Western Conference Finals discussion thread

[twinkie13]

got stung.....

 

[CAPital]

OKC has precisely zero chance of winning this series, and doubtful they win more than 1 game. It doesn't matter what SA shoots from the field.

Hope you're right. Was heart broken over the finals last year, we got homecourt vs the Heat would love nothing more than revenge this year

Ivy, please don't jinx the fuck out of us like you did last year lol

 

[nbafan88]

@nropp: Thunder posted a 1.12 PPP last night (postseason average is 1.08) and still lost by 17. #trouble

 

[Frank Costanza]

Random...but for about 2 seconds last night (Q2?) the TNT camera showed a couple of Thunder players on the bench looking at an I-Pad / some sort of tablet. Reminded me of Peyton Manning looking at still shots of the opposing defense on the sideline. Anyone else see this?

 

[CASH]

Random...but for about 2 seconds last night (Q2?) the TNT camera showed a couple of Thunder players on the bench looking at an I-Pad / some sort of tablet. Reminded me of Peyton Manning looking at still shots of the opposing defense on the sideline. Anyone else see this?

I saw this and didn't hear or see any comments about it..

 

[CASH]

So what will brooks do for tonight's game?

 

[braves]

He should just play small and force spurs to adapt. I probably underestimated the loss of Ibaka

 

[divol]

Best minutes by the Thunder were with Collison and Perkins together. Perkins suprisingly, really great Timmy defender and not for the first time.

Thunder problem is that if they play Sefolosha, Perkins and Collison, they have great defensive unit, but only two players that can score.

Jackson, Fisher, Butler - all can score, but major liability on the defensive end.

Brooks needs to figure it out.

One thing for sure, Durant shouldn't play even one second tonight as a Center. Was a dumb move and proved itself as such.

 

[CASH]

Best minutes by the Thunder were with Collison and Perkins together. Perkins suprisingly, really great Timmy defender and not for the first time.

Thunder problem is that if they play Sefolosha, Perkins and Collison, they have great defensive unit, but only two players that can score.

Jackson, Fisher, Butler - all can score, but major liability on the defensive end.

Brooks needs to figure it out.

One thing for sure, Durant shouldn't play even one second tonight as a Center. Was a dumb move and proved itself as such.

Pops will just go small and run them off the court - also with this lineup they cant defend the 3.....which will be great for my plays..

 

[CASH]

took
spurs over 54, 1st half over 105.5 and 2nd qtr over 52.5
might be adding to all of them..

 

[CASH]

Jumping to the in game

 

[IvyinBarondise]

Spurs are +146 points in the last 8 playoff games that includes a double digit loss in a throwaway game to Portland up 3-0 in the series.

 

[B.A.R.]

Spurs are +146 points in the last 8 playoff games that includes a double digit loss in a throwaway game to Portland up 3-0 in the series.

Sick, sick run. Impressive stat. Also, when up big at half they just keep coming in 2h.

 

[ArizonaKid]

I think the fact that it's a layup drill without Ibaka out there guarantees that Joel Embiid is the #1 pick.

 

[B.A.R.]

I think the fact that it's a layup drill without Ibaka out there guarantees that Joel Embiid is the #1 pick.

Hope he is healthy and if Wiggins goes 2nd this isn't 2007 all over again(or Parker...fill in either...a sure-fire star).

 

[IvyinBarondise]

yah, the 4Q line, whatever it was....would've been one fucking terrific bet. SAS's bench crushes OKC's bench...there was no doubt the lead was gonna get extended in front of the home crowd. Joseph, Ayres, Baines, sp* are all very capable scorers in their own right and Pop even left Danny Green in there for a little while. I think Diaw even saw action. Mills, Bonner, and Belinelli didnt do much but they're always dangerous too.

 

[nbafan88]

Ibaka possibly returning for game 3. Lol. That's kinda funny.

 

[edou1x]

so much chemistry in spurs's team now, better coach, better defense, home court advantage. The question is not whether OKC can win the series but whether they are gonna be swept in front of home crowd or no. Durant laughing on the bench seems to indicate he is already on vacation

 

[edou1x]

you can have one of the best player on the court, you can have an higher team budget, but you can't buy experience. It's not sold in the supermarkets.
Experience means learning things by suffering and growing as a team on the court. That's what separate spurs, celtics few years ago and young guns/teams like durant and co...

