WCF: San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

[Superbone]

Game three today and we don't even have a topic. Battle of the two-word cities. Apparently, Ibaka is now day-to-day and may play today.

[TOO]

Spurs wont lose a game.

[INFORMER]

Steve Kerr chimes in:

Well I think you'll see changes. My guess is that (Thunder guard Thabo) Sefolosha will not start. You know the biggest problem I think for Oklahoma City in this series is they just have too many one-way players on the court all the time. You've got your options — do I go with my defensive guys or my offensive guys? But the Spurs players are almost all two-ways guys, and so they don't have to have those decisions.

So to me, Sefolosha (who has missed all nine of his shots and played just 26 combined minutes in the first two games) has just proven to this point that he's not (an offensive) threat. So the Spurs aren't guarding him. And he hasn't made a big enough impact defensively to keep himself out on the floor. I would start (second-year shooting guard Jeremy) Lamb, if it were me. That way you've got (third-year point guard) Reggie Jackson on the bench in a reserve role, and you also keep (veteran small forward Caron) Butler on the bench and bring him off. And then I think you don't make too many changes schematically.

I think one thing you have to be able to count on is your home floor. You get back there, you get rejuvenated, your crowd gets behind you. Westbrook and Durant obviously have to play a lot better, and I think they will. So assuming they play better and you make a lineup tweak — you get Lamb out there early and you put Westbrook on (Spurs point guard Tony) Parker, Lamb takes (Spurs shooting guard) Danny Green, Lamb (who had 13 points in 14 minutes in Game 2 while hitting six of eight shots) makes a couple threes and it opens up the game. Your crowd gets behind you, Durant and Westbrook go nuts, it's 2-1 (in the series) and you feel good about yourself again.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... s/9549623/

[In2ition]

I think this seems to be the direction that McDonough is trying to go. Build a team of young athletic two way players that can be versatile enough to play multiple positions. Although, I don't think this is anything new and probably everyone is trying to do this, with exceptions to fill a need.

[TOO]

Look at Ibaka go. Good for him

[carey]

Dude, that Russ shot at the end of the half was ridic.

Eastbay Ray said after "Are you not entertained??" and that was perfect for his walk off pose. Lol. These teams, I wish they could play all the games...

[TOO]

Feels like SA has been really outplayed but yet they are still right there.

[TOO]

This cant be right 3Q FTA OKC 22 SA 0...?

[TOO]

Spurs wont lose a game.

Oops.

[Superbone]

Nice win by OKC. Great, surprising return from Ibaka. Let's see if they can do it again on Tuesday.

[Mori Chu]

I missed this game because I am in Seattle visiting my girlfriend's family. It's good that okc made it a series and glad to see Ibaka back (lol my phone auto corrects his name to Obama). I just hope he is not doing damage to his body by playing.

[Mori Chu]

I'm looking forward to this one. Tonight is basically a must-win for OKC. Was the Ibaka bump a flash in the pan, or do they have what they need to win a few more games? Ibaka helped, but I think they were high on the adrenaline of having him back and that it won't sustain itself through the rest of the series. I also have doubts about whether Ibaka can really play at a high/healthy level the rest of the series. I think it's unwise to be playing him if it risks further injury.

IMO the Thunder lose this one in a close game, and the Spurs will close out at home in 5. But we'll see.

[Gladiator]

The Thunder are destroying the Spurs in this one. Their d is terrific and has forced San Antonio into a lot of 1on1 stuff, which isn't their strength obviously. The Spurs also look very slow (and Diaw looks enormous)

[TOO]

Diaw does look extra tubby today lol.

[Superbone]

We've got ourselves a series!

[Mori Chu]

Wow. What happened to the Spurs? They actually almost made a game of it in the end of the 3rd quarter by bringing it back to an 11-12 point game or so. But that was as close as they got.

[Mori Chu]

Watching Game 5 right now. Looks like the Spurs are way out ahead by almost 20 points near the end of the 3rd quarter. I like that Scott Brooks is playing Jeremy Lamb, but otherwise I don't like the substitution patterns. He played Durant and Westbrook high-40s minutes in Game 4 and he's on pace to do it again. He needs to trust his bench and rest his stars. Pop does this all year and it is paying off here in the WCFs.

[Superbone]

It's crazy how every game is a blowout.

[Mori Chu]

I haven't been paying attention to who the refs are our how many fts each team is shooting. Is it home cooking? Or does the home crowd matter that much?

[Superbone]

Big game tonight! By definition, OKC has to win. I'm enjoying this series. I hope they can win this one.