By J.R. Wilco | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2026-05-20 12:53:56
在经历了一场经典的系列赛首战后——尽管缺少了达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)，马刺在大部分时间里依然领先雷霆，但他们必须克服自身的失误，并凭借“文班魔法”在双加时中艰难取胜。今天，我们与来自Daily Thunder的克雷·奥尔雷德 (Cray Allred) 共同带来今年季后赛第三期的“与敌共舞”系列。友情提醒，本轮系列赛是为了纪念已故的伟大先驱J.A. 谢尔曼 (J.A. Sherman)：他是《欢迎来到雷鸣之城》(Welcome to Loud City) 的好友及前掌门人，于去年不幸逝世，享年49岁。
J.R.
我不知道自己是否做好了充分的准备来复盘第一场比赛。我从来没有在自己没上场打球的情况下，心率飙到这么高。我甚至在Apple Watch上把它记录为一次健身训练，因为我的心率超过了120！而这还只是常规时间。我真不确定这健不健康。
这场比赛有太多值得关注的瞬间，但最让我耿耿于怀的是：我从未见过一支在常规时间最后阶段领先2分的球队，在客场作战的情况下，为了不给对手投绝杀三分的机会，几乎是白送对手两分去打加时赛！？我一直听说这是兵家大忌。但显然，米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 非常担心切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 投进大空位三分，以至于他让文班留守防区。在我从震惊中恢复过来后，我理解了其中的逻辑。
输掉一场比赛已经够糟糕了，但如果让雷霆投进压哨绝杀，他们所获得的士气提升将比任何结果都更具毁灭性。因此，他信任了他的球队，尽管他们已经疲惫不堪，他还是选择赌一把进入加时赛，哪怕这在当时看来并没有立刻奏效。
我的意思是，拖入加时确实避免了在常规时间直接落败，但它并没有阻止雷霆的势头。在距离比赛结束还剩不到半分钟、圣安东尼奥马刺落后3分时，文班决定化身斯蒂芬·库里 (Steph Curry)，投出了一个文字直播中被称为“27英尺骑马射箭跳投”的球。虽然我觉得这个描述不完全准确，但我现在没心情去争论这个。从那一刻起，马刺乘着文班这记大胆出手的势头杀入第二个加时赛，并以14-7的比分拿下，取得了系列赛1-0的领先。
我意识到自己甚至还没触及这场比赛的皮毛。我完全没有讨论前三节。没有把功劳归于切特在常规时间结束前那记拯救比赛的盖帽。也没有称赞马克·戴格诺特 (Mark Daigneault) 教练坚持使用非传统的11人（十一人？！）轮换，以保持球员们在58分钟大战中的体能。我还有很多没说，但在我开始语无伦次之前，我想把话筒交给你。你对这场史诗般的系列赛揭幕战的第一反应是什么？你最大的收获又是神马？
Cray:
真。是。一。场。神。仙。打。架。
这场比赛太激烈、太精彩、也太漫长了，我们可能都能各自剖析出两队教练和球员的半打决策。一方面，雷霆核心球员的投篮如果能再准一点，这场胜利就到手了。另一方面，俄克拉荷马城在失误控制、快攻和投射（感谢亚历克斯·卡鲁索 (Alex Caruso)）方面的整体表现，在过去两个赛季里本可以带来一场大胜——但面对圣安东尼奥，这甚至不足以换来一场险胜。虽然我很想小题大作，但我现在真不知道该怎么想了。如果PtR的重度发烧友读者们喜欢听悲伤的雷霆球迷在90分钟的痛苦时间里宣泄情绪，他们应该去听听Daily Thunder的第一场播客总结。
你对文班防守底角任务的质疑，正呼应了我们对雷霆防守端的马后炮。尽管“疯狂的小卡鲁索”在内线与尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 以及现在的文班肉搏的表现令人钦佩，但我不知道这场战斗是否值得继续打下去。当马刺把球传给内线的维克托时，切特从底角扑过来的协防通常都太慢、太迟了。而这同时又给圣安东尼奥送出了更多的底角三分机会，他们一整年都在用这个武器惩罚全联盟。（不出所料，我对德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 的欣赏已经到头了。）
