I'm not scared of OKC..

[Budkin]

The only two things that give me hope are

1. Scott Brooks is a horrible coach
2. Revenge factor

[baseline bum]

Plus the Spurs don't have a guy like Stephen Jackson who loves to go upside s while the Sonics have some nasty mother ers in Abaka, Perkins, and that honkey center.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Ibaka and Jackson and even Stephen Adams can cause the Spurs problems.

If OKC takes away the Spurs points in the paint, it's gonna be a painful series.

[RD2191]

We may go down but we'll go down swinging.

[EVAY]

I don't doubt the Spurs effort, but at the same time, things like schedule matters for an old team like ours, tbh... I thought the last game against Portland, the effort was mostly there, but there were some tired legs too...

It's difficult to play 5 games in 10 nights at max intensity for a team like ours, especially when it's physical out there. Let's just hope we can close the Blazers tonight and we can get some much needed rest.

This is what I worry about most for tonight's game. The Spurs DID look old and tired last game, just as that jerk Barkley predicted they would. Four games in 8 nights gives way to 5 games in 10 nights and we are supposed to come out with more, not less, energy?

I believe that we can win tonight. I expect Portland to come out strongly and if we can hang close like we did last game we won't (almost can't) shoot any worse down the stretch than we did last game. That is the scenario in which we win.

But I really worry about our energy capability tonight. I don't doubt our desire tonight…but if we pull this off then our guys should all be lauded for true grit.

[smaka]

Can't wait for Abaka to go 11/11 or 12/12 again...

[heyheymymy]

spurs wont be scared, but lets get past por first

[ElNono]

Ain't about Scotty doing anything; Abaka erases a lot of deficiencies in this guy's defensive game plan.

Plus the Spurs don't have a guy like Stephen Jackson who loves to go upside s while the Sonics have some nasty mother ers in Abaka, Perkins, and that honkey center.

I would agree we don't have a Kevin Willis type of enforcer, and completely agree that they've probably the biggest collection of bags... heck, it looks like everybody in that bench went to the Fish and Perkins school of baggery.

But I still think that if you play well, defend well and put the ball in the basket, a lot of those things have less value. I mean, at least let's see what Pop's game plan is going to be before slitting wrists... I think it will be fairly different than in the regular season, at least on individual coverages.

[r0drig0lac]

it does not change anything at all, would thunder favorite even without help from refs, help is absolutely impossible to beat them

[mclinejr]

[QUOTE=ElNono;7328811]I would agree we don't have a Kevin Willis type of enforcer, and completely agree that they've probably the biggest collection of bags... heck, it looks like everybody in that bench went to the Fish and Perkins school of baggery.

Kevin Willis was a badass. I miss that guy.

[scramby eggs]

Refs are a huge part of their team but the Spurs turn into complete when they face the Thunder. They have a huge mental edge on the Spurs.

Couldn't agree more. OKC gets beyond pumped against us and actually plays aggressive defense on us. They don't leave shooters and when they do they are fast enough to close out. OKC's length and athleticism worry me, that and Westbrook scares Green and Tiago to death. I will be very worried against them and will be surprised if the series doesn't go 7

[Budkin]

Couldn't agree more. OKC gets beyond pumped against us and actually plays aggressive defense on us. They don't leave shooters and when they do they are fast enough to close out. OKC's length and athleticism worry me, that and Westbrook scares Green and Tiago to death. I will be very worried against them and will be surprised if the series doesn't go 7

Presti using his former Spurs powers against us tbh.

[scramby eggs]

I would also like to mention i can't stand westbrook. He is so out of control but always get bailed out by the refs. The thing with Westbrook though is he loses you 1 game a series playing hero ball

[Spur|n|Austin]

You got it wrong. Nobody is scared of OKC.

Everybody is scared of the refs, and for good reason.

Your sig...

[baseline bum]

I would agree we don't have a Kevin Willis type of enforcer, and completely agree that they've probably the biggest collection of bags... heck, it looks like everybody in that bench went to the Fish and Perkins school of baggery.

But I still think that if you play well, defend well and put the ball in the basket, a lot of those things have less value. I mean, at least let's see what Pop's game plan is going to be before slitting wrists... I think it will be fairly different than in the regular season, at least on individual coverages.

No wrist-slitting; just think it's a really bad matchup unless Game 7 Parker becomes the norm.

[BillMc]

I see everybody likes my new sig

[ElNono]

No wrist-slitting; just think it's a really bad matchup unless Game 7 Parker becomes the norm.

It's gonna take a lot of guys playing well... Tony has shown good flashes in this Portland series, so I'm hopeful...

[BillMc]

I truly believe OKC will be more of challenge than the Heat this year. That said, they're not playing as well as they were in 2012. I think we can take it in 7.