 

[divol]

Two years ago, Thunder were much greener than they are now and still came back from 0 - 2 to 4 - 2. Not saying that this will happen now, but I do believe that experience is overated.

This season, Nets against Raptors - all the experience that Nets had and still they almost lost in Game 7...

 

[Gorgolon Lives]

I'd expect most of the forum to be on OKC in game 3, and for good reason. It's hard to see KD (or the NBA) allow OKC to go down 0-3.

 

[divol]

I will be on the Thunder, no doubt even.

 

[braves]

Two years ago, Thunder were much greener than they are now and still came back from 0 - 2 to 4 - 2. Not saying that this will happen now, but I do believe that experience is overated.

This season, Nets against Raptors - all the experience that Nets had and still they almost lost in Game 7...

thunder had a player named Harden 2 years ago

 

[divol]

I mentioned the series two seasons a go, to point out that experience is far from being the ultimate advantage.

 

[IvyinBarondise]

not only did they have harden, AND a healthy Ibaka...but I believe Ibaka and Perkins shot something like 18/20 from the floor in a pivotal game 5. Their role players played OUT of their mind. Harden was a relative unknown as far as potential for taking game altering shots in a WCF. Cant blame Pop for focusing on Durant in that series, and obviously it burned them. Esp when the role players were playing like stars themselves. Plus, it's reallllly really hard to win 20 in a row like that going into the third game of the WCF. Spurs were gassed, physically and emotionally. Had they lost game one of that series, it could've been a completely different ball game. OKC played horrendously bad in the NBA finals in comparison to their efforts in the WCF. Spurs would've wiped the floor with the team that showed up in the 11' Finals. Experience counts for a lot. Lebron was ready. Wade had BEEN ready. Role players had experience as well. Not a fair fight...BUT...player for player on that court...OKC was probably a better team. What beat them? Lack of experience.

 

[nbafan88]

Ibaka playing is going to do more damage than good. If spurs are on their A game I don't think okc can pull off the victory unless westbrick and Durant combine for 60, which is possible but unlikely. There is a drastic difference between the two benches but playing at home should help the role players. And it is a Sunday night game which is positive for okc.

 

[austinhous]

didn't Harden kind of fall off in the playoffs though

 

[nbafan88]

Yes but he still got attention from the defense.

 

[CASH]

Spurs over 51
over 51.5 2nd qtr
over 3rd qtr 52
thunder over 52 - very large

 

[betman4ever]

Tbt:

Brooks also announced another change, this one perhaps more widely anticipated. Shooting guard Thabo Seflolosha, who has struggled on both ends of the floor, is being benched and backup point guard Reggie Jackson, who has been labeled a “Spurs Killer” by San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, will start in his place. “Reggie gives us another guy who can attack,” Brooks said, “and he’s shooting over 40 percent from three.” Sefolosha is just 11-for-47 on 3-pointers since the All-Star Break. In just the last two games, Spurs shooting guard Danny Green, who has been guarded by Sefolosha for much of that time is 11-for-15 on long balls and has hit 50.8 percent of his threes in the playoffs (Leads the NBA).
Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook likes the option of having Jackson on the floor with him and Kevin Durant at the same time, “Everybody can attack from each position, you can’t really load up on anyone when all three of us are on the floor at the same time.”

 

[betman4ever]

Reggie Jackson O12.5

 

[CASH]

Spurs over 51
over 51.5 2nd qtr
over 3rd qtr 52
thunder over 52 - very large

Tailed the big boys on the okc ml as well
a good night..

 

[CASH]

Reggie Jackson O12.5

Nice job!

 

[B.A.R.]

Good stuff boys...

 

[CASH]

if anyone sees any good articles on tonight's games please post them here?

 

[divol]

I like Thunder chances. The story of Ibaka's return and Durant's MVP speech can be enough for the NBA to prefer Thunder in the Finals.
I also believe that while Brooks had three days to make adjustments to the Spurs, Pop has only one and it's not enough.
Crowd will be behind the Thunder, Durant can play better and the difference between Oklahoma and Spurs in Game 3 was just amazing. The final score didn't do Thunder justice.
I thought that the series is over, but Thunder with a win today, can make all the questions about the series two years ago to pop up again.

