The Thunder were embarrassed in the Western Conference semifinal series opener in San Antonio on Saturday (Sunday, NZT) when the Spurs coasted to a 124-92 victory that was ridiculously one-sided from the opening few minutes.
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Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (right) scores over Thunder centre Steven Adams during Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-finals on Saturday. As unusual as it may sound after a decade plus of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili more or less controlling the fate of the Spurs, Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge are now officially the focal points of the Spurs’ on-court operations.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, San Antonio is favored at home tonight, as the Spurs are getting odds of -7.5 points against the Thunder.
The Spurs scored a remarkable 43 points in the opening quarter to set a record for most points scored in a quarter during the playoffs en route to taking a 73-40 lead at half time.
Leonard and Green spearheaded a Spurs defense that held the high-scoring duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to a combined 30 points.
Ibaka, Durant and Westbrook were a combined 19 of 49 from the floor, making one more shot as a trio than Aldridge made by himself.
With the luxury of resting their starters in the fourth quarter, they will try to build on their hot start when they host Game 2 of the best-of-seven series today (tomorrow morning, Singapore time).
The worst part of the night for the Thunder was Westbrook’s shooting.
Game 2: Thunder at Spurs, Monday, 8:30 p.m.
After Memphis checked him to 14.5 points a game in the first round, the silent assassin had no choice but to turn up his play and begin to make superstar contributions.
NOTES: San Antonio’s first-round series victory against Memphis marked the 19th for the Spurs since 1984, which ranks second in National Basketball Association history behind the Los Angeles Lakers (22).
If you can’t make the Spurs pay for loading up on Westbrook and Durant, you might as well start focusing on whatever PowerPoint presentation you’re going to show Durant in free agency. It’s a brutal loss, but it’s just one game. The Spurs beat the Thunder 4-2 in the 2013-14 Western Conference Finals, and San Antonio beat Miami for the National Basketball Association title. 1 game near flawless as it was does not a best 4 out of 7 basketball series make. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich paced the sideline in concern, asking Leonard “are you OK?” on the Spurs’ ensuing possession. The Spurs also blocked six shots, collapsing and surrounding the Thunder with multiple defenders whenever they drove into the lane.
Duncan basically dismissed the win as one of those games.
Less that three minutes into the second quarter, the Spurs had more than doubled the Thunder with a 53-24 advantage.
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We know OKC has the talent to hang with the Spurs. That’s great basketball, don’t get me wrong, but we’re not that.