[cd98]

I think the Spurs can beat the Thunder, but I'm still scared to play them given that both the Grizzlies and the Clippers should have beat them, and OKC finds a way. How many 4 point plays saved their butts against the Grizzlies? And now Game 5 versus Clippers. Maybe they run out of 9 lives against the Spurs, but I think they are extremely confident against us and even their scrubs seem to play like all stars against us.

[benstanfield]

Durant's stats in the 2nd round: 32 ppg (59 TS%), 8.2 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 1 bpg

Westbrook's stats in the 2nd round: 29.6 ppg (64.5 TS%), 6.6 rpg, 8.2 apg, 1.2 spg

We're in deep **** if that counts for "playing bad lately". Durant had a rough 1st round against a staunch Memphis defense...but Westbrook has been playing great all playoffs tbh. You could easily make the argument that he's been the best player in the West playoffs thus far.

TS% doesn't tell the whole story. They are both shooting 8 FTA per game and adding 6 ppg to their averages because of it, but both are shooting sub 50% from the field, KD is shooting 32% from three and Westbrook is shooting 29%! from three. If you take away their freebies both have had a mul ude of terribly inefficient games, with KD and Westbrook combining for 8 TOs a game. Add to that the fact that they are getting nothing from anyone outside of Ibaka and Jackson and they start to look less intimidating.

I truly think that if we make a concerted effort we can keep them off the line. 8 FTA per game (even higher against LAC) is exactly what you would expect from a team with no perimeter players of any caliber outside of Barnes on D and Crawford on O. Spurs have arguably 3 people to throw at Durant that would be the Clippers first option against him. That will make a difference. Run Durant off screens and on his drives help off of everyone but Ibaka. Go under Westbrook screens and let him shoot all day, but don't let him get to the rim. For god's sake stay home on Ibaka.

I think it's telling how much OKC has struggled with Memphis and LAC. The Clippers third and fourth best players are: a one-way low-iq rebound and foul machine, and a horrendous ball stopping chucker. The Thunder are even limiting Griffin pretty well and they still can't shake LAC.

That being said, all this will be of no effect if Tony Brothers is assigned to ref multiple games in the series, which I have no doubt he will be.

[BillMc]

TS% doesn't tell the whole story. They are both shooting 8 FTA per game and adding 6 ppg to their averages because of it, but both are shooting sub 50% from the field, KD is shooting 32% from three and Westbrook is shooting 29%! from three. If you take away their freebies both have had a mul ude of terribly inefficient games, with KD and Westbrook combining for 8 TOs a game. Add to that the fact that they are getting nothing from anyone outside of Ibaka and Jackson and they start to look less intimidating.

I truly think that if we make a concerted effort we can keep them off the line. 8 FTA per game (even higher against LAC) is exactly what you would expect from a team with no perimeter players of any caliber outside of Barnes on D and Crawford on O. Spurs have arguably 3 people to throw at Durant that would be the Clippers first option against him. That will make a difference. Run Durant off screens and on his drives help off of everyone but Ibaka. Go under Westbrook screens and let him shoot all day, but don't let him get to the rim. For god's sake stay home on Ibaka.

I think it's telling how much OKC has struggled with Memphis and LAC. The Clippers third and fourth best players are: a one-way low-iq rebound and foul machine, and a horrendous ball stopping chucker. The Thunder are even limiting Griffin pretty well and they still can't shake LAC.

That being said, all this will be of no effect if Tony Brothers is assigned to ref multiple games in the series, which I have no doubt he will be.

Nice post! I would assume the 3 guys you feel we could throw at Durant are Leonard, Green and Diaw? Or is Splitter in there for one of the last two?

[benstanfield]

Nice post! I would assume the 3 guys you feel we could throw at Durant are Leonard, Green and Diaw? Or is Splitter in there for one of the last two?

I was actually very impressed with the job Ginobili did on him when Leonard got injured earlier in the year. You might not want to tire him out guarding KD, sure, but in a vacuum I think he could arguably do a better job than Barnes.

[Texas_Ranger]

not afraid of them, but it won't be nice when Perkins will look like the best Center in the NBA against us.

[Old School 44]

Not afraid of them. But the key isn't Durant or Westbrook. It's Ibaka. He kills the Spurs interior game by being the best/quickest help defender in the league. Once he starts blocking/altering shots the Spurs get tentative and/or become hurried on offense. His defense also leads to quick transition baskets. Splitter needs to go strong with two hands. No weak stuff, no reverse layups.

Also, when OKC has the ball no clean looks for Ibaka at the elbows. If anything, let him take you off the dribble, but no open 10 footers.

[vander]

I'm only scared of the Spurs suddenly collectively losing confidence in their shooting and also forgetting to hustle on D and get rebounds. when the Spurs do this it is terrifying and depressing