At least we know Ibaka won't go 11-11 in game 3 this year! Maybe Collison can go 0-11. Man that guy has been worthless for them... Unless of course he's got 1/10 of a second to shoot, then he's so money.

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At least we know Ibaka won't go 11-11 in game 3 this year!

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I remember that. I kept telling myself there's no way this guy is going to keep making jump shots like that the rest of this series. Then...he did. Which wouldn't have been so bad, except Harden.

When I said Spurs by 5...... I meant 35.

Beat down.

I was listening to that game in the car on the radio. At that point Ibaka was just some big guy that didn't shoot well and missed lots of free throws. Hearing "Ibaka hits agsin" got to be comically frustrating that night in the car. Didn't he also make an insane amount (or percentage) of free throws that game too? It really was crazy how OKC was just unbeatable games 3-6.

Neither Duncan is amused by these memes.

Kid looks like a skateboard punk already.

Boring Spurs take enjoyment out of watching playoffs with these ass kickings.






(And I know that 95% of posters know that the "boring Spurs" line is a joke, but this disclaimer is for those who might take their message board posting too seriously)

How about this, John?

I don't have a dog in this fight, but this series is over...Thunder might win a game in OKC, but a sweep wouldn't surprise me. Serge Ibaka isn't walking through that door...James Harden isn't walking through that door. I'll be shocked if this goes past 5.

I think oklahoma city may be in trouble

.gif request: Spurs white walkers + KD wake up

^ that was awesome to see in person.

AT&T Center was a ton of fun tonight. During the run to end the 2nd quarter I thought it was going to erupt. Probably would have if we hit that 3 to close it out.

I don't see how OKC can adjust to what the Spurs are doing. It's just too good with too many players with too many strengths. And our defense finally decided to show back up.

I'm still concerned. OKC is a tough place to win for the road team, and they still have KD. While I don't think he can win on his own, I just refuse to feel comfortable until the series is over.

Awesome game tonight. Probably the most fun I've ever had at a sporting event. GSG

What a win. We should at least split in okc. For some reason I'm expecting Ibaka to suit up next game.

You aren't the only one who thinks he's coming back, no matter what Scott Brooks says.

A hobbled Ibaka that has rushed back from a calf injury is not going to let the Thunder win 4 out of the next 5. So far, these two teams have played 96 minutes. The Thunder have been competitive for about 30 minutes (not superior, just competitive) and have looked laughably outclassed the other ~66. Ibaka is good, but the Spurs are out-executing the Thunder all over the court, and one power forward isn't going to solve all those problems, especially if he isn't 100%. That even goes for some of the paint defense problems.

Even if Ibaka somehow comes back 100%, I don't see it mattering. The Thunder only barely came back from the 0-2 deficit in 2012 and if not for a cold-blooded performance from Harden in game 5 or some questionable reffing in game 6, that series would have gone to game 7 in SA (i.e. advantage still to the Spurs). This is a much different scenario, even with Ibaka. The Spurs are much, much better on defense than they were in '12 (that unit was above average, but nothing special whereas this Spurs team has an elite D in the top 3-5 range), and they're a decent bit better offensively too. Even with a healthy Ibaka, I think each game is at best a 50/50 proposition for the Thunder, and probably worse.

To me, this series hasn't just highlighted how much the Thunder miss Ibaka, it's also highlighted the differences in systems and approach, and some of the major deficiencies that the Thunder have. Specifically, they need to run a freaking offense; it's not a team of 20 year olds anymore. The solutions, as Durant and Westbrook said over and over in the postgame conf, aren't "play even harder" or "fly around more" or "we've got to contest." The Thunder need to study the film to make improvements on D and run some actual plays on O. Nobody on the Spurs cares that Westbrook is twice as fast as they are in a footrace. They're content with knowing that their passes are faster than Westbrook and that they can bait him into dumb decisions on both sides of the court.

On another note, I think we're watching one of the best offenses in NBA history. By my count, this team has 8 players that can score 15 and it seems perfectly normal (Parker, Duncan, Ginobili, Green, Splitter, Diaw, Mills, and Belinelli). 5-6 of those could score 20 without causing any surprise (cross off Splitter and Belinelli, probably Mills though that's more a results of limited minutes). That's a ridiculous number of scorers.

But they aren't just scorers. All of them can pass at a very high level and they're completely unselfish. Then they're running a fantastic system that they know by heart. Finally, they've played together long enough that they seem to be able to read each others' minds (see The Beautiful Game video). Finally, they have a coach who knows when to throw in called plays to provide the oomph to get through tough stretches and who's fantastic at preparing the team for opponents.

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Thunder in 5. Los Spurs cannot match up athlete v athlete vs KD & crew

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This series is over. OKC is outcoached, out classed and under manned. I just hope the Spurs are ready for the finals after two straight easy matchups. The Spurs haven't played a close game since Game 6 against the mavs. I actually hope OKC challenges the Spurs a bit more these next two games, just to keep the Spurs sharp in crunch time.

