Durant and Westbrook both struggled from the field, combining for 30 points, on 11-34 shooting, while San Antonio’s two All-Stars, Leonard and Aldridge combined for 63 points, on 28-36 from the floor. Aldridge accounted for 38 of those points while shooting a ridiculous 18-23. Danny Green chipped in with 18 of his own, on only 7 attempts. The Spurs dominated in all facets of the game and came out with the fire we have come to expect from a Popovich coached team.
So what does this
mean for the series?
Honestly, not all that much. The Spurs are up 1-0, which most of us expected. They won a home game…they’re 43-1 at home this year. The Spurs shot lights out and the Thunder couldn’t score if their lives depended on it. One the bright side for the Thunder, they only turned the ball over 10 times. An amount they could survive in a game against San Antonio if they shot better than 41%. Where the Thunder need to improve is on the defensive end. The Spurs shot 60.7% from the field and 60% from behind the arch. The Spurs actually had more assists than the Thunder had made shots.
The bottom line is the Thunder have two of the best players on the face of the Earth. They can compete with the Spurs and they can beat them. They need to play sound defense and slow down the Spurs transition offense. Expect Westbrook and Durant to bounce back in a big way in Game 2, but don’t expect LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs to pull any punches.
Image provided by Chris Covatta, Getty Images
Honestly, not all that much. The Spurs are up 1-0, which most of us expected. They won a home game…they’re 43-1 at home this year. The Spurs shot lights out and the Thunder couldn’t score if their lives depended on it. One the bright side for the Thunder, they only turned the ball over 10 times. An amount they could survive in a game against San Antonio if they shot better than 41%. Where the Thunder need to improve is on the defensive end. The Spurs shot 60.7% from the field and 60% from behind the arch. The Spurs actually had more assists than the Thunder had made shots.
The bottom line is the Thunder have two of the best players on the face of the Earth. They can compete with the Spurs and they can beat them. They need to play sound defense and slow down the Spurs transition offense. Expect Westbrook and Durant to bounce back in a big way in Game 2, but don’t expect LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs to pull any punches.
Image provided by Chris Covatta, Getty Images
Grayson Gold-Garvey
