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All sports are, at the highest level of compe ion, psychology.
OKC has gotten into the Spurs head and has taken all their confidence except for players like Jackson and Manu. The rest of the team has let OKC's defense, adjustments, and the beating in Game 3 get to their heads and they haven't played the same since. I expect it to be worse Game 6. You can see it in their faces and the way they've played these last three games. More so these last two.
The Spurs got too confident, relaxed, and let their guard down. They didn't expect Game 3 to happen and they haven't been able to shake it off since. Even their leader Coach Pop has panicked and made some poor decisions.
Forget adjustments and switching out the lineup. They need to gain back their confidence. Kick out that discouragement and play with absolute no fear at all. This series isn't for the weak. That's how they've played ever since mid-way thru the 2nd quarter of Game 3.
That's my opinion as to why they're down 2-3.
All sports are, at the highest level of compe ion, psychology.
To paraphrase Yogi Berra, "Basketball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical."
The turnovers, forced shots, and bad defense are things that to me show they aren't all there mentally.
They should've been up by 10-12 points early in the first quarter. They could've stepped on their throats very early in the game with Ibaka picking up two fouls early on and the way OKC was missing shots. Instead they turned the ball over and forced dumb shots with lots of time left on the shot clock.
It's frustrating when a team as smart as the Spurs plays dumb.
Couldn't explain my feelings any better.
Zommbiee!!! Zommbiee!!!! EHH! EHH! EHHH!!
No doubt, and it's very damaging because the Spurs success has greatly depended on role players, who usually suffer from shriveling of the nuts whenever hits the fan. Shooting is all confidence, and you guys saw what happened last year vs Memphis. Both years, the Spurs offense was very reliant on 3-point shooting.
Like I've said, it's easier hitting the jumpers expected from you when the team as a whole is steamrolling.
I think it's too late to break out of that now.
I agree. If they could, they would have in game 5 at home after 2 consecutive losses in OKC. Now back in OKC facing elimination? Yeah right, excluding 3 or 4 players the team is crumbling.
The problem has been mostly Pop failing to make necessary adjustments after game 2. I'll say it again, what is the point of being deep if you aren't willing to use that depth?
Pop's arrogance to think he would be able to just coast through the WCF in easy mode and never have to make an adjustment is now biting his team in the ass. Maybe if he took his own advice he wouldn't be in this mess.
Hey Pop some words to consider:
"It's a big boys game"..
"It's supposed to get harder"...
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