如果我错了请纠正我，但显而易见的是，文班喜欢在侧翼球员头上扣篮，并在面对大个子时开启科比模式。抛开那个“库里模式”的三分球不谈，我宁愿看到文班场均出手5次以上、命中率在34%左右的三分球，也不愿看着这张图表在整个系列赛中变得更加惨不忍睹。
事实上，我宁愿把自己的眼睛戳瞎，也不想看到他一次又一次在杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 头上扣篮，让那张图表的数据无限飙升。
我有两个问题想问你：
-
雷霆的防守策略是不是正中马刺下怀？还是说，你觉得让切特直接去对位防守会对你们更有利？
-
你提到了马克·戴格诺特极其深厚的轮换阵容。而米奇·约翰逊则完全相反。下半场开始后，约翰逊让除了一个人之外的所有主力球员的登场时间都超过了他们常规赛单场的平均水平（据迈克·希勒 (Mike Shearer) 统计）。假设两位教练都坚持自己的选择，在这轮漫长的系列赛中，哪种截然不同的轮换方式会取得更好的效果？
J.R.
首先，我认为任何单一的防守策略都不足以阻止这个法国人。这并不是因为没有策略能阻止或限制维克托，这种事以前也发生过，尽管最近或不常发生。不，单一策略不够用的原因在于，圣安东尼奥在防守谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 时也没有使用单一策略，而文班亚马现在已经到了必须像对待联盟顶级进攻球员那样，为其制定专门战术计划的阶段。
光是针对文班制定一个计划，然后轮流派防守球员去执行这个方案是不够的。你需要尽可能频繁地给他呈现不同的防守面貌。肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney) 在周一的比赛中不断变换防守。谢伊在每个回合中都无法确定自己面对的是什么防守。我看到他刚过半场就在琢磨这是弱包夹还是联防，或者他一运球会不会立刻遭到夹击。而他花在判断防守上的时间越多，意味着他创造机会的可能就越小。
如果戴格诺特和他的教练组准备了八个方案，但没有一个效果特别好，那就挑出五个他们最不讨厌的方案轮流使用，同时派上走马灯式的防守球员去执行。这个“外星人”是无法被单防防住的，但他仍然需要去解读自己面对的防守。你最好的机会是在身体上消耗他的同时，在精神上也让他精疲力竭，否则他的投篮分布图将一直像这样（这可能是我见过的最不像文班的图表了）：
至于轮换，这是一个好问题，但我不知道我是否能同意你的假设前提。以赛亚·乔 (Isaiah Joe) 和阿隆·维金斯 (Aaron Wiggins) 合计只打了5分钟，尽管以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因 (Isaiah Hartenstein) 在第一场比赛中打了12分钟，但我认为这轮系列赛并不适合他。这并不是贬低他，在上一轮系列赛结束时，堂堂鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 基本上也被按在了板凳上。当文班在场时，这种类型的球员似乎无法帮助球队赢球。这意味着两队基本上处于相同的境地：正如强强对话中经常发生的那样，所有的道路最终都会通向那雷打不动的九人轮换。
至于整个系列赛，目前还没有任何定论，尽管局势已经开始初现端倪。雷霆通往总决赛的道路依然存在，但容错率极低，而且主要的提升空间在进攻端。SGA需要稍微提高他的投篮命中率。阿杰·米切尔 (Ajay Mitchell) 需要在每半场多送出几次妙传。雷霆需要找到更多成功的进攻回合，而不是让一个平庸的投手去投无人防守的三分球。得有人把切特·霍姆格伦拉到一边，给他一个大大的拥抱，让他相信每个认识他的人都爱他、相信他。最后，求求你们了，医疗团队必须想办法让JDub保持健康。拜托了！
你呢？当你内心的乐观主义者畅想雷霆在第二场比赛的应对时，你看到了什么，局势会如何发展？
