OKC is not the same team without Ibaka

[blstrick5]

I don't see many people talking about the Ibaka factor. The Spurs showed how easy it is to score inside against OKC without him in the lineup. I don't see how much changes from game 1 to game 2. Sure OKC will make adjustments but they lack that interior presence on defense. Perkins is garbage and Adams is good but a bit inexperienced and prone to foul trouble. Collison is a solid player but not even close to the defender Ibaka is.

In the only game Ibaka missed during the regular season, Utah shot 58.8 percent and scored 112 points.

With that being said I'm playing Spurs -5.5. But with Durant and Westbrook anything can happen!

[Seto]

I don't see many people talking about the Ibaka factor.

Huh? Literally everyone is talking about it. Most people changed their mind from this being a 50/50 series to it being an easy Spurs win as reaction to the Ibaka news even before game 1. If anything I think people are overreacting a bit even though it's clearly an important loss.

[blstrick5]

I mean on this board. It seems like most people are expecting the Thunder to cover tonight.

[blstrick5]

Their defense is really getting exposed without Ibaka.

[Git Lo]

Yeah I thought someone would step up but nah its not happening. They said Ibaka has only missed like 2-3 games in his career and no one seems to be able to fill that void right now. Sucks for the Thunder

[Seto]

I guess however much people have been talking about that couldn't be enough in the end. Wow. What an embarassing performance.

[BigDofBA]

If Ibaka was healthy it still would have been tough.

There is no shame in losing to the Spurs, especially short handed.

With that said, I'm more discouraged that they haven't been competitive. It's one thing to get beat by a better team it's another to pretty much quit playing and give up easy layups on one end while jacking contested threes on the other.

[tokio]

No teamwork at all for OKC. Cant touch the Spurs.

[BigDofBA]

OKC isn't the same team without Ibaka.....


I think OP may be on to something here. I might look into this a bit more.

[jsmithj88]

can any1 explain why perkins is still on this team?
he cant score, he cant rebound, hes slow, doesnt block shots................
what does this dude do?

[KRIT]

Even if Ibaka was playing, OKC wasn't going to win.

[mcdonae101]

Even if Ibaka was playing, OKC wasn't going to win.

Okc fanbase will at least be able to have a reason in their mind why they lost series,lol

[blstrick5]

Even if Ibaka was playing, OKC wasn't going to win.

Not true. OKC has had the Spurs number when they're healthy.

[blstrick5]

So Serge comes back and OKC wins easily. Not a coincidence. Their defense looked much better.