vs. 
San Antonio Spurs (9-1, 4-1 road) vs. OKC Thunder (9-2, 6-0 home)
TV: TNT (Cox 31, HD 730)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:30 CT
Spurs lead series 2-1
View from the enemy: 48 Minutes of Hell
It started with Game 3, but each game the Thunder play from here on out, however long their season lasts, is the most important they’ve ever had. A win tonight, and it’s back to square one with a three-game series kicking off in San Antonio on Monday. A loss, and it’s back to that horrible wall where things are close to finished.
The question everyone’s asking is, did the Thunder figure something out in Game 3? I don’t necessarily think so. As the Spurs said postgame, the adjustments the Thunder made have been used in the past. This was just a case of the Oklahoma City monster finally showing up and doing what it can do. The Thunder’s offense really has never been an issue that much in the series. It’s just been defensive issues. And those got sorted out in Game 3, hence the onslaught.
My expectation for Game 4 is a painfully tight game. One that swings back and forth, has crazy pitches of emotion and leaves us all wanting relief from the anxiety that will befall with four minutes left. I think both teams have played their best game for the series — the Spurs in Game 2, the Thunder in Game 3. Now it’s back to the basics and back to just good basketball between two extremely good teams.
These are the times where you need your alpha dogs to rise up and be different. To separate from others. Whether it’s Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook, the Thunder stars need to be big. They have to play some of their best games ever, on both ends. The Thunder proved something to everyone — including themselves — in Game 3. The Spurs can be beaten. It’s been done. But the beast isn’t slain, merely wounded.
Time to chop another arm off.
Tip at 7:30 CT. Go Even.
:)
I agree with justin and some others that Westbrook and harden need to get it going in game 5. IMO, ball movement, while a terrific thing for the team, hurts westbrook because it doesnt allow him to go one on one and establish his own scoring rhythm. i think the team should try to get him some easy shots early on because he is clearly a momentum player on offense and can really reel off a lot of points if he gets going.
The more I think about Serge's going 11-11 and 4-4 in a must win WCF game, the more I am impressed with him. How crazy good will he be a year from now?
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@MisterJohnsonOKC Well, Durant was double-teamed, the clock was running down, and...never mind.
I like Brooks' strategic adjustment of putting Blake Griddin in a Kendrick Perkins body suit
I want to see Ibaka's slam on SportsCenter's Top 10, but it'll just be primarily composed of outfielders catching a baseball. Because that is the single most riveting thing in sports.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/06/kd-takes-over-as-okc-evens-the-series-109-103/
I know ThunderChick will be tired, but I'm glad she got to go to the game. Enjoy Vegas TC!
All we have to do is steal one on the road. We aren't losing at home. I honestly feel like we're going to win in 6. Still a little nervous, but we just look so good when we play team ball. Harden and Russ' scoring will come back up from tonight to replace Perk and Serge's regression to the mean, and the defense the last two games has been fantastic. Defense is the key, we're going to get our points. Gotta keep them from theirs. Thunder up!
@SeanzieCrews both teams won all home games,hope the league send some fair refs
@shiki @SeanzieCrews This is what I'm worried about too. I'm afraid we're going to see some one sided officiating Monday in favor of S.A.
Forgive me but I am just now watching the post game press conference and Manu said that the San Antonio strategy was to let Serge take that jumper. To me, as a Thunder fan, an Ibaka wide open mid range jumper is a good possession.
If Ibaka keeps shooting 100%, he can shoot as much as he wants.
@FF_pickups I think it's the basic pick your poison conundrum. You have to cheat off someone to cover this team. But yeah, every time Serge squares up from 15 I think it's going in.
Old Man--you actually kind of called this break out game for Serge earlier before the game. Take a bow. Nice work.
@El Prez Thank you, thank you. All praise to Serge.
@FF_pickups Yeah has actually has a really solid mid range shot, don't know why other teams don't see that.
@AllDae @FF_pickups shhh!