Cray:
是的，谢伊在整个季后赛中都面临着双人包夹、三人包夹和强侧超载联防的考验，但马刺拥有足够的配置，能让雷霆的每一次进攻都变成一场随堂测验。雷霆在整场比赛中确实变换了他们的战术配合和跑位，包括有球和无球、弱侧和强侧、高位和低位等，但在面对文班和马刺那些疯狂轮转的防守者时，你阅读防守并做出有利反应的时间窗口实在太小了。SGA本赛季在组织进攻方面取得了飞跃，但他依然不是那种出球最果断的决策者。
根据CourtSketch的数据，局势最均衡的时间段是亚历克斯·卡鲁索与谢伊搭档对抗文班亚马的那些时间。卡鲁索几乎是雷霆阵容中在季后赛最值得信赖的投手。当文班对他采取“托尼·阿伦式”的放空待遇时，头脑清醒的卡鲁索在三分线外游走，当谢伊突入人堆时，他成为了一个合格的泄压阀。在第一个加时赛结束前，当这对双人组与文班同时在场时，双方平分秋色，在总计27分钟的时间里，这两位雷霆球员的得分超过了这位法国人。当然，维克托在第二个加时赛中彻底赢下了这次对决。
我期待戴格诺特和谢伊能够解锁更多行之有效的战术，并随着他们逐渐适应马刺，让谢伊加快阅读防守的速度。尽管在前两轮横扫太阳和湖人对雷霆来说很爽，但这并没有让他们为在西部决赛中遇到的风暴做好充分准备。但卡鲁索不可能每晚都投进8个三分球。谢伊需要自己投进更多球——这些出手依然会很艰难，但他已经是联盟历史上最高效的强投得分手之一了——他还需要第二组织点的帮助，在谢伊吸引马刺防守人时，利用瞬间出现的防守缝隙进行空切、突破和投篮。
卡鲁索可以成为一个机会主义得分手，他确实成功摆脱过文班几次。但这还不足以将进攻提升到“足够优秀”的水平。在这种情况下，你提到阿杰·米切尔 (Ajay Mitchell) 是对的。他从不缺乏侵略性，但他整晚都在选择错误的出手（还有抛投，呃）。如果文班真的能在承担如此重负的同时保持满格能量，雷霆就需要卡鲁索之外的人在攻防两端去干扰他。
这时候就需要JDub挺身而出了。在一场对于久伤复出者而言堪称最残酷的比赛中，他的表现非常出色。但他还没有足够的爆发力去抗衡文班，而且在这轮系列赛中可能也达不到那个状态。就像你说的，希望他能保持足够健康，继续尝试。
这让我想到了达龙·福克斯。他缺席了第一场比赛让我很沮丧，真希望他能在第二场复出。马刺绝对需要他提供的出场时间；不过我很想知道，你是否渴望他立刻回到首发阵容。在福克斯宣布受伤之前，我非常害怕迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 会被塞进首发。考虑到哈珀表现出色，当福克斯归队时，你希望米奇继续重用这位新秀，还是让他回到替补席？
J.R.：
你懂那种感觉吗？当你正在看一部伟大的电影或读一本优秀的小说时，你完全沉浸在角色之中，直到场景结束，剧情跳转到另一个角色的故事线，你会产生一种失落感，因为你迫切想知道刚才那些角色接下来会发生什么。然后，下一次场景切换，重新回到你最初不愿离开的那些角色时，同样的感觉又会再次发生。
每当马刺的三名后卫之一离场时，我的感觉就是这样。“噢，不！”我会想，“哈珀刚才打得这么好，现在却被换下了。”接着，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 会投进一个三分，抢断后完成快攻扣篮，然后封盖对方的中锋，这时我就会责备自己刚才居然因为他上场而感到不爽。
所以我既为哈珀能够首发并打这么长时间而感到兴奋，同时也为福克斯无法上场替下卡斯尔而感到沮丧——当时卡斯尔的失误多得就像杂耍演员在舞台上疯狂喷水一样。
对于福克斯，我的底线是希望他回归，但如果这意味着他能彻底康复，并在接下来的系列赛中不用担心脚踝伤势，我宁愿等到第三场比赛。如果我了解马刺的医疗团队，他们一定会选择稳妥起见。但只要他回来，首发位置绝对是他的。我无法想象米奇会让哈珀压过这位老将首发超过一场比赛。
季后赛系列赛的奇妙之处在于，无论上一场是谁赢了，有时我都很难想象另一支球队还能怎么赢。当明尼苏达赢下第二轮的第一场比赛时，感觉马刺可能永远也赢不了了。而在圣安东尼奥连下两城之后，又感觉他们再也不会输了。你也有这种感觉吗？你觉得周三的比赛对雷霆来说是生死战吗？
