Looking forward to Warriors Spurs

[superjohn]

I want to just fast forward to it, yes even though OKC is currently leading this game I give them no chance in the series. This is the best conference finals I can remember in a long time. You have two of the best regular season teams ever going head to head and they both seem to be firing on all cylinders, well outside of Curry's ankle. It's unbelievable watching Aldridge and Leonard right now, they are the splash brothers of the mid range pull ups. Not sure I've ever seen a better shooting big man than Aldridge and Kawhi is a top 5 player in the league. That series has must watch TV written all over it.

 

[BUConn10]

I like how theres a solid 10 man contingent of regular NBA fans on the Yard, who all seem to be the only ones posting in the NBA thread. Cheers to @superjohn @aceboon @Matrim55 @RayIsTheGOAT @CardiacAndre7 @James and anyone else I forgot for making the offseason here bearable.

 

[EastCoast2]

Is this the best conference semifinals matchup ever?

 

[superjohn]

Love the Spurs but it seems like they got about 11 calls in a row.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Is this the best conference semifinals matchup ever?

It will be as good if not better than most recent NBA finals matchups. I really like the Spurs in the series, whether Steph is good to go or not. Aldridge puts the Spurs over the top this year. And the maestro Popovich has managed the team very well yet again in terms of playing time and efficiency.

Anyone who watched Spurs Warriors earlier this year (I did not), how did the Spurs defend Curry? Did Kawhi get time on him? Spurs frontline is so long and physical, maybe they just keep Parker on Curry and let him get his 30. I think the Spurs can match up well defensively on them (or at least to a better degree than most teams).

 

[EastCoast2]

Danny Green with 6 points in about 6 seconds.

 

[aceboon]

It will be as good if not better than most recent NBA finals matchups. I really like the Spurs in the series, whether Steph is good to go or not. Aldridge puts the Spurs over the top this year. And the maestro Popovich has managed the team very well yet again in terms of playing time and efficiency.

Anyone who watched Spurs Warriors earlier this year (I did not), how did the Spurs defend Curry? Did Kawhi get time on him? Spurs frontline is so long and physical, maybe they just keep Parker on Curry and let him get his 30. I think the Spurs can match up well defensively on them (or at least to a better degree than most teams).

 

[Matrim55]

Is this the best conference semifinals matchup ever?

Probably the best since Magic/Bulls in 1995. Unless I'm just blanking on one I should remember.

Also pretty sure that Westbrook is going to hero-ball San Antonio into a win here.

 

[aceboon]

um, we got a series right here

 

[champs99and04]

C-Webb in a state of hysteria wondering why an offensive foul wasn't called on Waiters while neglecting the fact that Ginobili was standing on the sidelines on the inbounds.

 

[superjohn]

Almost your typical OKC choke. Fouling a three point shooter and then could have been a 5 second call or shove by inbounder but Manu didn't give him any space. Webber is annoying as hell.

 

[superjohn]

Can we get Aldridge to work with our bigs this summer? Guy is unbelievable.

 

[aceboon]

C-Webb in a state of hysteria wondering why an offensive foul wasn't called on Waiters while neglecting the fact that Ginobili was standing on the sidelines on the inbounds.

CWebb's reaction to that whole situation was over the top and ridiculous, the Spurs had a better opportunity to score on the break than they would have had if they had to inbound against a set Thunder defense if a foul was called.

 

[Connecticut34]

Parkers' no-look bounce pass from the baseline to LA for the open 3 was unreal

 

[TasteofUConn]

OKC is currently leading this game I give them no chance in the series.

They won last night and are going home fired up and 1-1 in the series. You're going to be vying with me for the title of "worst NBA takes on the Boneyard" that the guy hung on me yesterday of OKC can pull this out.

West is better than East, but not by much. Rockets were awful.

 

[superjohn]

CWebb's reaction to that whole situation was over the top and ridiculous, the Spurs had a better opportunity to score on the break than they would have had if they had to inbound against a set Thunder defense if a foul was called.

I've never seen anything like that inbounds play and I'm guessing the refs haven't either, that's why there is no call. I'm guessing the correct call would have been a tech on Waiters. Wouldn't blame the loss on it since Spurs got a lot of calls and had their chances but the refs blew that. Mills actually got fouled on the three too, refs weren't calling anything in the fourth.

 

[superjohn]

They won last night and are going home fired up and 1-1 in the series. You're going to be vying with me for the title of "worst NBA takes on the Boneyard" that the guy hung on me yesterday of OKC can pull this out.

West is better than East, but not by much. Rockets were awful.

Nice win for OKC last night, I still give them no chance in the series. Don't worry, you will always carry the mantle of having the worst NBA takes on the boneyard.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Nice win for OKC last night, I still give them no chance in the series.

I'll be curious to see how this goes for you.
At my advanced age I've learned to almost always avoid using absolutes like "no chance."

