NBA is jacking with my Game of Thrones!!!!

Spurs in 5.

Spurs in 6

Spurs in 6 and Title #5.

Schedule's out. It's a game every other day.

In order from most to least likely:

Spurs in 7
Spurs in 6
Thunder in 7
Thunder in 6
Spurs in 5
Spurs in 4
Thunder in 5
Thunder in 4

This series is a tough call though. If the Thunder catch some early breaks, I can see them winning in 6 or 7 games.

I would surprised if the Spurs won this series. Going to need some vintage Manu on top of what Tim and Tony are doing. We'll find out if the role players have cajones.

Looking at the box scores from the three earlier games this season, did Manu not play in any of the three games?

He was injured

Spurs in 5

4-2. Spurs. Va.

Spurs were 2-1 against OKC this season, wining 1 at home and splitting on the road...

Manu played in zero of those games...

Neither Diaw or SJax were on the team for those games...

The Spurs team that went 2-1 against OKC in the regular season was worse than the team that will play them in the WCF...

On the other hand, OKC is significantly younger...

Spurs in 7, I hope.

I'm worried.

Go Spurs.

I'm thinking it will be a 6 game series. Splitting both 1-1 in SA and in OKC.

I hope the Spurs pull it out. It's going to be a fun but stressful series to watch.

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The Spurs team that went 2-1 against OKC in the regular season was worse than the team that will play them in the WCF...

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This is true. However, I don't think it can be understated how much better the Thunder are playing right now. They are playing their best basketball of the year at the right time.

OKC scares me, but I think SA is the better team (and the better coached team).

Spurs in 6

Frustrate westbrook and these guys are easily beatable. Westbrook is a head case.

Spurs in 6, maybe 5. I just can't see this team losing 4 of 7 right now unless one of the Big 3 goes down.

The Spurs match up very well on the OKC. They can put Leonard/Diaw/SJax on Durant and make him work really hard for every shot. They can put Parker/Green on Westbrook. They can put Manu/SJax on Harden. More importantly though OKC has no real inside presence which will leave Duncan free to play help D all night long and making drives to the bucket a very difficult thing. They will cut off the passing lanes and force OKC to either go superhuman on drives or shoot lights out from the perimeter. The other problem for OKC is the Spurs do a better job of defending without fouling than anyone, especially when Duncan is allowed to play unfettered help defense. They can harass guys on the perimeter and force them into driving straight into the shot blockers and cutting off the lane. If you can make the area 8 feet in from the basket into a dead zone it is really hard to lose. Eventually the other team gets cold shooting or tries to force it inside leading to turnovers and suddenly its a 16-4 run.

On the other end OKC doesn't have a top notch big man defender to slow Duncan so they will have to compensate and that will create a weakness. As long as the Spurs can execute and move the ball they will be very hard to stop, especially with so many guys that can drain open 3's and multiple guys that can drive to the bucket. Their offense is so crisp and they get transition buckets so quickly it is just very hard to stop.

I see a game or maybe 2 where OKC shoots lights out, gets to the line a ton, or the Spurs just can't hit anything and they pull it out. Can't see that in 4 of 7 though. So far this Spurs' team just hasn't shown a weakness and they are a better team than the one that comfortably handled the Thunder earlier in the year. Really the only team I thought that could stop the Spurs was the Lakers because they had the size in the middle and the shooting when they were playing at their best (which they haven't been for a while). I also don't see anyone in the East that is as good as OKC.

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On the other end OKC doesn't have a top notch big man defender to slow Duncan

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This. Timmeh is the key to the entire series. If he can make the Thunder pay for playing him straight up or pass out of double teams, it's gg OKC.

Duncan must have a monster series for SA to take down the Thunder.

Actually I don't know that Duncan has to be a monster at all. OKC may decide to focus on him and double him which would leave everyone else open. Duncan just needs to be Duncan, he doesn't necessarily need to go 25/15 every night.

Ibaka and Perkins are both solid defenders.

Okc doesn't have a big man the spurs have to take seriously on offense and Duncan can camp in the lane and Blair sucking at d won't matter

Spurs in 6.

