A few quick thoughts from last night’s Good Ass Game of the Week:

• The Thunder did everything they were supposed to do to win that game and they still only won by a point. They outrebounded San Antonio 48-37. The Spurs bench only outscored the Thunder bench 24 to 17. No one on the Spurs besides Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili, and Lamarcus (!!!) Aldridge had good games for the Spurs. Oklahoma City also had five players scoring in double figures. And they still almost (literally) threw game 2 away.
• What a wacky final minute of the game. As mad as I was about the wack-ass officiating,  that was not the reason the Spurs lost. On the surface, it looks as if the Thunder played great defense. Compared to Saturday night, they were better, but San Antonio helped them out. Their standard ball movement (and movement without the ball) wasn’t as crisp as I was used to seeing. They took a ton of bad shots. Tony Parker posted a +/- rating of negative 14, shooting 3 for 9 with 6 assists. The Spurs only had 19 assists for the whole game.
• I know he hasn’t said anything one way or the other, but it feels like this will be Tim Duncan’s last year. He scored 9 rebounds last night, but the offense seems more effective when he is off the floor. Tim Duncan’s days as a destructive two-way player have been long gone, but nowadays, he doesn’t pose much a threat to score; opting instead to facilitate shots for other players. Duncan is not the type to have a farewell tour and take away from the team.  Knowing that this could be his final playoff run (which could very likely end with an L) makes me a little sad.
• My increasingly growing irritation for the Thunder throughout the season has blossomed into full on hate. Behind the Clippers and Houston Rockets, the Thunder have become a team I hate to see win games. They really bug the shit out of me. I don’t like Steven Adams, Ibaka is busterish, Dion Waiters is very hard to like, Westbrook is too ugly to be scowling all the time like he does, and Durant just publicly admitted that his favorite rapper is Drake. That is all I’m going to say about that. Speaking of Durant, it is crazy to think that he and Aldridge just missed each other at UT. University of Texas could have had Aldridge, PJ Tucker, Daniel Gibson, D.J. Augustin, and Kevin Durant all on the same team, and I’m convinced that Rick Barnes would have still found a way for them to get knocked out in the second round of the NCAA’s.

Miami vs. Toronto should be a good ass series. I think Hassan Whiteside has a chance to guarantee himself a fat contract with a shutdown performance this round. I think he is going to EATTTTTTT.

Also I need to (ugh) watch some Cleveland soon. They look like they are gelling. There are worse guys you can have on your bench in the playoffs than Channing Frye. I think he’ll win a game or two for the Cavs when the moment arises. Keep an eye on him.

Friday can’t be here soon enough. I’m clearing the schedule for anything not involving watching game 3. Maybe I’ll even drive to the arena and see it in person.

Peace,

BM