If Game 2 was any indication, the third game of the semifinal series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder should be another wild one. The Thunder survived a controversial ending on Monday to seize homecourt advantage from the five-time NBA champions.
With the series now tied at one game apiece, the Thunder will look to put themselves in the driver’s seat when they play host to the Spurs for Game 3 later tonight. Can Oklahoma City pull off another huge win? Or will LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs bounce back on the road?
Read on below for a complete breakdown of this Western Conference clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of Cleveland vs. Atlanta.
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Spurs vs. Thunder Game Three Round Two Preview
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City
When: Friday, May 6, 9:30 PM ET
Line: San Antonio Spurs (-2) at Oklahoma City Thunder (+2); total: 200.0 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio’s quest for a sixth NBA championship took a huge hit on Monday as it suffered a gut-wrenching 98-97 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their Western Conference Semifinals. It was a disappointing performance by the Spurs who lost for the first time in this year’s playoffs.
It’s paramount for the Spurs that they start strong against the Thunder tonight. San Antonio missed 12 of its first 13 shots on Monday and that set the tone for their erratic play in Game 2. The onus then is on Parker to get the Spurs’ offense going quickly in Game 3. He scored just seven points and dished out six assists in that loss to the Thunder. San Antonio was minus-14 in 27 minutes with Parker on the floor.
The Spurs are 6-4 SU and 4-6 ATS in their last 10 road games. They are pegged at +165 to win the NBA championship.
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
We’ve got a series folks. The Oklahoma City Thunder handed the San Antonio Spurs just their second home loss of the season with a thrilling one-point victory in Game 2 on Monday. It was a huge bounce-back win for the Thunder who absorbed a humiliating 32-point loss in the series opener.
To no one’s surprise, it was Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook who did the most damage for the Thunder in Game 2. Westbrook and Durant combined for 57 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. Westbrook had 29 points and 10 assists while Durant recorded 28 points and seven rebounds. They are averaging a combined 49.6 points for the Thunder in this postseason.
More than their offense, though, it was the Thunder’s defensive intensity that spelled the difference in this playoff contest. They held San Antonio to just 42.6 percent shooting in Game 2, way below the Spurs’ 60.7 percent shooting clip in the series opener. The Thunder, in particular, did a marvelous job in defending San Antonio top gun Kawhi Leonard. Oklahoma City held Leonard to just 14 points on 7-of-18 shooting. That’s a far cry from his 20.8 PPG average this postseason.
The Thunder will fancy their chances of replicating that performance tonight as they have fared extremely well against the Spurs at home of late. The Thunder have won 11 of their last 13 home games against San Antonio, including the playoffs. They are 5-1 against the Spurs at Chesapeake Energy Arena in two postseason series since relocating from Seattle.
The Thunder are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games against the Spurs. They are priced at +650 to win this year’s NBA title.
Writer’s Prediction
San Antonio (-2) regains the series lead with a narrow 99-95 victory.
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