The San Antonio Spurs wasted no time in stamping their authority over the shorthanded Thunder with a 122-105 win in Game 1 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals.
Before the terrible news of Serge Ibaka’s season-ending injury broke, we noted in our Thunder-Spurs series preview that his health would be one of the keys to the series. After seeing what happened without their key post defender, do the Thunder still stand a chance of overcoming the Spurs?
If you’re like some bold NBA experts who believe Durant and company can still prevail in this series, create your own betting account today and grab the juicy +380 odds on OKC to win the series.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Finals, Game 2 Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 – May 19, Oklahoma City 105 at San Antonio 122
Game 2 – May 21, 9:00PM ET, Oklahoma City (+6) at San Antonio (-6); total 211.0 – view all NBA lines
Game 3 – May 25, 8:30 PM ET, San Antonio at Oklahoma City
Game 4 – May 27, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Oklahoma City
Game 5 (if necessary) – May 29, 9:00 PM ET, Oklahoma City at San Antonio
Game 6 (if necessary) – May 31, 8:30 PM ET, San Antonio at Oklahoma City
Game 7 (if necessary) – June 2, 9:00 PM ET, Oklahoma City at San Antonio
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder’s worst fears were realized in Game 1 as Tim Duncan and the Spurs went to town inside in Game 1 without the imposing figure of Serge Ibaka to protect the paint. Ibaka’s stand-ins, Nick Collison and Steven Adams, combined for just four points and five rebounds in 33 ineffectual minutes.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Still, don’t count the Thunder out just yet. Kevin Durant (28 points) and Russell Westbrook (25 points) still managed to put up decent production on the Spurs’ defense, while Reggie Jackson, who averaged over 21 PPG on 68% shooting against the Spurs in the regular season, had 13 points, his best Game 1 outing of these playoffs. Those three will be heard from again in Game 2.
Granted, the Thunder likely won’t get another 16-point effort from the 39-year old Derek Fisher, but with Scott Brooks ready to embrace going small to increase the pace, the Thunder should still put up points even without their third leading scorer Ibaka. The total has gone over in the Thunder’s last three road games vs. the Spurs.
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
Leave it to Gregg Popovich to exploit the Thunder’s glaring weakness inside. Without a rim protector like Ibaka to contend with, Popovich had his Spurs attacking the paint early and often, and it paid major dividends. San Antonio shot 31-for-43 in the restricted area (72%) for 66 points in the paint.
Tim Duncan led the charge with 27 points on 11-for-19 shooting while Tony Parker added 14. Only one of their 17 total made field goals was beyond 15 feet. With Brooks showing in Game 1 that he’d rather go small than match up with San Antonio’s bigs, that sizeable advantage in the paint should still be there for the Spurs in Game 2.
Ibaka’s absence definitely helped, but the Spurs didn’t exactly need help with the way they’re playing at home. San Antonio is now 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five home games, averaging a whopping 115 PPG on 52% shooting.
Writer’s Prediction
Expect a similar paint-first approach from the Spurs and a similar high-scoring result in the process. Take the Spurs to cover -6 and take the game to go over 211.0 while you’re at it.
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