Cray:
这个换角色的比喻完全引起了我的共鸣。本赛季，在雷霆状态最好的时候，他们总是将轮换阵容缩减到最可预测、最值得信赖的老将组合。当季后赛拉开帷幕、“常规赛球员”淡出视野时，所有争冠球队都是如此。但我本赛季的口头禅变成了“掐自己一下”，写下看着像米切尔、卡鲁索甚至贾里德·麦凯恩 (Jared McCain) 这样真正优秀的球员替补登场时的感受。
NBA球迷们也在掐自己，准备迎接第一场比赛的续集：巨人碰撞。作为共同谱写这一杰作的两支球队的球迷，我们应该感到自豪。所有人都在问，在NBA最大的舞台上，其他球队怎么可能配得上俄克拉荷马城和圣安东尼奥所展现出的防守强度、先进的战略战术，以及那群年轻、饥渴且优秀的球员储备。谁在乎这些球队是讨人喜欢、有型、受欢迎还是招人恨？他们是最棒的，而且他们是我们的球队。森林狼的球迷大可以去享受那些铺天盖地的安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 广告，而我们的球员则在广告暂停期间抓紧喘口气。
对于雷霆来说，这绝对是一场必须拿下的比赛（我们可能需要开始统计在这轮系列赛中我们会标记多少个“生死战”了）。压力已经拉满，他们已经退无可退，聚光灯无比刺眼……所有陈词滥调都适用于这支力求卫冕的雷霆队。我对他们的命运感到紧张但充满信心。第一，因为他们以前也经历过这样的时刻，总是能激发出夺冠的竞争之火。第二，因为我预计马刺会有些许松懈。即使是最史诗级的系列赛，也会在焦灼的比赛中夹杂着一些一边倒的较量，而0-1落后的1号种子在第二场比赛中往往能相对轻松地扳回一局。即使马刺球员活力满满，不受前几天超长出场时间的影响，在雷鸣之城再保持48分钟的专注度、避免出现任何情绪上的松懈也是极其困难的（尽管我并不排除他们能做到这一点）。
为福克斯可能回归干杯，也为联盟最精彩宿敌对决的新篇章干杯。
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：The epic series opener of Spurs vs. Thunder and what to expect in Game 2
The epic series opener of Spurs vs. Thunder and what to expect in Game 2
After a classic Game 1 in which the Spurs led most of the time over the Thunder despite no De’Aaron Fox but had to overcome their own mistakes and ride some Wemby Magic to a double-overtime victory, we continue our third Fraternizing with the Enemy series of these playoffs with Cray Allred of the Daily Thunder. As a reminder, this round is in honor of the late great J.A. Sherman: friend and former manager of Welcome to Loud City, who passed away last year at the age of 49.
J.R.
I don’t know that I’m equipped to adequately respond to Game 1. I’ve never noticed my heart rate so high for a game I wasn’t playing in. I went ahead and recorded it as a workout on my Apple Watch because it was over 120! And that was just regulation. I’m not sure that’s healthy.
