IvyinBarondise
Pretty much a regular
If you want to put any legitimate thought into the concept that every game is a double digit win for the Spurs since the Dallas series, then you don't mind laying a few points @ home. Ibaka's presence certainly does allow OKC to get back to their game. Everybody gets to play their own positions again and Durant isn't run ragged and OKC stays out of foul trouble. That being said, Ibaka isn't a 30 point swing kinda guy lol. This series is gonna go in waves and Spurs have proven many many things of the length of the Pop/Duncan Era. One of them is, they generally don't allow themselves to lose twice in a row in the same fashion. Pop smartly pulled his aging stars in the middle of the third and kept them off the floor only down 12 with PLENTY of time left b/c he understands the makeup of this series. OKC role players are incredibly different players offensively away from OKC. Jackson is idk, but guys like Lamb (throw away garbage time), Adams, Perkins, and Seph (who might have to get some court time in this one) aren't gonna beat SAS in game 5. Westbrook and Durant are the only guys capable of coming out of SAS with a steal but the issue is...there have been several times in this series and in the playoffs where Durant has looked a little gassed, late in the second half. He's been playing tons of HARD minutes recently and isn't going to be able to play as much in game 5. If Brooks makes the mistake of playing him w/o a few extra minutes rest, he's gonna be much less effective in the later minutes in the 4th when they're gonna need him if they can steal a game. Westbrook just might be superman but I gotta believe 46 minutes was a mistake. It's incredibly tough to repeat those kinda performances although I don't REALLY put it passed him. Parker and Duncan were both pretty efficient in game 4 and they're fresh and ready to put in a strong effort @ home in game 5. Green and Ginobli are both going to be asked to play longer minutes and spread the floor and it just seems that the Spurs hit more 3s @ home these days. Leonard is a good body to insure what I'm saying about Durant's fatigue factor and Ibaka's offense is the only x factor in my opinion. I think the extra 5 minutes that we see Durant off the floor really opens up significant value for SAS to open up and extend a lead in this one...It would take the same kinda effort that Brook and Durant gave in game 4 and I just don't buy into the math in a repeat of that on the road in a must-win for SAS. SAS has the experience and confidence to blow off the last two games, they have the rest and the home court going for them. They have a large historical edge going against Westbrook and Durant repeating their performance...and their bench will be much more productive tomorrow night IMO as well. I also expect the NBA to give a few more calls to SAS as there is a bunch of criticism as to the majority of 50/50 calls going OKCs way, but that's to be expected @ home too so nothing out of the ordinary. It's the Spurs turn now, they tend to not let me down in these situations. BOL to anyone who takes this advice, I'm obviously biased but I do believe game 4 wasn't a complete negative for SAS in how it played out and that really does provide some value for SAS backers.
BTW, SAS bench players ALSO play much better at home and Joseph and Mills are both primed for productive bench minutes and sometimes it's just those few extra good possessions that make the difference. It's a team vs a duo...may the best concept win.
BTW, SAS bench players ALSO play much better at home and Joseph and Mills are both primed for productive bench minutes and sometimes it's just those few extra good possessions that make the difference. It's a team vs a duo...may the best concept win.
