This OKC team is very, very good. I had the feeling the Spurs would lose their grip on this series if it extended out. Young legs, confident shooters and long defenders are making it tough for the suddenly sloppy Spurs. The number of dumb turnovers tonight was astounding. Even more astounding is the total lack of production from some key role players. I never thought I'd see Gary Neal go 0fer in a game. Meanwhile some scrub I've never heard of draining shots for OKC.

Aren't they too young to be a team of destiny? It sure seems like everything is falling into place right now.

Freaking every role player's disappeared completely. Neal, Green, Kawhi, and Bonner (no surprises here)... none of them are making any shots at all

If a couple of them can even quasi step up and drain a few wide freaking open shots and then we cut down on the dumbass, unforced TOs, we can still win this series (wouldn't hurt for Parker to start hitting some shots too). They aren't playing THAT much better than we are.

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili will combine for 70 something again, and everybody else will shoot a combined 20% and that'll be that.

[This message has been edited by atfarmer (edited 6/5/2012 2:27a).]

What i find the most amazing is that pop basically abandoned the gameplan that got the spurs twenty in a row at the beginning of game three, and he has kept going further away from it each quarter. The offense has been reduced to a Manu or Timmy iso damn near every time down the court.

I understand that the role players have disappeared, but manu and tim playing iso isnt going to win any either. You might as well dance with the ones that brought you and let the role players be the reason you win or lose the series. There is no team concept on the spurs offense right now.

[This message has been edited by aggie_2001_2005 (edited 6/5/2012 3:24a).]

the hardest game to win is a close out. let's let it play out...

What "scrub you've never heard of" was draining shots for OKC last night? Do you even follow the NBA? Serious question.

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What "scrub you've never heard of" was draining shots for OKC last night? Do you even follow the NBA? Serious question.

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Dequan (sp??) Cook came in and scored 8 straight points for the Thunder and played less than 4 minutes. He has averaged like 2 points in the playoffs. Did you even watch the game?

This just looks exactly how the Spurs always lose in the playoffs. The way the Thunder are playing defense is exactly how it is suppose to be done against S.A. In general you put high energy and be very physical with them and they don't have a counter. I've seen it before and it's very frustrating to watch because this is partially controlled by the Refs... if they aren't calling it the other team will continue to do it.

It's certainly not over because this Spurs team has surprised me all year long... BUT... it doesn't look good. Other than that 1 stretch in game 2, the Thunder have been neck in neck with S.A. most of the time... and at other times they have flat out wore them out. Even before game 5 it totally looked like OKC was the team that had the best shot at stealing a Home game from the other team.

Daequan Cook is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. Yeah, his all-around game may have some flaws but I would put money on him to hit wide open threes if the Spurs are going to leave him open. He isn't a scrub any more than Splitter or Bonner... don't go by minutes played in a series. Pop plays those guys despite all the holes in their game, while Brooks basically splits all his 2-guard minutes between Sefalosha and Harden (which is why Cook usually doesn't get on the floor). Give credit to Brooks for seeing a situation where he can get one of his best 3-pt shooters on the floor and exploit the Spurs lineup at the time.

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Give credit to Brooks for seeing a situation where he can get one of his best 3-pt shooters on the floor and exploit the Spurs lineup at the time.

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The situation was Sefolosha getting into foul trouble. What did Brooks tell him, "Hey go pick up your third foul of the half so I can put in Cook to exploit a match up?"

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Daequan Cook is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA.

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I am sorry, but that is a laughable statement. There is no need to refute it...

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He isn't a scrub any more than Splitter or Bonner...

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Excuse me for thinking that a guy who only sees significant minutes during blowouts is a scrub.

IMHO, the difference in this series has been the ability of the role players to hit shots for OKC and the inability of the Spurs to do the same. The Thunder are winning because scrubs like Cook come in a hit shots. But make no mistake about it, Cook was only used out of necessity.

"First in Sight, Ready to Fight"

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I am sorry, but that is a laughable statement. There is no need to refute it...

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I think he won the 3 point contest this year...not that that's the end all be all of determining who's the best 3 point shooter, but it's stupid to say he's not a good one.

The guy is a 36.5% career 3 pt shooter. That is no where near the best of the NBA. When I think of the best 3 pt shooters in the NBA, I think of people like Ray Allen, not Daequan Cook.

That being said, he hit the shots. But to say he isn't a scrub is a fluff job...

"First in Sight, Ready to Fight"

But he won the 3point shootout. He has to be one of the best.

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The guy is a 36.5% career 3 pt shooter. That is no where near the best of the NBA. When I think of the best 3 pt shooters in the NBA, I think of people like Ray Allen, not Daequan Cook.

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daequan cook won the 3 point shooting contest a few years ago, so obviously the guy can stroke it from three.

I never said the guy wasn't a good three point shooter. But he is not one of the best in the NBA at shooting the 3. James Anderson can stroke the 3 as well, but that doesn't make him one of the best...

You look up 3pt % for the 2011-2012 season and he isn't even on the first page.



[This message has been edited by n-1knightzip06 (edited 6/5/2012 9:15a).]

Citing the 3-point contest as proof that he's a great shooter?

Daequan Cook isn't someone you can leave open in the corner like the Spurs did, so no excuses there. That doesn't make him a premier shooter.


I really think the Spurs lost this game when they had a 5-0 lead and instead of putting their foot on the gas, they gifted the Thunder 3 unforced transition turnovers and then started posting up Duncan instead of sticking with the driving and movement that got them the quick lead. When you have a team as good as the Thunder down you have to press the advantage. They didn't, so the Spurs played from behind most of the night, and the Thunder were just too good offensively to bail out the Spurs with missed shots late.

At this point Ginobili, Parker, and Jackson are the only guys showing consistent playoff effort and attitude. Leonard is trying, but he's struggling as a rookie defender against some of the most versatile and talented scorers in the league.

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I really think the Spurs lost this game when they had a 5-0 lead and instead of putting their foot on the gas, they gifted the Thunder 3 unforced transition turnovers and then started posting up Duncan instead of sticking with the driving and movement that got them the quick lead. When you have a team as good as the Thunder down you have to press the advantage

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Totally agree. The Thunder looked like fish out of water after getting down 5-0. I thought this game was over. They look demoralized. I thought, "How can the Thunder come back down this much with so little time left?" Like you said, we had them on the ropes there and let them off the hook.

It wasn't just the five points, it was the momentum against an emotional team, Ibaka and Sefalosha already in foul trouble, and the Spurs forcing the action. They had a chance to extend the lead and play from in front in game 5 at home and they literally threw it away with 3 bad turnovers.

[This message has been edited by Ulrich (edited 6/5/2012 10:43a).]

^ Good overall points. I just think it's a stretch to make that claim after 2 minutes of a game. Spurs TOs in this series have been awful in this series overall, I certainly agree there

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What i find the most amazing is that pop basically abandoned the gameplan that got the spurs twenty in a row at the beginning of game three

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Perhaps you mean you were amazed it took the Thunder so long to respond to this and take it away from the Spurs.