There were so many moments worthy of focusing on, but the one that I can’t let go of is this: I’ve never seen a team up by two practically let the other team score at the end of regulation while completely selling out to avoid giving up a game winning three in order to play for overtime WHILE ON THE ROAD!? I always heard that was a cardinal sin. But apparently Mitch Johnson was concerned enough by the thought of Chet hitting a wide open three that he had Wemby stay home. After I recovered from the shock, I could see the logic.
It’s bad enough to lose a game, but the lift OKC would get from hitting a buzzer-beating game-winner would be worse than any other outcome. So he trusted his team, tired as they were, and rolled the dice into overtime, even though that didn’t work.
I mean, overtime worked in staving off a loss in regulation, but it didn’t stop the Thunder’s momentum and San Antonio was down three with less than half a minute left when Wemby decided to play Steph Curry and shoot what the play-by-play calls a “27-foot running jump shot,” which I wouldn’t call completely accurate but I’m not in the mood to argue about. From that point, the Spurs rode the momentum from Wemby’s audacious shot into the second overtime period and won it 14-7 for a 1-0 series lead.
I realize that I haven’t even scratched the surface of this game. I haven’t discussed the first three quarters at all. Haven’t given credit to Chet for his game-saving block to end regulation. Haven’t praised Coach Daigneault for sticking to his non-traditional 11-man (eleven?) rotation to keep his guys fresh for a 58 minute contest. Haven’t done a lot, but before I take to babbling incoherently, I want to throw it to you. What was your immediate response and what is your main takeaway from that epic series opener?
Cray:
What. A. Game.
It was so intense, so action-packed, and long as hell that we could probably both dissect a half dozen coach and player decisions from our teams apiece. On the one hand, a little better shotmaking from the Thunder’s best players would’ve swung this to a victory. On the other, Oklahoma City had the overall turnover, transition, and shooting (thanks, Alex Caruso) that have produced blowout wins the last two season — and it wasn’t enough for a close win against San Antonio. I don’t know what to think, as eager as I am to overreact. If PtR sickos readers enjoy listening to sad Thunder fans do just that for 90 miserable minutes, they should check out Daily Thunder’s Game 1 podcast recap.
Your questioning of that Wemby-corner assignment echoes what we’re all second guessing on the other end for OKC. As admirable a job Crazy Little Caruso has done going to war with Nikola Jokic and now Wemby in the paint, I don’t know that the battle is even worth fighting. Chet’s aggressive help from the corner when the Spurs get the ball inside to Victor is typically too little, too late. And that simultaneously opens up more of those corner threes that San Antonio has torched the league with all year. (As expected, my enjoyment of Devin Vassell has reached its conclusion.)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems pretty clear that Wemby loves dunking on wings and going Kobe against bigs. That Steph-mode three notwithstanding, I would rather see Wemby shoot threes at around his 5+ attempt, 34% average than watch this chart get worse throughout the series.
Matter of fact, I’d rather stab my eyes out than watch him feed that chart with infinity more dunks on the head of Jalen Williams.
Two questions for you:
-
Are the Thunder playing into the Spurs’ hands with their scheme, or would you find a straight up Chet matchup to be even more in your favor?
-
You mentioned Mark Daigneault’s remarkably deep rotation. Mitch Johnson was the polar opposite. After the half, Johnson played all but one of his starters more than their regular season average for entire games (per Mike Shearer). Which contrasting rotation approach will work out better for the duration of the series, assuming both coaches stick to their guns?
J.R.
First, I think that any single scheme isn’t going to be sufficient to stop the Frenchman. That’s not because there is no scheme capable of stopping or slowing down Victor, that’s been done before even if it hasn’t been done recently or frequently. No, the reason no one scheme is enough is because San Antonio isn’t using a single scheme against SGA, and Wembanyama is at the point where he needs to be game-planned like one of the league’s elite offensive players.
