have one the best playoff trios in NBA history - this should be the advantage they bring to the playoff run.
We don't need to gain playoff experience at this point - we're supposed to be using our playoff experience to our advantage.

[Agloco]

Um, why?
Spurs have one the best playoff trios in NBA history - this should be the advantage they bring to the playoff run.
We don't need to gain playoff experience at this point - we're supposed to be using our playoff experience to our advantage.

ie - They should be able to beat the best with the best at full strength. If they can't manage that, then they have no business being there.

[Agloco]

I liked it better with the cakewalk and extra rest while Miami fought to the death against Indiana last year.

Sure, as a fan a part of me wants this too.

[Agloco]

Yeah, we'll see if game 3 was just an emotional one-off. I think there's more to it than that, however.

Here's to hoping you're wrong. I can certainly understand why you would take the position that you do though. We shall see.

[therealtruth]

I liked it better with the cakewalk and extra rest while Miami fought to the death against Indiana last year.

Just think of it as preparation for Miami. If TP can't get it done now he won't get it done against Lebron and the Heat.

[spurraider21]

game 4 is a must win for OKC, a "gee i'd really like to get this one" for the spurs

[HI-FI]

game 4 is a must win for OKC, a "gee i'd really like to get this one" for the spurs

that's how I feel. People are so scarred by 2012, they always think history will repeat itself. Who knows, maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. I can't predict if Ibaka's voodoo will help his calf, nor do I know if the league is going to prop up OKC the rest of the way. It's possible they just wanted to extend things with tonight's dog and pony show.

So I don't think game 4 is a must win, Spurs just need to win the last one.

[TampaDude]

Just think of it as preparation for Miami. If TP can't get it done now he won't get it done against Lebron and the Heat.

^ this

If we can't get past OKC, there is NFW we would beat Miami, anyway. If OKC makes the Finals, they'll get crushed by the Heat again.

[Venti Quattro]

If the Thunder win, I think we can still pull it out but my guess it would have to be in 7.

I don't think OKC wins a Game 7 in San Antonio. They have to make their move now

[Russ]

Knowing Game 5 is a must win and now the games are every other day, does Pop back off TD's and Parker's minutes?

A close loss where everyone goes all out could be the worst Game 4 scenario.

[baseline bum]

that's how I feel. People are so scarred by 2012, they always think history will repeat itself. Who knows, maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. I can't predict if Ibaka's voodoo will help his calf, nor do I know if the league is going to prop up OKC the rest of the way. It's possible they just wanted to extend things with tonight's dog and pony show.

So I don't think game 4 is a must win, Spurs just need to win the last one.

I don't give a about 2012. I'm looking at the Spurs playing like garbage all season against this team. 0-5 against Ibaka now. LOL still thinking his calf is a problem after seeing him looking 100% last night.

[Jimcs50]

first to win 4 games

I think this is true

[Russo21]

Not too fussed by the loss. I'd rather not have the team on a big win streak going ahead unlike a few years go where we had won 20 straight, finally lost a game and said what the and didn't know how to overcome a loss as it had been so long. Sure Ibaka came back and gave the Thunder a missing link which definitely helped them. But it is Serge Ibaka.

Serge Ibaka I said. Not Hakeem Abdul-Russell. We played pretty poorly and lost by just 9 points in OKC.

Tim shot poorly, as did Leonard, Parker, Diaw and Green. We had just 1 player who shot well and that was SuperManu. Surely the return of Ibaka ( remember its Ibaka not Hakeem Abdul-Russell) can us up the rest of the series. We had only 1 player play well in Ginobili and only lost by 9 in OKC. I think we'll be right going ahead Always good to have a wake up call and focus going ahead in the series. Looking forward to game 4 and see If we can execute proper Spurs Basketball. Will be a great series

[EVAY]

No and my reasoning is this. With Ibaka, this is a totally different series. At this point even if the Spurs take a 3-1 lead, I wouldn't put it past the Thunder to be one of the few teams to have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win. If the Thunder win, I think we can still pull it out but my guess it would have to be in 7.

Agreed.

[Darkwaters]

And no....if OKC wins it became a best of 3 with dem spurs having 2 games at home.

Thank you. Common sense finally.

[therealtruth]

It really comes down to this. If the Spurs stay out of the paint and shoot jumpers or go into the paint and get their shots blocked OKC will win the series. If the Spurs take care of the ball and continue to attack the paint and jump into Ibaka's body they should be fine.

[DrSteffo]

Maybe, maybe not.

[myhc]

Not too fussed by the loss. I'd rather not have the team on a big win streak going ahead unlike a few years go where we had won 20 straight, finally lost a game and said what the and didn't know how to overcome a loss as it had been so long. Sure Ibaka came back and gave the Thunder a missing link which definitely helped them. But it is Serge Ibaka.

Serge Ibaka I said. Not Hakeem Abdul-Russell. We played pretty poorly and lost by just 9 points in OKC.

Tim shot poorly, as did Leonard, Parker, Diaw and Green. We had just 1 player who shot well and that was SuperManu. Surely the return of Ibaka ( remember its Ibaka not Hakeem Abdul-Russell) can us up the rest of the series. We had only 1 player play well in Ginobili and only lost by 9 in OKC. I think we'll be right going ahead Always good to have a wake up call and focus going ahead in the series. Looking forward to game 4 and see If we can execute proper Spurs Basketball. Will be a great series

I'm not too surprised by the loss either. You bring up valid points on how poorly we played. On the flip side, you could also say Durant and Westbrook still haven't had that game where they both go off and combine to score 60-70 points. That game is coming, we just don't know when.

And yes, Ibaka is not the 2nc coming of Wilt. But he doesn't have to be in order to beat us. His mere presence in the paint had Tony scared less to go in there last night. And while it is yet to be determined how he'll look after just 1 day off between games, if he does come back ready to go, we're in for a long series. He's got to be somehwere in the top 5 already of Spurs killers right now and it's still early in his career. He just seems to light us up all the time. I don't see him shooting 80% again but 55%? Sure.