 

[B.A.R.]

I like Thunder chances. The story of Ibaka's return and Durant's MVP speech can be enough for the NBA to prefer Thunder in the Finals.
I also believe that while Brooks had three days to make adjustments to the Spurs, Pop has only one and it's not enough.
Crowd will be behind the Thunder, Durant can play better and the difference between Oklahoma and Spurs in Game 3 was just amazing. The final score didn't do Thunder justice.
I thought that the series is over, but Thunder with a win today, can make all the questions about the series two years ago to pop up again.

I am looking at this the other way. Brooks will have same approach while Pop will have a wrinkle or two(Scotty won't be able to adjust ingame--he needed 3 days just to get that win the other night).

The biggest thing is the Spurs will just play better offensively. Parker is dissapointed in himself and rightly so and will bounce back with a pretty big effort methinks.

 

[divol]

Pop couldn't find the answer to the Thunder for two seasons, so it's not easy to believe that he will do that in one day.

Also, the Finals start next Thursday and if Spurs win today, there is a decent chance that both CF will be over by this Thursday and somehow, I doubt that the league wants to see that happen.

 

[tipyerbartender1]

We all know it's gonna be Heat-Spurs. We knew in November.

 

[CASH]

3 point shooting in the last game for both teams was bad besides Ginobli.

spurs just shot badly

 

[emkee]

Much made about Joe Crawford's dislike for Timmy and the Spurs but since 2012 in games he has officiated...

Spurs are 6-3 SU in the playoffs.

OKC are 2-4 SU in the playoffs (remembering the Kraken rudely interrupted KD mid game-tying FT in Game 5 vs Memphis, OKC lost 99-100).

 

[CASH]

Tuesday, May 27


San Antonio @ Oklahoma City Joe Crawford Mike Callahan Jason Phillips David Jones

 

[CASH]

[TABLE="class: chalk, width: 618"]
<tbody>[TR="class: column_headers even"]
[TD="class: header even-column"]Referee[/TD]
[TD="class: header odd-column, align: center"]Home Record[/TD]
[TD="class: header even-column, align: center"]ATS Home[/TD]
[TD="class: header odd-column, align: center"]Home Scoring[/TD]
[TD="class: header even-column, align: center"]Away Scoring[/TD]
[TD="class: header odd-column, align: center"]Home Fouls[/TD]
[TD="class: header even-column, align: center"]Away Fouls[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: chalk, width: 618"]
<tbody>[TR="class: sport_data even"]
[TD="class: even-column"]Jason Phillips[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]39-33[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]26-44-2[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]101.07[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]99.67[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]20.00[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]20.75[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: chalk, width: 618"]
<tbody>[TR="class: sport_data even"]
[TD="class: even-column"]Mike Callahan[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]44-29[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]36-36-1[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]102.73[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]98.36[/TD]
[TD="class: odd-column, align: center"]20.38[/TD]
[TD="class: even-column, align: center"]20.75[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: chalk, width: 618"]
<tbody style="border-top-style: none;">[TR="class: sport_data odd"]
[TD]Joe Crawford[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]35-40[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]30-45[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]100.76[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]99.51[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]20.01[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]20.63[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[emkee]

Ref tonight is Joey not Dan, Dan was deployed to help the Heat last night.

 

[CASH]

Ref tonight is Joey not Dan, Dan was deployed to help the Heat last night.

fixed.. thanks :shake:

 

[CASH]

why have all the totals for this game gone down?

 

[nbafan88]

Serge & Rescue is what they are calling it in okc

its tough to take either side for me tonight

 

[emkee]

Teams down 0-2 in a Conference Finals best-of-7 series that won Game 3 at home are 15-5 SU in Game 4 since 1992.

 

[XhuegoX]

what's lang on tonight?

 

[C-MAN]

Just curious, for those who like SA tonight, wouldn't SA TT ov 102 be a better play? Do you really see SA winning if they score less? This way SA could have a better offensive showing as most expect and still lose but you win.