Quick Grades: Spurs @ Thunder - Dec. 17

[Fireball]

is td's amazing run finally over? he's slowed down the last few games

well it was fun while it lasted, It was an amazing stretch tbh

Lets see what happens with a couple of days of rest during the upcoming home stretch before we come to early conclusions.

[ManuTastic]

Could have really used Manu and Kawhi for this one, tbh. Even then it's probably only a 50/50 shot.

[will_spurs]

this has to be addressed.. Parker isnt NEARLY a good enough player to consistently beat playoff caliber Defenses. Not even close. We need All star Ginobili in the WORST way.

Do you have anything to show is to back up this claim? Instead I'd posit Parker is actually a good enough player to consistently beat playoff caliber defenses--he's not a good enough player to completely crush the opposition and win games single-handedly. Neither is any Spurs player ever not named Duncan.

To put it another way, you'll always get All-Star production from Parker no matter what, and sometimes supertsar production. That's not enough to win a championship, certainly not without help.

[biskvito]

OKC too young and athletic for SAS, moving on

[Slippy]

Tiago went out and contested ibakas jumper
the gameplan for SA is to force teams to take midrange shots
duncan/splitter show on the P&R to cut off penetration and they kick it to Abaka for a midrange shot

yah it was by design. Durant running the play, the shorter, often confused Danny Green defending makes the pass off to Ibaka too easy. Things should be different when guarding Durant is left for Kawai and sjax.

Should be said though, Spurs went to toe to toe with the thunder pretty much the first half. The second Half things went downhilln fast.

[Captivus]

Watching the game reminded me of the movie Rocky 3.
Besides the fact that OKC is incredible talented, they had something the Spurs didn’t. I could see it in their faces, they were in the zone, they were pump, they were aggressive.
OKC had the Eye of the Tiger...the Spurs didn’t.
Unlike Rocky I don’t think the Spurs have enough to beat them during PO. They are getting better and better...

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I'm sorry but a lot of Spurs fans reaction to this game is ridiculous.

The Spurs are missing two of their top 4 players, in the middle of barely getting a day off between games and on the road against a team that gets more home cooking than any other team in the NBA.

Are the Thunder good? Yes, but let's not act like the Spurs last night were the team we are expected to see this season.

We're exhausted and missing key players. We don't play OKC again till March 11th, but I guarantee you the results will be different next time around. Pop threw the white flag the second the Thunder went on a run in the third quarter. Despite everything it was only a 5 point game at halftime.

It was nice to see Splitter play well against OKC after having a tough time in the WCF last year.

[lazerelmo]

blair >>>>>>>>>>>>>> diaw ......

Always has been. Always will be. Not really sure why we picked up Diaw.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lol clowns criticism jax, i think he did good for his return on durant...he showed heart out there....didnt help when pop puts him with the garbage lineup

[Obstructed_View]

Jack picked a bad time to return. He failed to back up his talk.

[Gagnrath]

The spurs need a real PF in the worst sort of way. Diaw isn't bad but he's a utility forward he's not starting caliber, he is also not drawing offenses at all anymore since he refuses to even moderately aggressive offense.

Why do you do this Boris please remember playing offense is fun, quit trying to play complimentary enabler point forward all the time.

[cd021]

lol dejuan blair the scrub a B?

dude was fkn pathetic in the 4th quarter even though he scored, he was like trading baskets on the other end...nowhere to be seen on the boards, his rebounds came from not one okc player around him to contest the rebound, in other words it was only him jumping up for the reb or the ball fell into his arms with no effort...dude is a fkn scrub, no ACL he doesnt bother jump in contested rebounds, when no one is around him to contest for a reb...he jumps and grabs it down hard tryin to send a fake ass message his all hustle

He played pretty well, not sure if you were watching this game...

[cd021]

Blair is only looking for this OWN points. During one 2-on-1 fast break, he shamelessly ignored Mills who was on the weak-side and would have an open lay-up.

Given that he is shooting 8% below his FG% from last season i'd chalk it up to aggression, He is a good passer if theirs an open man to be found he usually finds them.