Spurs: Ibaka will not change the outcome of the series

[KobeOwnsDuncan]

No offense, but it wasn't Ibaka that had the 30 point turnaround, there were a series of changes that were made:
- Reggie Jackson with more minutes
- Jeremy Lamb stepping up
- Home crowd
- Huge FT disparity, especially early in the game

Did Ibaka make a difference? Sure, but he didn't change the outcome of either games. The Thunder would have won regardless. To think that OKC would have lost by 25 the last two games without Ibaka is laughable.

Bull . Ibaka singlehandedly turned the Spurs into pussies. It's easy to drive in the lane with no Ibaka.

[ambchang]

Just ing admit you the bed and move on. It was a 30 point turnaround and could have been worse. The Spurs look old and busted against OKC with Ibaka in because they are old and busted.

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lol ambchang you stupid, stupid gook.

, two more amoeba brains who think that Ibaka made all the difference.

Is it Ibaka when the Thunder made that huge run in the first quarter? Oh wait, he was sitting on the bench while Westbrook was stealing the ball while stepping out of bounds!
Was it because of Ibaka that Perkins had a goal-tend "block" on Parker?

I mean, did you guys even watch the game? The Spurs would have lost the game with or without Ibaka, there was no question about it. I will admit that I made a mistake predicting a Game 4 Spurs win, but it had nothing to do with Ibaka. Without Ibaka, the Spurs would have lost anyways.

[ambchang]

Bull . Ibaka singlehandedly turned the Spurs into pussies. It's easy to drive in the lane with no Ibaka.

Is that why the Thunder made their runs when Ibaka was on the bench? Was it why Ibaka had the same +/- as Jeremy Lamb while Westbook and Durant both had a higher +/- than both of them? How is it possible that Ibaka SINGLEHANDEDLY affect the Spurs when OKC had two players who had a +/- that is HIGHER than Ibaka while playing more minutes? What happened in those minutes when Ibaka was NOT on the floor and OKC was still increasing the lead?

[KobeOwnsDuncan]

Is that why the Thunder made their runs when Ibaka was on the bench? Was it why Ibaka had the same +/- as Jeremy Lamb while Westbook and Durant both had a higher +/- than both of them? How is it possible that Ibaka SINGLEHANDEDLY affect the Spurs when OKC had two players who had a +/- that is HIGHER than Ibaka while playing more minutes? What happened in those minutes when Ibaka was NOT on the floor and OKC was still increasing the lead?

What happened when Parker, and Duncan tried to go to the rim with Ibaka on the floor? Why did the Spurs still miss easy layups? The fear of Big Ibaka. Why did Leonard look like he wanted to crawl into a hole? The fear of Big Ibaka. Why didn't the Spurs blow out OKC like in games 1 and 2?

[Clipper Nation]

Is that why the Thunder made their runs when Ibaka was on the bench? Was it why Ibaka had the same +/- as Jeremy Lamb while Westbook and Durant both had a higher +/- than both of them? How is it possible that Ibaka SINGLEHANDEDLY affect the Spurs when OKC had two players who had a +/- that is HIGHER than Ibaka while playing more minutes? What happened in those minutes when Ibaka was NOT on the floor and OKC was still increasing the lead?

Sorry son, but the Spurs turned into complete pussies once Ibaka came back....

[Katherine Robinson]

From a 4-5 game series to a 6-7.

Ibaka's presence is clear.

[RsxPiimp]

ambchang is such a re

[ambchang]

ambchang is such a re

So you are saying OKC would have lost in the last two games without Ibaka? Pray tell.

Also enlighten me on how Ibaka was the sole reason for the OKC games when OKC was building on leads when he was sitting on the bench.

[ambchang]

What happened when Parker, and Duncan tried to go to the rim with Ibaka on the floor? Why did the Spurs still miss easy layups? The fear of Big Ibaka. Why did Leonard look like he wanted to crawl into a hole? The fear of Big Ibaka. Why didn't the Spurs blow out OKC like in games 1 and 2?

They were missing layups when he was OUT of the lineup as well. What, they were afraid of him blocking them from the bench?

Sorry son, but the Spurs turned into complete pussies once Ibaka came back....

The Spurs sure did shrivel, I am not convinced it was because of Ibaka though. The hustling perimeter defense had more to do with all of that.

From a 4-5 game series to a 6-7.

Ibaka's presence is clear.

Oh, no question, see my posts before game 3, I explicitly said Ibaka would win them a few games, he just won't change the outcome of the series.

Also, before the series started, I stated that Spurs would win in 7 games, after OKC Ibaka would be out for the remainder of the playoffs, I said Spurs in 5. So clearly, I knew Ibaka would make a difference, just not the outcome of the series, which is a Spurs win.

[Katherine Robinson]

They were missing layups when he was OUT of the lineup as well. What, they were afraid of him blocking them from the bench?



The Spurs sure did shrivel, I am not convinced it was because of Ibaka though. The hustling perimeter defense had more to do with all of that.



Oh, no question, see my posts before game 3, I explicitly said Ibaka would win them a few games, he just won't change the outcome of the series.

Also, before the series started, I stated that Spurs would win in 7 games, after OKC Ibaka would be out for the remainder of the playoffs, I said Spurs in 5. So clearly, I knew Ibaka would make a difference, just not the outcome of the series, which is a Spurs win.

You seem confident, Amb.

[ShowtimeFan]

You seem confident, Amb.

If someone were to do a Bill Simmons "Irrational Confidence Guy" list for spurstalk, this thread would put Amb right up near the top.

[RsxPiimp]

So you are saying OKC would have lost in the last two games without Ibaka? Pray tell.

