2014 Western Conference Finals: #1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #2 Oklahoma City Thunder

[Pokes404]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jamesmaster

Brooks better not let Ibaka on the court if the Thunder would have a 15 point lead like in Game 3. That was absolutely ridiculous.

It looked like on the broadcast that Ibaka told Brooks and the trainer that he wanted to stay out there. He hadn't played in something like 10 days, not even practice, so he may have felt good and wanted to stay in the flow.

But I agree, I was calling for them to take him out. No matter how good he feels, every second he's on that court is another chance for that hamstring to get re-injured, and our season is over if that happens.

[bakan723]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

OKC isn't a jump shooting team though? Since when?

Well their 2nd best player is one of the fastest & best slashers/drivers in the league and he does have the ball a hell of a lot, so..

What they don't have are post players, that's why ppl say that. (like Barkley)

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pokes404

Yeah, I am. And my bad, but the way you were seemingly ragging on anything OKC related, you were sure coming off as an angry Spurs fan. I did make an assumption there though. I really don't know what you're talking about with the "... a straight explanation of what Brooks said even though that's not what he actually said." I was telling you what he really means when he says that "we can't win if we don't get to the free throw line," and/or, "getting fouled and getting to the line is part of our offense." I didn't see the exact quote, so I had to take a rough guess, but Brooks says stuff like this a lot and it means the same thing. We have to be aggressive and not settle for jumpers. I watch the Thunder a lot. I was just giving some context as to why it's so important for us to get to the free throw line for those who might not watch them as religiously as I do. It isn't just the points, it's also an indication of how we're playing (attacking the rim). You said "there's no defending" what Brooks said about free throws being a part of our offense. I was just trying to do exactly that. Offer an explanation, and hopefully a little analysis, to a group that might appreciate it. My fault.

I understand what you are saying about Brooks, my point is, I was saying what he actually said. Secondly im not an angry Spurs fan, and it doesn't matter the team, when the refs are atrocious which has been often, we call them out.

Thats why I say spend a bit more time here throughout the season and you'll see. Its not always the this game is hard to ref thing thats the problem, its their massive inconsistency we talk about all of the time.

[ProfessaPackMan]

About time we get an actual OKC fan around here lol

[Pokes404]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

OKC isn't a jump shooting team though? Since when?

Just because you shoot a number of jumpers doesn't necessarily mean you're a jump shooting team. We're an attacking style of team, at least, when we're playing the way we should. When we start settling for a bunch of jumpers, that's precisely when we start getting ourselves in trouble. We take jumpers off of pick-n-pop and drive-n-kick action, but all of it is predicated on attacking the rim. Even if the jump shot is what the defense is giving us, sometimes we have to force the issue anyways and hope Durant and/or Westbrook's talent can get us a bucket or a foul.

This team just doesn't have enough consistent shooters to get away with settling for a bunch of jumpers. Last year, when we had Kevin Martin and Thabo was shooting around 40% from the corners, we could do it. But now, we have Fisher and Butler who are both a little streaky, Thabo has only hit 11 total 3 pointers since the All-Star break, Jackson is more of a slasher than a perimeter shooter (although he's getting better), and Perkins and Adams both speak for themselves offensively. So outside of our big three, there just isn't a lot of shooting around them. And that's counting Westbrook, who I think we've all seen how hot-and-cold his jumper can be.

I know Lamb's defense is below-average, to put it nicely, but he has to see the floor more. When you rotate Fisher, Butler, and Lamb in there, odds are that a least one of them is going to be hot that night. If a couple of them are feeling it, then we're really in business.

[bakan723]

Quote: Originally Posted by ProfessaPackMan

About time we get an actual OKC fan around here lol

Def was getting a little too one sided with all the Spurs ppl.

Thread was tough to look at last game.

[Pokes404]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

I understand what you are saying about Brooks, my point is, I was saying what he actually said. Secondly im not an angry Spurs fan, and it doesn't matter the team, when the refs are atrocious which has been often, we call them out. Thats why I say spend a bit more time here throughout the season and you'll see. Its not always the this game is hard to ref thing thats the problem, its their massive inconsistency we talk about all of the time.

Well, I haven't been around here, but I do watch a decent amount of NBA action outside of the Thunder. At least as much as my job will allow me to. I hear what you're saying about officiating, but I think basketball is probably the toughest sport to officiate. You could literally call something every trip down the floor. Inconsistency is a problem sometimes, no doubt. Especially when they start off calling the game loose, and then all of the sudden tighten up and blow their whistle on everything. There's nothing harder to adjust to as a player. For the most part though, I think that bad officiating/missed calls tend to even out for both sides. Rarely do I think the refs are the ultimate cause of a win/loss, but it does happen unfortunately.

I've just always been of the mindset that you play through officiating. You'll get favorable calls, you'll get bad calls, but for the most part, that stuff will even out and the players are the ones who are going to decide it. Officiating can give teams a slight advantage, especially at home. It's nearly impossible for a person to not allow 17,000-20,000 screaming people to not affect their judgement in the least bit. But, that's why it's a home court advantage.

Refs certainly can completely blow a call or even disrupt a game, either by blowing the whistle too much or not at all. And obviously, a completely wrong call at the wrong moment can be devastating. But this is true of any sport. Basketball just has so few black-and-white calls, I really do think the refs do a good job ... most of the time.

[bakan723]

Yea, the game is too hard to officiate for the refs (obviously) But I don't agree with the 'always evening out' line.

I mean, what's the chances of that happening, everything ending up equal at the end ? Like ZERO.