Thunder-Spurs Game 2 Preview

Game two of the Western Conference Final matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will take place tonight at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, with tipoff scheduled for 9:00PM EST.

 

Watch on TV: TNT (check local listings for channel information)

Watch online: Watch TNT, Primo High-Definition Stream, List of Wiziwig.tv streams

 

Latest on the Thunder/What They’re Saying:

How can the Thunder be successful against the Spurs? (Welcome To Loud City)

Third quarter defense was a bright spot for the Thunder in Game 1 (NewsOK.com)

Being bad at the right time (rebuilding the Thunder way) (Daily Thunder)

Latest on the Spurs/What They’re Saying:

Who needs to step up for the Spurs in Game 2? (Yahoo! Sports)

Gregg Popovich Q&A: "Players get screwed playing for me" (My San Antonio)

A moving tribute to the Spurs: "The Beautiful Game" (Project Spurs)

 

The Rundown:

With OKC's Serge Ibaka sidelined (presumably) for the remainder of the playoffs, San Antonio did what great teams tend to do in Game 1 - exploited the Thunder's weakness to their advantage. The Spurs scored 66 of their 122 points in the paint, slicing their way to the rim at will in Ibaka's absence. In contrast, the Thunder managed just 32 points down low, overly reliant on jumpers off of isolation looks for Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

If the Thunder are to have a legitimate shot to even up this series going back to Oklahoma City, two things need to happen and happen quickly. Firstly, they will need to find a way to close the gap in the restricted area, using an extra pass or two to open up looks under the basket. Secondly, the Thunder will need to hold onto the ball for dear life. OKC turned the ball over 16 times against San Antonio in Game 1 - a guaranteed way to lose a game against a team as precise and experienced as the Spurs.

 

 

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