The Spurs are a veteran team, but it still would be nice to be challenged a bit before facing the heat. Spurs have now won six straight home games by double digits. How big is that home court advantage looking now?

Let's also not forget how challenged this OKC team was by Memphis and LA when they were at full strength. If not for some heroics, they might not have escaped Memphis. If not for a complete meltdown by LA and uncanny shooting they might not have escaped them either.

It's pretty evident this would have been a Spurs victory even with Ibaka. OKC has a dang good team, but the Spurs are at a completely different level than everybody else. If the Spurs maintain their level of play they are world champions in a few weeks.

Five is in our sights.

I think the next round will be tough. Lebron can bull down the lane and score or get calls all game long. Wade is a much healthier player than he was last year and Bosh has expanded his game to the three point line, which would pull Splitter or Duncan away from the basket (although I still think you give him this shot until he hurts you with it). Ray Allen is still deadly from downtown if you help off of him.

On the positive sides, we have a much deeper bench and Miller is gone so they only have one great 3 pt shooter in Allen. We are much more dominant down low and should give them some major problems in the post and on the boards. The heat defense doesn't appear as dominant as in prior years, especially in the passing lanes. Parker should be able to get in the lane at will and they don't really have any shot blockers similar to an ibaka less OKC team.

Wish we could play game 3 today. This long break is killing me.

The series isn't over until the Spurs take Game 3. OKC and the refs will pull out all the stops to make it a series and the Spurs need to focus and take care of business.

That said, the depth of this Spurs' team is just sick. Last night you had Leonard playing 16 minutes and basically a non factor and it didn't matter at all. The Spurs just have so many options and can give a team so many looks. The power of having 2nd and 3rd units that can come in and extend leads while the starters rest simply can't be understated. Baynes has really impressed me this entire playoffs for instance as Pop just puts him in for 10-15 min tops but he goes absolutely full out being physical and hustling like his life depended on it. It's like being able to enter in a sprinter in the middle of a marathon to allow your runner to rest. Even if that sprinter isn't as good as the runner he can be for just that sprint.

On the other side they have shooters all over the place. The Spurs have several guys that can just go off and nail several 3's in a row and make a close game into a double digit lead in a flash. Green is off? No worries, just let Patty and Marco drain jumpers. That's assuming that Manu isn't feeling it or Pop doesn't put Bonner out there just to mess with the other coaches head.

I've seen the Spurs go from seemingly unbeatable to falling in a well enough times that I'm not handing them the title but damn this team looks tough to beat.

How about Splitter's free throws in the playoffs!? The dude has been money hitting those things. In the past years he would never finish off a 3 point play opportunity and if he went to the line for 2, hitting 1 was considered a win. The guy is consistently hitting his "and one" and when he goes for 2 he'll make them both. Guy has just come up HUGE for us in so many ways.

And while he hasn't mastered this part of his game yet, when he does go strong to the basket and finishes it's so much fun.

With Ibaka out, the thunders hopes are in Adams, Butler, Jackson and Lamb all playing well above their abilities. Durant isn't going for 50 against this Spurs defense without taking 50 contested shots or more. Westbrook, is talented but plays outside of the offense an incredible amount of the time. I actually want the ball in his hands as every other player stands arounds and watches.

I have no doubt that OKC is capable of winning a game or two if they have an incredibly hot shooting game and the refs help them, but this series is over.

Splitter has dramatically improved his free throw shooting. I think guys would foul him on purpose in years past knowing he wouldn't make the free throws, but now he's making them pay. I think the difference between this team and the Spurs teams from 2008-2012 is DEFENSE. The Spurs have had prolific ball movement offenses for the last 4 years, although maybe not quite as good as this year's team. But we never played defense. Last year we were much better at defense, but this year we seem to have turned the corner. They probably aren't as good as in '03 or '05, but I'd say we're probably as good defensively as in '07.

I didn't see the game last night but it sure looks like this series is over. OKC sucks without Ibaka.

You Spurs fans are spoiled.

We are spoiled. I was thinking that this morning.

I don't even know what to say to that. It's just crazy.

The Spurs are the only thing that has kept me motivated in the Post RC-Pre-Sumlin era of Aggie football.

They are like an old friend that you can count on being there when you need them the most (also known as the Fran years).

As a Houston fan and Aggie fan I have no idea what that is like. My teams will always find a way to fail.

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Thunder in 5. Los Spurs cannot match up athlete v athlete vs KD & crew

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Clippers in 5. Los Spurs cannot match up athlete v athlete vs Griffin & crew.



Ho hum.

Suns in 5. Los Spurs cannot match up athlete v athlete vs Stoudemire & crew.

http://nba.si.com/2014/05/19/san-antonio-spurs-oklahoma-city-thunder-nba-playoffs-preview-predictions/

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Lee Jenkins: Thunder in six.

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The Thunder have also demonstrated, going back to this round two years ago, they can run with the Spurs. Momentum favors San Antonio, but matchup may favor Oklahoma City, and the Thunder holds the age-old NBA trump card: best player on the floor.

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