It’s not going to be good enough to have a plan for Wemby while rotating defenders in and out to execute that scheme. You need to throw a different look at him as often as you can. Sean Sweeney mixed up defenses continually throughout Monday’s game. Shai isn’t sure what defense he’s looking at on a possession to possession basis. I see him just across half court wondering if it’s a soft trap or a zone, or whether he’s going to be blitzed as soon as he puts the ball on the floor. And the time he has to spend figuring it out means fewer chances to make plays.
If MD and his staff have eight options but none of them are working very well, pick the five they hate the least and cycle through them while giving him a merry-go-round of defenders to execute them. The Alien is impossible to defend straight up but he still has to process what he’s facing. Your best chance is to make him work hard mentally at the same time you’re testing him physically, otherwise his shot chart will keep looking like this (which is possibly the least Wemby graphic I’ve ever seen):
As to the rotations, it’s a good question but I don’t know if I can grant your condition. Joe and Wiggins combined for five minutes, and even though he got twelve in Game 1, I don’t think this is the series for Hartenstein. That’s not a knock on him, Rudy freaking Gobert was largely benched by the end of the last series. That player prototype doesn’t seem to be compatible with winning basketball while Wemby is in the game. Which means that both teams are essentially in the same place: as usually happens when the best teams meet in a series, all roads lead toward that ubiquitous nine man rotation.
As for the series as a whole, nothing has been decided yet, although things are beginning to take shape. Oklahoma City’s path to the finals exists, but it’s along the margins and the improvements are mainly required on offense. SGA needs to improve his shooting a little bit. Mitchell needs to make a couple more plays per half. The Thunder need to find a handful more successful offensive possessions that don’t involve a mediocre shooter taking an uncontested three. Someone needs to take Chet Holmgren aside, give him a big hug, and convince him that everyone that knows him loves him and believes in him. And finally, for crying out loud, the medical staff needs to find a way to keep JDub healthy. Please!
How about you? When your inner optimist imagines the Thunder’s Game 2 response, what do you see and how does it go?
Cray:
Yeah, Shai has been tested all postseason by doubles, triples, and overloaded zones, but the Spurs have the personnel to turn every possession into a pop quiz. OKC did mix up their sets and actions throughout the game on and off ball, weak and strong side, high and low, etc., but the window of opportunity to read and react to your advantage is so tiny with Wemby and the San Antonio scramblers. SGA has taken a leap as a playmaker this season, but he’s still not the snappiest decision maker with the ball.
Per CourtSketch, the most balanced minutes were those featuring Alex Caruso alongside Shai against Wembanyama. Caruso is about as trustworthy a postseason shooter as OKC has on the roster. With Wemby giving him the Tony Allen treatment, the heady Caruso drifted around the arc as a capable release valve when Shai drove through traffic. The game was even through the first overtime when that duo and Wemby shared the floor, with both Thunder players outscoring the Frenchman across 27 minutes in total. Of course, Victor won that matchup in the second OT going away.
I expect Daigneault and Shai to unlock more of what worked from the playbook, and for him to speed up his reads as they get acclimated to the Spurs. As nice as sweeping the Suns and Lakers in the first two rounds was for OKC, it wasn’t great preparation for the storm they ran into in the conference finals. But Caruso isn’t going to nail 8 threes every night. Shai will need to bang home a lot more of his own — they will remain difficult looks, but he’s one of most efficient tough shotmakers in league history — and he will need help from secondary playmakers to cut, drive, and shoot in those momentary creases that open when he draws Spurs defenders.
Caruso can be an opportunistic scorer, and he managed to shake Wemby a few times. That’s not enough to lift the offense above “good enough”. You’re right to name Ajay Mitchell in this context. He never lacks aggression, but he took the wrong shots (and floaters, ugh) all night. And if Wemby can really play this heavy of a load with full energy, they’ll need someone outside of Caruso to bother him on both ends.
