The matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder was expected to be the most competitive series in the second round of the NBA playoffs. However, the Spurs stamped their class all over the Thunder with a commanding 124-92 win in Game 1. The five-time NBA champions will look to pile even more pressure on the Thunder when they lock horns this coming Monday in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series.
Read on below for a breakdown of this critical clash and while you are at it, you can check out our preview of the Premier League showdown between Chelsea and Tottenham.
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Thunder vs. Spurs Game Two Round Two Preview
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
When: Monday, May 2, 9:30 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma City Thunder (+7.5) at San Antonio Spurs (-7.5); total: 202.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City’s quest for a first NBA championship took a huge hit on Saturday as it suffered a stinging 32-point defeat to the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. It was a disappointing performance by the Thunder who trailed by as much as 43 points in this contest.
It’s also paramount for the Thunder that they find their range from downtown in Game 2. Oklahoma City shot horribly from deep in Game 1, going just 6-of-23 from 3-point range against San Antonio. That kind of perimeter showing simply won’t do against a Spurs side that’s allowing just 83.2 points per game this postseason, the fewest in this year’s playoffs.
Apart from improving their outside touch, the Thunder will also need to buckle down on the defensive end. The Spurs starters made mincemeat of Oklahoma City’s defense in Game 1, shooting at a red-hot 73.6 percent clip. That’s the second-best shooting night for a group of starters in the past 30 postseasons. It’s crucial for the Thunder that they improve on their pick-and-roll defense which TNT analyst Chris Webber said was some of the worst he had ever seen.
The Thunder are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 road games. They are priced at +550 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
What rust?
The San Antonio Spurs showed no ill effects from their six-day layoff as they trounced the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal clash. Three players scored in double figures for the Spurs who improved to a perfect 5-0 this postseason.
The Spurs looked irresistible on the offensive end as they shot an incredible 60.7 percent from the field. They were particularly red-hot from the three-point area as they shot 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from beyond the arc in Game 1. That’s way above their regular season average of 37.5 percent.
To no one’s surprise, it was LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard who did the most damage for the Spurs in the series opener. Aldridge and Leonard combined for 63 points on 28-of-36 shooting from the field. Aldridge, who scored a game-high 38 points, managed that offensive outburst in just 29 minutes and 32 seconds. That’s the most points scored by a player who played 30 or fewer minutes in a playoff game in the shot clock era.
Leonard also showed his two-way prowess as he stymied Russell Westbrook in Game 1. The 2014 Finals MVP held Westbrook to just two points on 1-of-7 shooting when he was the primary defender. Westbrook was initially guarded by Leonard on 84 percent of the Thunder’s half-court offensive sets. The Spurs will need more of the same from Aldridge and Leonard in Game 2 if they are to build a 2-0 series lead. Leonard and Aldridge lead the Spurs in scoring in this year’s playoffs, averaging 22.2 and 19.2 points per game, respectively.
The Spurs are 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in their last eight home games against the Thunder. They are pegged at -900 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Writer’s Prediction
San Antonio (-7.5) wins, 104-91, to grab a commanding 2-0 series lead.
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