 

[EastCoast2]

Good recap of that weird inbounds play last night:
Breakdown: Everything that went wrong on final play of Thunder-Spurs

 

[Matrim55]

Nice win for OKC last night, I still give them no chance in the series.

You're brave. Remember, even when the Spurs were at their apex (2014 playoffs), OKC put the fear of god into them with their length and athleticism. If not for Ibaka's injury I think they'd have beaten San Antonio that year.

I hate the way OKC play, but they can throw out some HUGE lineups that switch everything on defense and protect the hell out of the rim. Just look at what Adams does on that play - gets back to deny Mills the lay-up, switches onto Manu to stuff the drive, then scrambles back out to contest Mills's 3-pointer. That is insane quickness for a guy that big.

I'm not saying it's gonna happen for the Thunder, since they're generally so bad in the 4th quarter and since they've found no way to stop or even slow down LMA. But... you're brave. This is the worst possible match-up for San Antonio, and last night showed exactly how/why.

 

[aceboon]

Yea superjohn is a bit too dismissive of OKC's chances, even after Harden departed OKC was still giving SA a world of trouble in their regular season matchups. For all the noise that gets made out of GSW being "lucky" last year with their path, SA was very lucky in the 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals runs that the injury bug bit OKC. OKC was clearly the best team in the West in 2013 and then Westbrook tore his miniscus in game 1 of the playoffs, then in 2014 Ibaka tears his calf muscle, misses the first 2 games and then returns but was not 100%. I remember in 2012 how everyone was jumping aboard the Spurs bandwagon after they blew out OKC in the first 2 games and then OKC won the next 4, OKC can easily win this series, a team with two top 5 players is always going to have a chance.

 

[Kitaman]

I want to just fast forward to it, yes even though OKC is currently leading this game I give them no chance in the series. This is the best conference finals I can remember in a long time. You have two of the best regular season teams ever going head to head and they both seem to be firing on all cylinders, well outside of Curry's ankle. It's unbelievable watching Aldridge and Leonard right now, they are the splash brothers of the mid range pull ups. Not sure I've ever seen a better shooting big man than Aldridge and Kawhi is a top 5 player in the league. That series has must watch TV written all over it.

As for this NBA fan, my hiatus ends when the Championship begins. However depending on the teams playing it could be extended another 12 months.

 

[superjohn]

You're brave. Remember, even when the Spurs were at their apex (2014 playoffs), OKC put the fear of god into them with their length and athleticism. If not for Ibaka's injury I think they'd have beaten San Antonio that year.

I hate the way OKC play, but they can throw out some HUGE lineups that switch everything on defense and protect the hell out of the rim. Just look at what Adams does on that play - gets back to deny Mills the lay-up, switches onto Manu to stuff the drive, then scrambles back out to contest Mills's 3-pointer. That is insane quickness for a guy that big.

I'm not saying it's gonna happen for the Thunder, since they're generally so bad in the 4th quarter and since they've found no way to stop or even slow down LMA. But... you're brave. This is the worst possible match-up for San Antonio, and last night showed exactly how/why.

Adams saved the game for OKC, I'm a big fan of his. I stand by my statement and will eat crow if OKC wins. OKC made tough shots last night and they avoided choking just enough to pull out the win. I don't expect OKC to make those tough shots all series and avoid their fourth quarter mistakes and hero ball last 5 minute offense to take the series. Aldridge will come down to earth a little bit but I expect much better games from the rest of the Spurs going forward.

 

[superjohn]

Yea superjohn is a bit too dismissive of OKC's chances, even after Harden departed OKC was still giving SA a world of trouble in their regular season matchups. For all the noise that gets made out of GSW being "lucky" last year with their path, SA was very lucky in the 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals runs that the injury bug bit OKC. OKC was clearly the best team in the West in 2013 and then Westbrook tore his miniscus in game 1 of the playoffs, then in 2014 Ibaka tears his calf muscle, misses the first 2 games and then returns but was not 100%. I remember in 2012 how everyone was jumping aboard the Spurs bandwagon after they blew out OKC in the first 2 games and then OKC won the next 4, OKC can easily win this series, a team with two top 5 players is always going to have a chance.

Different teams now, Spurs were relying on the big three then and it's now Leonard and Aldridge's team. Spurs are a little better now, not sure I would say the same about OKC.

 

[champs99and04]

Different teams now, Spurs were relying on the big three then and it's now Leonard and Aldridge's team. Spurs are a little better now, not sure I would say the same about OKC.

Better than they were in 2014? Not sure I'd say that. Completely different team, but the '14 team was arguably re-defining basketball with their Godly spacing and ball movement. That game three against Miami where they shot like 110% in the first half was mind-blowing. If you're referring to the 2012 team, I agree.

To Ace's point, yeah, crazy to consider but this is really the first time since 2012 that OKC has been whole in the playoffs. I'm not convinced OKC's got enough to beat them this time but it's going to be a fight for sure.