The Thunder swept their solution to the Convention Finals. The Spurs have been dominant however needed to battle tougher to get there. Who comes into the matchup in higher form?
Marilyn Dubinski: I feel each groups have their benefits and drawbacks. There isn’t any doubt that the Spurs are the extra battle-tested workforce, whereas the Thunder had in regards to the best path to the WCF possible, however they’re the defending champions. They know what it takes to win all of it, so does that really matter? There’s additionally the matter of relaxation vs. rhythm: the Thunder are definitely extra rested and contemporary, however will that translate to rust? It did for the Spurs between the primary and second spherical, however the Thunder nonetheless received their sport 1 in opposition to the Lakers comfortably. I feel each groups might be so hyped for this match-up that it doesn’t matter.
Mark Barrington: It’s arduous to say, however the Spurs positively wanted to be challenged to be playoff-ready, and the rugged nature of the primary two rounds was good preparation for the convention finals. The gamers on the Thunder have already got loads of playoff expertise, so the truth that they’d a simple time with their first two rounds shouldn’t be an issue for them. I feel the most effective information for the Spurs is that the one participant who’s nicked up going into OKC is De’Aaron Fox with a sore ankle, and he appeared properly sufficient to attain at will in opposition to the Timberwolves in Sport 6 of the convention semifinals. Jalen Williams has missed a whole lot of time for the Thunder, and although he’s anticipated to be again for the sequence in opposition to the Spurs, he could also be a little bit rusty.
Invoice Huan: I don’t assume both workforce has a “readiness” benefit over the opposite. They’re each firing on all cylinders and have undoubtedly been the 2 greatest groups within the league for the reason that All-Star break. With that mentioned, the kind of confidence they exude is fully totally different. The Thunder are quiet and laid again: they know precisely what they’re and have been right here earlier than. Then again, the Spurs are the brand new, raucous children whose perception that they will win all of it borders on conceitedness, even once they don’t know what to anticipate on the journey to the promised land. San Antonio’s inexperience and fearlessness are each a blessing and a curse, and solely time will inform which aspect of the coin they’ll fall on.
Jeje Gomez: I might have mentioned the Spurs have been in a greater spot as a result of they’ve overcome adversity and are in rhythm, however the damage report from the final Timberwolves sport modified my outlook. Having each De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper listed as questionable, seeing Fox probably reaggravating his ankle challenge, and listening to Mitch Johnson saying he wasn’t certain in the event that they have been going to swimsuit up was a little bit scary. Possibly the Spurs have been being overly cautious with them. Possibly Fox simply wanted to get his ankle retaped — he returned to motion after going to the locker room in any case. They each regarded good on the market. However heading into what might be a bodily battle in opposition to a hyper-aggressive perimeter protection, I might have taken well being over lack of rust.
The Spurs clearly don’t just like the Thunder and dominated the season sequence. Will their earlier success in opposition to OKC give San Antonio a precious confidence increase, or are the playoffs only a totally different animal?
Dubinski: Whereas the common season matchups will definitely give them a confidence increase within the sense that they know what it takes to beat this workforce and there’s no cause to assume it ends right here (I do not forget that feeling from 2018 in opposition to the Warriors), I feel they and everybody else know the playoffs are a unique animal, particularly with out homecourt benefit. Look no additional than the second spherical: the common season and up to date historical past in Minnesota prompt the Timberwolves had the Spurs’ quantity, however that ended up not being the case. The Thunder might be extremely motivated after having to take heed to the narrative that the Spurs have been higher since December, so put the common season prior to now and anticipate a canine battle.
Barrington: The Spurs final performed the Thunder on February 4, which is … about 3 and a half months in the past. The Spurs have positively improved since then, however Mark Daigneault has had loads of time to dissect the tape and provide you with methods to deal with a seven-and-a-half-foot alien on the court docket disrupting their offensive sport. The Spurs sport is predicated on velocity and passing, and the Thunder’s protection will make use of a Timberwolves-style protection based mostly on physicality and taking away passing lanes. OKC has a extra proficient roster, so the Spurs received’t be capable of choose on the weakest hyperlink as a lot as they have been capable of within the semis.
