Spurs at Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder received a lift from Serge Ibaka and will attempt to even the Western Conference when they host the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 on Tuesday. San Antonio won the first two games by an average of 26 points but Ibaka returned from a calf injury and his presence negated the Spurs’ inside advantage and helped the Thunder to a 106-97 win on Sunday. Ibaka was previously ruled out of the series by coach Scott Brooks before his Game 3 starring role.
San Antonio players claim Sunday’s loss was more about their performance than Ibaka’s return and will certainly have the opportunity to show that is indeed the case with a better Game 4 effort. “We understand that if we don’t bring our ‘A’ game, we don’t play our best game, we’re not going to win here,” guard Manu Ginobili told reporters prior to Monday’s practice. “Hopefully that lesson was learned.” League MVP Kevin Durant is averaging just 22.7 points after putting up 33.2 in Oklahoma City’s six-game series win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE SPURS: Tony Parker had a subpar Game 3 with just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting and expressed during Monday’s media availability session that he must perform significantly better. The veteran point guard also had the same number of assists as turnovers – four – after averaging 18 points, 8.5 assists and 2.5 turnovers in the first two games. “He’s our best player,” coach Gregg Popovich told reporters on Monday. “He’s got to play better.” Backcourt mate Danny Green also had a poor outing with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-6 from 3-point range. Green averaged 18.5 points on 13-of-18 shooting (11-of-15 from behind the arc) in the first two games.
ABOUT THE THUNDER: Ibaka was the missing link to a frontcourt that struggled without him in the first two games. Veteran Nick Collison and rookie Steven Adams were nonfactors while filling in and Ibaka excelled on the offensive end in Game 3 with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting while doing his customary good work on the defensive end with four blocked shots to go with seven rebounds. “When you talk about a teammate, that’s everything you want in a teammate,” Durant told reporters in response to Ibaka’s unexpected return. “I gained so much more respect for Serge for sacrificing himself for the team.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Oklahoma City is 5-0 against the Spurs this season with Ibaka in the lineup and 0-2 when he isn’t.
2. Ginobili led the Spurs with 23 points and six 3-pointers in Game 3 and is averaging 17.3 points on 17-of-29 shooting – including 10-of-15 from 3-point range – in the series.
3. Thunder G Reggie Jackson (15 points, five assists in Game 3) will again start in place of Thabo Sefolosha, who didn’t play a single minute in Sunday’s convincing victory and is 0-for-9 shooting in the series.