That’s JDub’s music. He was awesome in the most brutal game imaginable for returning from an extended injury. But he didn’t have the oomph to stand up Wemby, and might not get there this series. Like you said, hopefully he stays healthy enough to keep trying.
That brings me to De’Aaron Fox. I was bummed he missed Game 1, and really hope he’s back for Game 2. The Spurs could absolutely use his minutes; I’m curious if you are itching for him to get back into the starting lineup, though. I was terrified of Dylan Harper getting plugged in with the starters before Fox’s injury was announced. Considering Harper showing out, would you want Mitch to roll with the rookie or bring him off the bench when Fox is back?
J.R.:
Do you know how when you’re watching a great movie or reading an excellent novel, you’ll be so engaged and involved with the characters until the scene ends and the action jumps to a different character’s thread of the story and you get that feeling of loss because you want to know what happens next with the characters that you were just with? And then the exact same thing happens the next time the scene breaks to rejoin the characters that you were initially upset at leaving?
That’s what it’s like for me every time one of the Spurs’ three guards leaves the game. “Oh no!” I’ll think, “Harper was just playing so well, and now he’s being replaced.”Then Castle will hit a three, steal the ball and get a breakaway dunk, and then block the opposing team’s center, and I will berate myself for being upset that he came into the game.
So I’m both excited that Harper got to start and play so much, while also being upset that Fox wasn’t available to come into the game and sub for Castle when he was spraying turnovers like a vaudeville actor doing a spit take.
The bottom line with Fox is that I want him to come back, but I would rather wait until game three if it means, he’ll be truly healthy and can play the rest of the series without being concerned about his ankle. And if I know the Spurs training staff, they will err on the side of safety. But when he comes back, he’s absolutely got the starting job. I can’t imagine Mitch starting Harper over the veteran for more than one game.
The thing about a playoff series is that no matter who has won the previous game, sometimes it’s hard for me to imagine the other team ever winning. When Minnesota took Game 1 of the second round, it felt like the Spurs might never win. After San Antonio won the next two, it felt like they would never lose again. Do you get that too, and do you feel like Wednesday’s game is a must win for OKC?
Cray:
That casting change analogy totally resonates with me. This season, at their best, the Thunder have always trimmed the rotation down to the most predictable and trusted combination of veteran players. That’s typical of all contenders when the playoffs unfold and the 82 game players fade from view. But my cliche this season has become “pinch yourself”, writing about how it feels watching actually good players like Mitchell and Caruso and even Jared McCain subbing in for the stars.
NBA fans are pinching themselves, too, ready for the sequel to Game 1: Clash of the Titans. We should feel good being fans of teams putting together this masterpiece. Everyone is asking how any other franchises have any hope of matching the defensive intensity, advanced strategy and tactics, and stable of young, hungry, excellent players suiting up for Oklahoma City and San Antonio on the NBA’s biggest stage. Who cares if these teams are likeable, stylish, popular, or hated? They’re the best, and they’re ours. Timberwolves fans can enjoy all the Ant ads they want while our guys are catching a breather during commercial breaks.
For the Thunder, it’s absolutely a must win (we might need to start tallying how many “must-wins” we flag throughout the series). The pressure is on, their backs are against the wall, the lights are bright…all the cliches apply for an OKC team fighting for a title repeat. I’m nervous but confident about their fate. One, because they’ve stared down these moments before, always harnessing the competitive fire of a champion. Two, because I anticipate a bit of a letdown. Even the most epic series feature more lopsided contests mixed in with the nail biters, and Game 2 for #1 seeds down 0-1 tend to even out relatively comfortably. Even if the Spurs are super fresh and unbothered by the heavy minutes from the other night, it would be really, really tough to avoid any emotional letdown and keep the edge for another 48 minutes in Loud City (although I am not putting it past them).
Cheers to Fox’s likely return, and to another great chapter in the league’s best rivalry.
By J.R. Wilco, via Pounding The Rock