On This Day: Thunder Top Spurs in Game 6 and Advance to NBA Finals
In a closeout game against the Spurs, the Thunder only went eight players deep as they looked to win the Western Conference Finals. Game 6 got off to a rocky start, as OKC trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half.
Down big at half, Oklahoma City knew that they would need to come out to a hot start in the second half and get the home crowd back into the game.
To their benefit, the Spurs came out cold from beyond the arc, which was what helped them build such a large lead in the opening half. San Antonio went 2-for-11 in the second half from deep as the Thunder clawed back into the game, winning the final 24 minutes 59 to 36.
OKC would ultimately win by eight points by a final score of 107-99, shooting 10-for-18 from three.
Kevin Durant convinced Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks to let him play all 48 minutes of this matchup as they went on to advance to the NBA Finals. Durant scored 34 points to go along with 14 rebounds and five assists.
"I was not going to take him out,", said Brooks of Durant. "I don't care how many times he looked at me fatigued. He has enough, and I think all of our guys have enough to play. You just have to fight through it."
Russell Westbrook had a solid game, finishing with 25 points, 8 rebounds and five assists while James Harden came off the bench and produced 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
For the Spurs, Tim Duncan led the way with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Tony Parker gave the Spurs a huge boost early in the game and finished with 29 points and 12 assists while Steven Jackson filled it up from beyond the arc, scoring 23 points
A rookie Kawhi Leonard, just 20 years old at the time, had five points for San Antonio as a starter as well.
The Thunder took down the Mavericks, Lakers and then the Spurs on their way to an NBA Finals appearance where they would take on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat.
It would be the first NBA Finals appearance for the franchise since relocating to Oklahoma City (the Seattle SuperSonics went in 1996).
From there, a young trio of Durant, Westbrook and Harden would look to shock the world against the most talented big three in the NBA.