I also think the Thunder's lack of an offensive post threat will be huge, allowing SA's bigs to help on picks and drives.

On the other end OKC is playing good defense, but it's the old story of the Dutch boy and the dike... there are too many holes to plug and they don't have enough defenders. Parker can't be handled one-on-one, but the second they help off it opens up the Spurs passing game. If I were the Thunder I would probably see if Sefalosha can cover Parker with minimal help and give Durant and Westbrook the green light to go after steals. They'll need some runs and transition baskets to win the series.

If the Spurs can keep Harden away from the rim, make Westbrook pull up a step earlier, and limit turnovers on offense, they'll win the series comfortably.

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Actually I don't know that Duncan has to be a monster at all. OKC may decide to focus on him and double him which would leave everyone else open. Duncan just needs to be Duncan, he doesn't necessarily need to go 25/15 every night.

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Agree, I should have explained that better. Duncan needs to be the focal point of the Spurs' offense, whether it's scoring or finding the open man.

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On the other end OKC doesn't have a top notch big man defender to slow Duncan

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To me, it's the opposite. Duncan has trouble against strong defenders (Perkins). Add that to the fact that you have Ibaka helping on the weakside and Duncan is going to have his hands full.

Yeah, I think the Thunder have a great lineup to deal with Duncan if the Spurs try to throw it to him to create offense. The ball needs to be in Parker's hands; Duncan should get his points on the move. Depending on the matchup they might need to ride Duncan in the finals, but not here.

[This message has been edited by Ulrich (edited 5/22/2012 11:10a).]

Thunder are a jump shooting team. With ibaka patrolling the paint, spurs will prolly be forced to take a lot of jumpers too. With our ball movement and spacing discipline I think we will get better shots.

I like the spurs, especially since we get the first two at home.

That's why floor spacers like Diaw and Bonner will be so important in this series.

I agree with AtalAggie and Ulrich. Perkins is a solid post defender and will give Duncan trouble; however Perkins offensive weaknesses will make him a liability on offense and I see OKC going with a smaller line up to try to be faster than the Spurs which i feel will play right into the spurs big three point shooters hands.

Spurs in 5, Thunder are not strong enough mentally, Westbrook especially

So pumped about this series.

Haven't been this pumped about a non-Bulls playoff series probly since Lakers-Kings 2002.

Rare when you get the two obvious best teams in the NBA peaking at the right time and colliding in the playoffs.

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The Spurs team that went 2-1 against OKC in the regular season was worse than the team that will play them in the WCF...

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This is true. However, I don't think it can be understated how much better the Thunder are playing right now. They are playing their best basketball of the year at the right time.

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They are playing great..but SA is playing even better...

18 straight wins...

My prediction is that it will come down to game five.

I think series will be tied 2-2 and winner of game five takes ultimately takes the series. If SA wins game five, SA wins the series in seven. If OKC takes game five, OKC takes the series in six.

Order of likelihood (IMO):
1) Spurs in 7
2) Thunder in 6
3) Thunder in 7
4) Spurs in 5
5) Spurs in 6 (If the Spurs are up 3-2, I think the Thunder are a good bet to take game six at home)

Spurs in 4, Thunder in 4 or Thunder in 5 seem very unlikely.

Spurs in 6 or 7.

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This is true. However, I don't think it can be understated how much better the Thunder are playing right now. They are playing their best basketball of the year at the right time.

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This is true most certainly, but the Spurs are playing equally as great if not better.

The Thunder took advantage of some major gaffs by the Lakers in two close games and also dropped a game. I think they showed a lot of resilience completing those games and competing until the end, but I think it is highly unlikely the Spurs will beat themselves the way the Lakers did...if the games are close, I think SA has a major advantage when it comes down to execution.

It's the Thunder's defense that worries me especially. The Spurs turned the ball over a little too much last series. If they are that careless against the thunder, you can expect to see even more turnovers. To win the series, the Spurs have to limit the turnovers and crash the defensive glass hard.