![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() He has become proficient in this area of the court, whereas drives to the basket increases chances of a turnover or passing to an interior player like Serge Ibaka or center Kendrick Perkins, who are not offensive threats. Specifically, the Spurs must make Westbrook drive rather than give him the opportunity to make his mid-range jumper. But Westbrook sets the agenda and if he gets off early, the Thunder is primed for victory. The prevailing thought is that the Spurs have no one to defend 6'-10" Durant on the wing, but may try with 6'-7" rookie Kawhi Leonard. Beyond that, he has created a system that, although anchored by self-less superstar Duncan, gets the best out of each individual player. He never is afraid to do the unorthodox that could create advantages like in the Clippers' series fouling Reggie Evans, a poor free throw shooter, to thwart a comeback. However, Popovich brings the steel nerves earned through Air Force intelligence training. Also, Brooks engineered perhaps the turning point of the Lakers' series in Game 2 by springing Durant on Kobe Bryant late in that game, which forced the turnover that got the Thunder rolling to the victory. Although, Brooks has to be given credit for quickly turning around the Thunder after taking over early on in the 2008 season as the team labored under former coach P.J. 354.Ĭoaching: This is no disrespect to Thunder head coach Scotty Brooks, but Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is playing chess while Brooks is playing checkers. Their three-points made has dropped from 7.2 to 6.4 per game and shooting percentage has dipped from. However, the Thunder three-point shooting in the playoffs has become less dependable. This lethal weapon has only become deadlier in the playoffs with increases in made threes to 8.9 and shooting percentage spiking at. Along with Manu Ginobli, rookie small forward Kawhi Leonard, shooting guard Danny Green and power forward Matt Bonner, and reserve guard Gary Neal, the Spurs have a lethal deep shooting team. Three-Point Shooting: During the regular season, the Spurs were second in the league for three-points made per game (8.4) and led in three-point shooting percentage (.393). Like Newton's first law of motion states that things in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, the Spurs are playing with a confidence that the force of the Thunder is not enough to stop its winning ways. That is 18 consecutive games including the playoffs sweeps over the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. The Spurs have not lost since a regular season game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 11. In a Game 7, the home team wins 80% of the time. 2 Thunder and, as so often in a series between closely matched teams, it could come down to that extra home game. 1 seed have the home court advantage over the No. Omen spelled backwards is Nemo, as in Finding Nemo, and the Thunder is ready to show the world that they're young but ready like the movie titular's clownfish character. Although it's not an odd year, an omen for the Spurs is that it's a labor-shortened season similar to when the team won their first title. Set up like a Hollywood showdown, this series pits the Old West versus the New West. The Thunder will rely on its recent draft history that includes Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and James Harden, who was drafted in 2009. The Spurs will rely on their reservoir of past championship experiences that got deeper with the mid-season return of swingman Stephen Jackson, who left via free agency after winning a ring in 2003. The history of these franchises may play a larger part in the outcome of this series than the recent three game regular season series won by the Spurs 2-1. That same year, the Sonics/Thunder drafted Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. After playing one more year in the Pacific Northwest, the team moved to the Southwest and, boom, the Sonics became the Thunder. The franchise known as the Seattle Supersonics two weeks after the 2007 Finals would draft Kevin Durant. The last time the Spurs won the title in 2007 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn't even exist. Although Duncan at 36 years old is still looking spry and rejuvenated enough to play a few more years, this may his and his more aged cohorts Tony Parker (30) and Manu Ginobli (34), who both have won three titles, best last chance to win another ring. The only two figures who have been there from the beginning is power forward Tim Duncan and head coach Gregg Popovich. That first title for the Spurs began their odd dynasty as they would win the NBA Finals in only odd number years (2003, '05, and '07). Back in 1999, while Prince was partying, the NBA played a 50 game strike-shortened season that ended with the San Antonio Spurs being crowned champions.
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