[mgreener_34Participant]

 The two things that stick out to me right away are 1.) No one can stay infront of Durant, and he knows it, and 2.) Westbrook is faster then Tony Parker. Can’t wait to see Harden and Manu check each other 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Game one. I like the start by both teams.

This is going to be the best series of the entire postseason in my opinion.

Who wins game one?

[akhan786Participant]

I gotta admit…the Spurs can make ANYONE look good and that is a testament to Popavich.

Just a season ago Boris Diaw was a scrub for the lowly Bobcats who now have the worst record in the league…

Meanwhile, Diaw is the starting PF for the team with best record in the league in the Spurs.

It seems like every season the Spurs get some kind of cast off player and turn them into a great role player. Who would’ve thought that Matt Bonner, George Hill, Gary Neal, and Danny Green would be that successful at the Spurs let alone in the NBA?

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

celtics spurs would be the most epic match up i wouldnt watch

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

This is going to be a real good series, man oh man..

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Westbrick’s jumper is noticeably worse when contested.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Westbrook is faster than Parker, but damn he can be so out of control… He’s like a mini locomotive with the brakes broken.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Westbrook’s first step to pull up is so quick though that it’s rarely ever contested.

 

[McDunkin]

 

[akhan786Participant]

Ginobili 0_o

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Harden bricking everything right now.

[MagikKnickParticipant]

 Spurs are just an amazing basketball team..

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I love when Manu Ginobli does that move and shoots the three… I still can’t quite figure out what he’s doing with his feet.

[akhan786Participant]

Harden’s completely out of sync. Forcing too much. Already 1-7 and a turnover.

[MagikKnickParticipant]

The Thunder are young, maybe too anxious…they’re 4-wins away from the Finals

I had a feeling that somebody on the Thunder would come out forcing too many shots, and not hitting….Guess it was Harden

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

Does anyone remember when Boris Diaw was skinny? Sheesh, he is alarmingly fat now compared to when he wa a rookie for the Hawks or even when he was with the Suns a few years back.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Tim Duncan still  has it. Left Ibaka standing there.

[thparadoxParticipant]

 This series is already awesome.

Leonard doing a great job on Durant, and Durant hitting crazy shots.

Great role players.. collison, diaw, neal, all contributing

Excellent intensity by both teams. Completely unpredictable… great offense suddenly stopped by great defensive plays, and terrific D countered by offensive creativity.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Westbrook’s jumper sure doesn’t look noticeably worse to me… He made like five contested shots in a row. Form looking damn near perfect on each one.

[KayjayParticipant]

Tell’s me all I need to know roughly.

Will Pop make adjustements?: Of course

But everybody counting out this OKC team is down right stupid. OKC beat the best front court in the NBA. Of course they can hang with the spur’s offensively. Even if they struggle this will be an excellent series. OKC isn’t the Jazz or the unfinished flawed Clippers. They are a complete team that took a harder road to get the conference finals than the Spurs. All in all I can’t wait for the second half.

[Wavy BagelsParticipant]

Wow. Derek Fisher really killed us in the first half, and Tiago Splitter has played a bit soft in the post. Only good shots he got off were from dishes from Ginobili. Also, the turnovers hurt us, especially in the 2nd quarter. KD’s wingspan has altered a few shots. Spurs need to tighten up in the second half….

[TomShoeParticipant]

 Watching Kendrick Perkins on offense makes me sad.

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

What makes me sad is that ^THAT^ is his happy face.

[Wavy BagelsParticipant]

Kawhi Leonard is such an underrated passer.

[akhan786Participant]

How about Derek Fisher?? The geizer must love playing the Spurs. He’s 5/5 and 11 points!

[mgreener_34Participant]

 Manu getting Kobe Bryant calls tonight. Touch him and it’s two free throws. 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

The Spurs are crazy good. They play the game the right way at both ends.

The boxscore won’t say how hard Kevin Durant had to work for most of his baskets tonight and that’s all you can ask.

One of these two teams will win the championship.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I hate to say it, but I don’t think this is a seven game series.  I don’t mean to sound like I am overreacting to one game, but the Spurs were just too good down the stretch.  OKC has been outstanding in the clutch this year, much different than last year, but I think the Spurs offensive execution is too much.  I say Spurs in 6, but it could be fewer.  

OKC does need Harden to really get going.  He did better down the stretch, but for the Thunder to win, they need a huge series from Harden, especially attacking the rim.

[jerb2011Participant]

The Thunder stopped getting open/ good shots when the stopped pushing the tempo. They had this game if they continued to make the Spurs try to keep up. Once they slowed down, the Spurs half-court execution was the Thunder’s demise. The Thunder cannot afford to slow down when they don’t have a big man to throw the ball to when the game slows down.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I read an analysis that really said we have to recognize that a Spurs sweep is a possibility. Now I think that would be crazy. But really the offense is so good that it looks like they could drop 120 on any given night. OKC isn’t going to force 14 turnovers in a half ever again in this series and they certainly aren’t going to have Derek Fisher open shooting 5 for 5. So if they can’t win this night when the Spurs only had one great quarter, how are they going to win a game, much less the series?

I think the Thunder need to get better to match the Spurs. As good as they are, it looks like Harden and maybe even Ibaka need to reach super star level play to add to Durant and Westbook so they can contest this team and overcome Popoviches coaching (which is obviously sick).

[river09Participant]

 Not gonna lie I love watching the Spurs. Such great team players. They play so well as a team that they can step up and beat teams that are made up of probably much more physically imposing and talented players. 

[Pro 1Participant]

Spurs are just too good as a team for OKC to beat in a 7 game series as is….SA in 5.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I think the Thunder need to get better to make this a series. But they have a guy who could grow in this playoff, though he is already good. That is Ibaka. If Ibaka could learn to post defense Duncan, then he can stay on the floor instead of Perkins. If Ibaka is on the floor, then the rim is well protected. The fear is that Duncan will break down Ibaka in the low post. But maybe Ibaka can learn most of Duncan’s moves during the course of the series and use athletic counters to them. Probably this is too much to ask for. But playing Perkins makes the Spurs take Duncan out of the post and not run the offense through him, but that doesn’t seem to really slow them down since Parker and Ginobli can attack from the perimeter and now there is no above the rim defense when Durrant is at the four. 

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