@FF_pickups @dbenge @AllDae Spurs are gonna change it up to lessen the impact of OkC's bigs...which means Brooks needs to use the smallball lineup again, and Russ and Harden need to step it up a notch.
@dbenge @AllDae
Pop seemed a to defend the strategy. He said "Perk and Ibaka were a combined 22-25, I don't think you could do that in a shooting drill"
I hope he keeps giving that shot to Ibaka.
@AllDae @FF_pickups I bet SA will think twice
I think we will win the next two games.
@C-Wil
Hope hope!
San An is talking about how they need to play harder. I see that as a cop out. Did anyone feel like they were dogging it out there? They just lost, simple as that. As I said below, we have KD, they don't, ball game. If KD wasn't all world in that 4th quarter they may well win. Then how's their effort level?
@Old Man Game
I 100% agree with you. 100%. In fact, and I may be completely off here, but to me it seemed like our energy level wasn't that great when Blair came in. To me, San Antonio can't play much better than they did tonight and we can, imo.
We have to go to the finals. I could theoretically get to 10000 likes give if it happened.
Lovin this NBA TV recap
This Thunder team makes me believe in TEAM ball.
Apparently Nick and his fam just went to Chessecake Factory. LOL
I like Jalen Rose.
By the way, just because our team won doesn't mean I'm letting Scottie get away with playing Thabo only 21 min. Sometimes I wonder if Scott remembers one game to the next.
@Old Man Game Who got that steal on the last play?
@FF_pickups Yeah, Scott puts him in and BOOM, he has the nail in the coffin steal.
@Old Man Game He had two steals to close the game out.
If anyone's interested, I'm going on an internet investigation to buy that shirt. So far I've found this one:
http://www.shop.soletron.com/products/polo-bear-button-up-dress-shirt
Damn you Ralph Lauren and your ridiculous exclusivity.
@Jo_Cro you find russ's shirt and i guarantee you 10 likes
The Spurs fans are turning on their team...their board looks like ours after we blew the lead in the Lakers game earlier this season.
It appears they want to sacrifice Danny Green & Matt Bonner for better results next game.
KD had 28 - 4- 4 in the second half. Amazing.
He's simply an amazing player when he gets in that confidence zone he had in the fourth period. I thought he was Jordanesque.
@El Prez
It seems blasphemous but let's not forget that Jordan didn't win his first championship until his 7th NBA season.
@El Prez
Oh man, I hope not. To me, the only way we're losing to them now is a 42 freethrow night for them or an awful shooting night for us. Both aren't impossible but I really like our chances to win this series. I felt like we were kind of toying with them but I could be wrong about that.
FF--people forget that fact all the time in regards to MJ's first championship. Kevin had that look coming sown the stretch tonight. He was literally begging for the ball...and delievering. Kawhi Leonard impressed me tonight. He bounced back with a nice road game after his horrific performance in Game 3. Joey Crawford isn't doing anymore games in this series, right? Do I have that right?
@cemitten Analysis of OKC games really occasionally comes down to this, OKC has KD, the other team didn't. Ball game.
It's really a simple game when you put all the extraneous stats to the side. We have KD--they don't. You should e-mail that to Blevins.
Pop to Blevins..."Maybe if I go down on Scotty and ask nicely he won't play KD the rest of the series...we'll try that adjustment for Game 5."
@Jooseppi @Old Man Game @El Prez or perhaps " can you guard him"
@Jooseppi YES!!
@Old Man Game @El Prez "Pop, does it help that OKC has Durant?"
@Old Man Game LMAO, really good one. I am trying to imagine him asking Pop that question.
@El Prez He'd probably use it as a question at the next presser.
@cemitten kd was unguardable, lets hope he stays that hot
@f5alcon @cemitten They couldn't keep off of his spots. Dallas did a LOT better job of pushing him out but San Antonio let him get to that elbow area and in and he's absolutely undefendable in that area.