That stretch where they got the lead

[Spurs9]

They need to defend frogger better so he doesn't get to the rim every drive.

[look_at_g_shred]

They actually tried that lineup. All SA did was put Adams in the pick and roll to draw him away from the hoop. Problem solved.

/thread

[kidd_91]

OKC went with a aggressive defensive lineup in the third and basically the refs swallowed their whistles. The Spurs didn't adjust until Pop threw Baynes out there to give the Spurs some toughness. OKC dished it out, but couldn't take it. They mentally broke down and that was the game. My only concern is both teams were allowed to get more physical, hopefully refs call a fair game in OKC as well.

[sananspursfan21]

So it sounds like you're saying that San Antonio is in fact a horrible matchup for the thunder? Wow, all you ever hear about is how these teams are a matchup nightmare for the spurs

[Budkin]

So it sounds like you're saying that San Antonio is in fact a horrible matchup for the thunder? Wow, all you ever hear about is how these teams are a matchup nightmare for the spurs

Not having Ibaka changes everything.

[itzsoweezee]

OKC still hasn't played the Collison + Adams frontcourt that was dominant against the Clippers. I'm assuming Brooks will eventually figure that out. The Thunder still have options - this is hardly a finished series.

[TVI]

So it sounds like you're saying that San Antonio is in fact a horrible matchup for the thunder? Wow, all you ever hear about is how these teams are a matchup nightmare for the spurs

yes, with 2 caveats: (1) no Chewbacca, and (2) reasonable officiating.

OKC still got more freebies, but it wasn't the typical ridiculously lopsided favoritism to which they've grown so accustomed.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

The refs favored OKC up to the point where the game got close. It was obvious. But after that, they let the teams played and the Spurs just flat out outplayed them.

Like I said in a previous thread, those favoritism calls come in spurts now and if the Spurs just hold and continue to play their basketball they will continue to win. By the time the refs could do anything in the 4th, the game was over.

[Horse]

Remember in 2012, Thunder got destroyed two games straight before they went with a line-up that Spurs couldn't answer and ran the backdoor sweep.

That Thunder line-up is very dangerous, turtle defense and rely on individual ISO talent of Durant/Westbrook to beat the Spurs in a grind. Not sure if Brooks will figure it out in games 3-6.

I still think the Thunder can put up a huge fight even without Ibaka. Duncan's age means whenever he bursts for a huge game he is going to have 1-2 flat games, offense needs to come from somewhere else in game 2 if they put in Perkins who shuts down Duncan completely on one-on-one post-up's.

Brook is slow but he obviously still has the top 2 players in the series, and IMO a (slightly, thank god for Ibaka injury) better set of cards overall.

ibaka was a huge part of that they have no one to replace him and it wasnt a backdoor sweep it was backdoor ref-rape.

[Horse]

OKC went with a aggressive defensive lineup in the third and basically the refs swallowed their whistles. The Spurs didn't adjust until Pop threw Baynes out there to give the Spurs some toughness. OKC dished it out, but couldn't take it. They mentally broke down and that was the game. My only concern is both teams were allowed to get more physical, hopefully refs call a fair game in OKC as well.

As long as BOTH teams are allowed to get more physical it wont be a problem.

[BC3]

OKC still hasn't played the Collison + Adams frontcourt that was dominant against the Clippers. I'm assuming Brooks will eventually figure that out. The Thunder still have options - this is hardly a finished series.

do u think this option will work against the spurs? why? doesn't this play into the spurs game going big?

[itzsoweezee]

do u think this option will work against the spurs? why? doesn't this play into the spurs game going big?

Adams is a big upgrade over Perkins. The Thunder couldn't score with the Collison & Perkins lineup, but they would with Collison & Adams.

[spurspokesman]

OKC's best bet is to play Durant 48 minutes and kep giving him the ball. Durant was on fire against us today and actually looked like an MVP. It was after the whistles stopped coming that ol' sport lost his cool, which is expected when you depend so much on them in the first place. Game 2 should be interesting. 7 more games.

This. He got pissed that the refs weren't doing there job lol

[KaiRMD1]

The refs favored OKC up to the point where the game got close. It was obvious. But after that, they let the teams played and the Spurs just flat out outplayed them.

Like I said in a previous thread, those favoritism calls come in spurts now and if the Spurs just hold and continue to play their basketball they will continue to win. By the time the refs could do anything in the 4th, the game was over.

This. Usually, Spurs would get out of rhythm and just lose it but somehow, the ol' sports kept their wits about them and as we all saw, they wound up blowing them out.

[EVAY]

This is nothing new, the spurs have been losing the 3rd period of almost all the games they've played since the beginning of the playoffs... you would have thought Popovich would have addressed this trend along time ago.....

tbh, they have been losing the third period during all of Pop's coaching career. I remember them doing it before they moved into the AT&T arena, and I remember asking Pop about that tendency during a Q and A session that they allowed season ticket holders to have with Pop right after they opened the AT&T Center. So it is a really really really old thing…doesn't mean it shouldn't get fixed, though. They fixed in the 5th game against Portland. Just do whatever they did in that game…I just think it is lack of focus.

[EVAY]

I was so thankful to see Pop counter Adams with Baynes in the game last night. After Adams tried to take off Boris' head off I kept yelling that we needed Baynes to play against Adams. When he did, it was great.

If Brooks goes with the Collison/Adams backcourt, I hope Pop goes Tim/Baynes or Splitter/Baynes until we foul Adams out. The guy is a menace and I don't want our guys getting hurt. Amused Day Sleeper has already started the game thread so we are already in trouble for injuries. No Adams with out Baynes!!!