Also enlighten me on how Ibaka was the sole reason for the OKC games when OKC was building on leads when he was sitting on the bench.

Whose to say OKC won't lose the same lead if Ibaka never played? Basketball is always a game of runs and what we all know is the Thunder never lost in two games were Serge was present.

Just admit you had a ty take, no one in this thread has supported you.

[LkrFan]

No offense, but it wasn't Ibaka that had the 30 point turnaround, there were a series of changes that were made:
- Reggie Jackson with more minutes
- Jeremy Lamb stepping up
- Home crowd
- Huge FT disparity, especially early in the game

Did Ibaka make a difference? Sure, but he didn't change the outcome of either games. The Thunder would have won regardless. To think that OKC would have lost by 25 the last two games without Ibaka is laughable.

Ignoring the rest of your bull , I can't let the bolded slide. Can the crowd:

1) Rebound?
2) Block a shot?
3) Make a freebie?
4) Make an assist?
5) etc etc?

You see where I'm going here? A crowd shouldn't have to do with the outcome of a game or series. Those that depend on HCA are weakminded. Players shouldn't give a where they play. Boots to asses - no matter where they're playing. SMDH

[Katherine Robinson]

Ambach should take a vacation if Thunder close this series out.

[Leetonidas]

Ignoring the rest of your bull , I can't let the bolded slide. Can the crowd:

1) Rebound?
2) Block a shot?
3) Make a freebie?
4) Make an assist?
5) etc etc?

You see where I'm going here? A crowd shouldn't have to do with the outcome of a game or series. Those that depend on HCA are weakminded. Players shouldn't give a where they play. Boots to asses - no matter where they're playing. SMDH

I agree with you in a sense but tbh it's pretty obvious OKC plays better at home. For big time players like KD/Westbrook it doesn't matter but for the role players imo playing at home is a big deal. OKC's role players were lifeless and non-existent in the first two games but torched us in the last two. Or for a player like Danny Green for instance who tends to go ape on three pointers at home and the bed on the road (not all the time obviously)

Homecourt shouldn't matter but it does play a factor. Even the refs seem like they're afraid of OKC's crowd

[Venti Quattro]

Dumbchang

[Strange Love]

Dumbchang

He's the lkrfan of the spurs. you add those 2 together and they make for quite a ty pair as far as thread backfires go.

[HemisfairArena]

Gotta give the OP props,,,he's gonna go down with the ship win, lose, or draw.

[m>s]

op is and has always been dumber than the gorilla in his avatar imho

[Venti Quattro]

Ignoring the rest of your bull , I can't let the bolded slide. Can the crowd:

1) Rebound?
2) Block a shot?
3) Make a freebie?
4) Make an assist?
5) etc etc?

You see where I'm going here? A crowd shouldn't have to do with the outcome of a game or series. Those that depend on HCA are weakminded. Players shouldn't give a where they play. Boots to asses - no matter where they're playing. SMDH

[ambchang]

You seem confident, Amb.

I won't use the word confident, but I did call the Spurs winning in 7 at the beginning of the series, and I am sticking by it. Whether Ibaka playing or not is immaterial. Him not playing will allow the series to close quicker, but the outcome will still remain the same: Spurs win.

Whose to say OKC won't lose the same lead if Ibaka never played? Basketball is always a game of runs and what we all know is the Thunder never lost in two games were Serge was present.

Just admit you had a ty take, no one in this thread has supported you.

We DO know that the Thunder were building on the lead WITHOUT Ibaka. We do know the first big run OKC made in game 4 was done WITHOUT Ibaka. We do know Ibaka didn't have the highest +/- in either of the games. We do know the perimeter offense of OKC became MUCH more aggressive at home because of the added confidence, and Ibaka really doesn't do much on the perimeter offense front.

Ignoring the rest of your bull , I can't let the bolded slide. Can the crowd:

1) Rebound?
2) Block a shot?
3) Make a freebie?
4) Make an assist?
5) etc etc?

You see where I'm going here? A crowd shouldn't have to do with the outcome of a game or series. Those that depend on HCA are weakminded. Players shouldn't give a where they play. Boots to asses - no matter where they're playing. SMDH

Really? Is that why we have never seen a winning team go through an entire season of basketball with a better road record than a home record, ever in the history of the NBA?

Home crowd does provide energy, and that is extremely important for a team, especially a young team like OKC.

Over the season, OKC scores 3.1 ppg more at home vs. on the road, has a +0.6 higher point differential, grabs 2.7 more rebounds, have 0.49 more assists, have 1.04 more steals, have 0.3 more blocks, have 1.3 less turnovers. The only thing they have more is fouls, which could be attributed to increased aggressiveness.

Should a crowd have an effect? No. But it does have an effect, and decades of statistics show that.

[ambchang]

Ambach should take a vacation if Thunder close this series out.

It would be for my incorrect prediction of Spurs in 7 (or 5 without Ibaka).

[ambchang]

Is that Shaq playing at home?

[DD]

You get the sense that OP knows this is going to end badly and is holding onto these last few days of false bravado.

[ambchang]

You get the sense that OP knows this is going to end badly and is holding onto these last few days of false bravado.

still can't read
Ibaka making all the difference when statistics clearly showing that OKC was beating the Spurs without him on the floor the last two games
Home crowds make no difference
Ignoring the play of Reggie Jackson/Jeremy Lamb
Ignoring the much more increased aggressiveness of Russell Westbrook and Durant
Ignoring the HUGE jump in FTA for OKC in the two home games while the FTA for the Spurs stayed the same and Ibaka only shooting 4 FTA a game
Ignoring runs by OKC when Ibaka was on the bench