Can Spurs get past a healthy OKC team in the playoffs?

[T_L_P]

Come playoff time the Spurs can beat anybody except for the Grizzlies... and the Grizzlies can beat anybody but OKC.

That's just the nature of the beast.

We swept the exact same team two years ago.

[All Net]

Champions till proven otherwise

[ninephive]

We swept the exact same team two years ago.

Exactly, TP & TD destroyed that team:

TP: 25/10/4/2
TD: 16/10/3/3/1

[Bigsmoke]

The Spurs already did.


The Thunder's organization are so f*cking cheap.

[Bigsmoke]

Exactly, TP & TD destroyed that team:

TP: 25/10/4/2
TD: 16/10/3/3/1

Zach was hurt and everybody on the Memphis Grizzlies improved from 2013.

[kurple]

We swept the exact same team two years ago.

its not the same team even if they have the same players.

[rmt]

Come playoff time the Spurs can beat anybody except for the Grizzlies... and the Grizzlies can beat anybody but OKC.

That's just the nature of the beast.

If Splitter is healthy, I like Spurs chances of beating MEM. If he continues to be a wuss, then Spurs are probably too small for them (Bonner will have to play).

To me, OKC is the scariest for the Spurs - too athletic, talented and young.

[SCdac]

Parker owned Conley and the Grizz last time they met in the playoffs. Think that was his best series of the playoffs. Zach Randolph tends to weaken too, his reliability in the playoffs especially against the most elite teams is really questionable (shot .40% in a first round loss to OKC last season, and shot .30% in the WCF loss to the Spurs in 2013). As far as OKC, like andremiller said, with Pop's ability to make adjustments I think they can take them out. Plus, Kawhi Leonard is the man. He had some awesome offensive and defensive plays against OKC last season. When player 1 to player 10 is playing well on the Spur they're pretty lethal. Does OKC have the bench (and coach) to go all the way?

[Demitri98]

Westbrook > Parker and Jackson>Mills

Lamb < Green and Roberson/Morrow < Belinelli

Durant >>> Kawhi and PJ3 < Ginobili

Ibaka = Duncan (simply because of Duncan's age and Ibaka can just out athlete him sometimes) and Collison < Diaw

Adams > Splitter and Ayres/Bonner = Perkins or Perkins < Duncan

[imdaman99]

A fully healthy OKC team has not been seen for a while. OKC matches up extremely well versus the Spurs, better than any other team. That being said, Pop's genius matches up well against the ineptitude of Scott Brooks. Do I expect Brooks to make an adjustment after Pop makes his? No. OKC was lucky to beat the Spurs 2 and a half years back, it was because they had 3 guys capable of taking over the games and they did.

[T_L_P]

Westbrook > Parker and Jackson>Mills

Lamb < Green and Roberson/Morrow < Belinelli

Durant >>> Kawhi and PJ3 < Ginobili

Ibaka = Duncan (simply because of Duncan's age and Ibaka can just out athlete him sometimes) and Collison < Diaw

Adams > Splitter and Perkins = Ayres/Bonner = Perkins or Perkins < Duncan

Here's how I see it:

Westbrook > Parker
Mills > Jackson

Manu > PJ
Green > Lamb
Belli > Robertson

Durant > Kawhi

Ibaka = Duncan

Splitter >>>> Adams (that's in a vacuum; Splitter has no real use in a series vs. OKC)

Jackson kind of eats up possessions. Sure, he gets his, but that's because Westbrook and Durant need possessions off. Mills is scrappier, has a higher series-long ceiling, is a better creator, and, given the minutes, can match Jackson's production whilst being less of a concern for the opposing defenses (if Jackson is in and Westbrook is out, we can throw the kitchen sink at him, whereas defenses always forget how to defend Green/Patty/Marco).

Also, Pop >>>>>



>>>>



>>>>



Brooks

[swagga]

Here's how I see it:

Westbrook > Parker
Mills > Jackson

Manu > PJ
Green > Lamb
Belli > Robertson

Durant > Kawhi

Ibaka = Duncan

Splitter >>>> Adams (that's in a vacuum; Splitter has no real use in a series vs. OKC)

Jackson kind of eats up possessions. Sure, he gets his, but that's because Westbrook and Durant need possessions off. Mills is scrappier, has a higher series-long ceiling, is a better creator, and, given the minutes, can match Jackson's production whilst being less of a concern for the opposing defenses (if Jackson is in and Westbrook is out, we can throw the kitchen sink at him, whereas defenses always forget how to defend Green/Patty/Marco).

Also, Pop >>>>>



>>>>



>>>>



Brooks

when will people learn that the coaching staff is important? Looking back at the previous champs one sees : phil jackson, pop, carlisle, spolestra+riley, rivers+thibs, larry brown, etc .... a stacked team is not enough, teams need good coaching either from HOFs(pop, jackson, carlisle, brown) or from combinations where coaches complement each other (rivers+thibodeau, spo+riley).

[rmt]

when will people learn that the coaching staff is important? Looking back at the previous champs one sees : phil jackson, pop, carlisle, spolestra+riley, rivers+thibs, larry brown, etc .... a stacked team is not enough, teams need good coaching either from HOFs(pop, jackson, carlisle, brown) or from combinations where coaches complement each other (rivers+thibodeau, spo+riley).

Was fortunate enough to get free tickets from my brother (his friend has season tickets) to a PRE-SEASON MIA vs HOU game - sat right next to Riley on the floor - great seats! He took notes the entire game, had a laptop set up in front of him and someone passed out box score at half-time to the Heat people (including Alonzo Mourning). My son was tickled pink - felt so privileged to be sitting so close to the floor/Riley Riley, I'm sure, has a lot of input in EVERYTHING (including coaching) Heat.

[Budadiiii]

OKC has the two best players. Give me them...

Durant might average 40 in the series. Last year was a fluke for the Spurs, they'll never play that way again.

Thunder are desperate this year. They owe their fans a championship. If they fail to win it all then I'm done with them.

[russwest0]

Mills is not better than Jackson. Jackson is basically a Spurs killer. That is the biggest problem for the Spurs, they can't contain Jackson and Westbrook.