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OKC Thunder: 5 Keys To Beating The Spurs

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oklahoma City Thunder
Oct 28, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Frontcourt Faceoff

Will there be a more intriguing frontcourt matchup throughout the 2016 NBA Playoffs than this one? Maybe Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut vs. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, but with Griffin banged up and the banged up Clippers no longer looking like a lock to advance to the next round, a matchup between Serge Ibaka, Steven Adams, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan is positively riveting.

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    • At the power forward spot, you’ve got Aldridge, who has been better than most people realize after a rocky first few months adjusting to his new surroundings. From February onward, Aldridge averaged 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on 54 percent shooting, and his deadly midrange turnaround jumper is as unstoppable as ever.

    That’s the task charged to Ibaka, a stretch-4 who’s mostly had a forgettable season. His 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game aren’t exactly indicative of a player worthy of being chosen over James Harden for that third spot in OKC’s Big Three, his shot-blocking has dropped off to 1.9 per game this year and his three-point shooting plummeted to 32.6 percent under Billy Donovan.

    But even if his raw averages remained level, Ibaka was extremely efficient in that first round series, going 25-for-39 from the field (64.1 percent) and 8-of-13 from three-point range (61.5 percent). If he can be similarly efficient spreading the floor, make Aldridge work defensively and neutralize him on the other end, OKC will be in a great place.

    At the 5, however, is where 22-year-old Steven Adams will need to prove himself. Tim Duncan is no longer the focal point of the Spurs’ offense or defense, but you can never count out a wily veteran like this, especially when pitted against a relatively inexperienced opponent. That being said, Adams fulfilled his role as agitator relatively well against Duncan in the regular season.

    Adams was excellent in the first round, averaging 9.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while supplying physicality on the interior, but he probably benefitted a bit from facing a Zaza Pachulia–Salah Mejri–David Lee frontcourt trio. He won’t have that same luxury against an all-time great like Duncan, but there’s never been a better time for Adams to bust through that ceiling.

    Next: No. 4

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