Whereas the Spurs having a 4-1 benefit over the Thunder within the common season is an encouraging signal, it’s not going to be ok for the Spurs to play in addition to they did within the common season to win this sequence. They will need to play with a whole lot of crispness and in addition with a whole lot of vitality. The Spurs are higher than they have been once they beat the Thunder 4 out of 5 video games in the midst of the season, however so are the Thunder. It’s going to be a troublesome sequence, and I anticipate it to be shut all through.
Huan: If there’s one factor that might make this boisterous Spurs workforce much more assured, it could be their 4-1 regular-season report in opposition to the Thunder. On the flip aspect, I feel that OKC might be extra motivated to beat a workforce many have proclaimed to be their kryptonite, too. Whereas there are key matchup benefits that the Spurs can take away from these regular-season video games, Mark additionally makes an excellent level in that the Thunder has had time to game-plan in opposition to the strolling mismatch that’s Wemby. Finally, each groups ought to be ok with their probabilities going into this sequence.
Gomez: This Spurs workforce is fearless, so they might have thought they’d an opportunity even when they’d misplaced the season sequence, however these 4 wins in all probability make them really feel much more assured, which may very well be large in the event that they face some struggles early. It’s potential the Thunder take the primary couple of video games at dwelling or fully dominate on their solution to a blowout win on Sport 1, as a result of they’re that good. If that have been to occur to a workforce that has historically struggled in opposition to them, it might have been powerful to recuperate mentally. However the Spurs know these guys are human and beatable, which ought to assist them bounce again if one thing goes improper.
Prediction time: how do you assume the sequence will play out, and who do you assume will attain the Finals?
Dubinski: I hate predictions, however my intestine intuition is saying Spurs in six. Possibly it’s simply wishful considering, however I see the Spurs taking 1 of two in OKC, both sweeping Video games 3 and 4 in San Antonio or getting certainly one of two however stealing Sport 5, after which returning to SA to shut out the sequence in Sport 6. Lots of it will rely upon Victor Wembanyama staying underneath management and the guards persevering with to dominate, which might be loads tougher on this spherical than the final two, however they’ve what it takes.
Barrington:.To be sincere, my predictor is damaged for this sequence. I actually hope the Spurs come out robust in Sport 1 and out-execute a Thunder squad that hasn’t needed to work arduous but this postseason. I feel Sport 1 goes to be the Spurs’ greatest probability to take over dwelling court docket benefit and put the Thunder on their again foot early. However I wouldn’t be shocked if it will get rotated and the house crowd propels OKC to an enormous early win. Something can occur, and that’s why sports activities are enjoyable (and traumatic) to observe.
I feel general, the groups are fairly evenly matched. The Thunder are the defending champs, they usually have an enormous expertise benefit, however the Spurs are quick learners they usually someway appear to be playoff veterans after 11 whole video games to this point within the final month. I anticipate that will probably be a really powerful sequence for each groups, however the Spurs have Wembanyama, and the Thunder don’t. Spurs in seven.
Huan: Man, oh man… will I be kicked off the location for selecting the Thunder? I feel the Spurs have a better ceiling when all the things is buzzing, however I additionally place confidence in OKC discovering methods to cease them from reaching these heights. San Antonio has surpassed each expectation this season and will completely blitz their solution to the title, however I nonetheless assume that the Thunder are the higher workforce (even when the Spurs are a nasty matchup for them), who will be capable of provide you with dependable counters in opposition to Wemby. I say they handle to go back-to-back, nevertheless it’ll be the Spurs’ time subsequent 12 months.
Gomez: The secure guess proper now, earlier than the sequence begins, is Thunder in six or seven video games. Nearly as good because the Spurs have been for the reason that All-Star break and within the playoffs, OKC has been higher. They’ve an skilled championship core and have added much more expertise to it with the ascent of Ajay Mitchell and the commerce for Jared McCain. SGA might be unstoppable at instances, and their protection is nice. They’re the favorites for a cause.
What would occur if the Spurs come out swinging and take homecourt benefit, although? The draw back of being pretty much as good as Oklahoma Metropolis has been is that you simply get unfamiliar and probably uncomfortable with adversity. If it goes lengthy and is shut, I feel the Thunder will win, however I can see a world during which San Antonio shocks them early and places them away earlier than they will regroup.
