[Big Bear]

BOOM SHOCKA LOCKA!!!!!!!


This looks so good. The Durantula is about to go off on these Spurs.

[Pauulzcappin]

Most people would think so.

[Big Bear]

u think the spurs will win ?

i am also tempted to take Thunder in game 1 at +205

just don't see the Spurs being able to stop Kevin Durant

[convick]

Not happening. Save your money. Take OKC ML game 2 or 3 instead.

[invader19]

Spurs win this..Will be exciting though.

[suicidekings]

OKC for the series is a bad bet at that price, as I think the Thunder's chances of winning game 1 are not good at all. The Thunder's high turnover and low assist rates are going to hurt them a lot in this series.

[BigDofBA]

TThe Thunder's high turnover and low assist rates are going to hurt them a lot in this series.

Why would it hurt us this series when it hasn't hurt us all year or playoffs?

[bureK]

Are you playing for OKC?

[BigDofBA]

Are you playing for OKC?

Asking that question makes you look ignorant.

Why ask a question you already know the answer to? Is it because you're trying to be funny and cute or is it because you're trying to be a dick? Either way it's stupid.

No shit I don't play for OKC.

"Us" is a figure of speech people often use when referring to the teams they root for. I'm pretty sure everyone knows that. Do you feel cooler for tryin to be a smartass?

[bureK]

Sorry dude, just asking...

[Tofudog]

Tell em BigD. I just joined this site and have already witnessed multiple people talking smack to you for caring about your team. They are just sour because they don't really care about NBA and probably wont even watch a playoff game without having money on it..

Ill be saying "we" or "us" next season. Its just a little hard right now when my team is Phoenix (dont hate!)

As far as OKC, I think +170 is a good value and my plan is to grab it after game 1 if they lose. Just waiting to collect my Boston cash.

[Vitooch]

Are you playing for OKC?

[bureK]

I'm also a OKC fan but it's just funny how everytime I read you saying "us" No offense..

[qsilver335]

Be very careful here. I would try to snipe at a specific game or two, not the whole series. The Spurs are really tough, and having home court I don't see them losing this.

[Pride]

wait until game 2 before you decide to make a play on the thunder series.

[LT Profits]

Most people would think so.

Not most people.

[LT Profits]

Actually, +165 is NOT good value, I come up with a no-vig line of Spurs -190 for series based on Spurs -216 at home and Thunder -130 at home.

[suicidekings]

Why would it hurt us this series when it hasn't hurt us all year or playoffs?

This should be a fairly obvious answer...

Because the Spurs have the defenders available to contest shots without fouling (they gave up the second fewest FT trips per game this season), which will cut down on FTAs for the Thunder (on which they normally rely heavily) and force them to make more shots from the field. No two players on the same team average more possessions per game than Westbrook and Durant, and they're so talented that it's not necessarily a bad thing in most situations, but when we're talking about facing a team that plays excellent team defense, the two of them are going to be under much greater pressure to make big shots or pass the ball effectively. I'm purposely leaving Harden out of this discussion as I feel he does execute plays more effectively than anyone else on the team.

The problem is, the Thunder are not a great passing team (i hope you won't argue this point...), and those two stats are what they are due in large part to their poor passing game. You know as well as I do that many of those Thunder turnovers come about from bad passing in halfcourt sets, moreso than bad ball handling on drives or in transition. The Thunder will get points in transition, but not enough to win the game.

A lot of people are critical of Westbrook for the shots he takes late in the shot clock, but they don't really think about the underlying factors that lead to those shots. It's not bad judgement on his part. The Thunder often run set plays to get screened shots for Durant (or to a lesser extent the corner 3 from Cook/Harden/etc), but they're just not strong in executing fundamentals so the result is often Durant/Westbrook taking a deep, contested shot with 5 or less seconds left on the clock.

Now fast forward to the playoffs in a 7 game series against a veteran team featuring one of the best coaches in NBA history that's ALL about executing the fundamentals on every play, and is very good in transition. Athleticism and individual talent isn't going to cut it in this series. The Thunder need to be able to execute plays efficiently as a team, or they're going to find themselves taking a lot of shots deep in the clock and allowing the Spurs to dictate tempo.

Don't get me wrong, they will be exciting games, but the Thunder will lose for the reasons I've listed above. I like the Spurs in 6

[BigDofBA]

This should be a fairly obvious answer...

Because the Spurs have the defenders available to contest shots without fouling (they gave up the second fewest FT trips per game this season), which will cut down on FTAs for the Thunder (on which they normally rely heavily) and force them to make more shots from the field. No two players on the same team average more possessions per game than Westbrook and Durant, and they're so talented that it's not necessarily a bad thing in most situations, but when we're talking about facing a team that plays excellent team defense, the two of them are going to be under much greater pressure to make big shots or pass the ball effectively. I'm purposely leaving Harden out of this discussion as I feel he does execute plays more effectively than anyone else on the team.

The problem is, the Thunder are not a great passing team (i hope you won't argue this point...), and those two stats are what they are due in large part to their poor passing game. You know as well as I do that many of those Thunder turnovers come about from bad passing in halfcourt sets, moreso than bad ball handling on drives or in transition. The Thunder will get points in transition, but not enough to win the game.

A lot of people are critical of Westbrook for the shots he takes late in the shot clock, but they don't really think about the underlying factors that lead to those shots. It's not bad judgement on his part. The Thunder often run set plays to get screened shots for Durant (or to a lesser extent the corner 3 from Cook/Harden/etc), but they're just not strong in executing fundamentals so the result is often Durant/Westbrook taking a deep, contested shot with 5 or less seconds left on the clock.

Now fast forward to the playoffs in a 7 game series against a veteran team featuring one of the best coaches in NBA history that's ALL about executing the fundamentals on every play, and is very good in transition. Athleticism and individual talent isn't going to cut it in this series. The Thunder need to be able to execute plays efficiently as a team, or they're going to find themselves taking a lot of shots deep in the clock and allowing the Spurs to dictate tempo.

Don't get me wrong, they will be exciting games, but the Thunder will lose for the reasons I've listed above. I like the Spurs in 6

Good analysis.

I think the Spurs when in 6 as well. We are too young and they are too good. Plus they have a great coach.

[Reedeman]

I think that if the thunder WERE to win this series, it would have to be in 6, not 7.

Call me crazy, but I don't see them winning game 7 @ San Antonio...