Say what we want after a Thunder loss, there’s just not that much difference between these two teams. In the OKC Thunder era the teams are now 8-8 in sixteen post season games to date. We talk about Gregg Popovich being the second best coach of all-time, but Scott Brooks and Billy Donovan haven’t seemed overwhelmed by it all.
Billy Donovan, like his superstar, had a great Game 4. He went with Kanter and Adams late. It worked. He went with Randy Foye as the backup point guard in the second half and it paid a huge dividend with a big Foye three in the critical fourth period. He continued to show faith in the mercurial Dion Waiters and that worked as Waiters was superb going 7-11 for 17 points. He apparently got through to Russell Westbrook he needs to be more of a distributor than a shot chucker. And, of course, when your alpha stud hoss goes for 41 in a must win game—the coach always seems smarter. Never forget, players make the coach.
So now back to San Antonio for Game 5 and these games are now being played in shorter day intervals which one would think would be to the Thunder’s advantage with their youth.
Tim Duncan looks dead. He literally looks dead right now. We’ll see if being home will help him out in Game 5 or if Steven Adams continues his domination in this series.
Danny Green, like Tim Duncan, didn’t score a point in Game 4. That can’t happen from a Spurs’ standpoint.
LaMarcus Aldridge came back to Planet Earth in Games 3 & 4 going a collective 16-39 as the Thunder’s defense has been pretty solid since the Game 1 nightmare.
Tony Parker continued his steady play in Games 3 & 4 and remains my Spurs’ X Factor. Dion Waiters is my Thunder X Factor, and yes, that makes me nervous as a Thunder fan. But still, he rocked in Game 4.
But this series will be about Russell Westbrook from this point forward. Is he ready to take this Thunder team to the next level? Is he willing to play defense, distribute the ball, quit chucking threes, and make sure the alpha stud hoss and others get the ball in their sweet spots on the floor?
I’d much rather have 14 point, 15 assist, 7 rebound Russell Westbrook than 31 shots Russell Westbrook every day of the week.
If Tony Parker is Peyton Manning in this series then Westbrook is Cam Newton.
Cam Newton needs to get his alpha stud hoss his touches and Steven Adams involved.
Best two out of three now. Most of us had this series going either six or seven games so we shouldn’t be surprised.