Thunder/Spurs Game Thread
On the injury front, Dennis Schroder will play tonight. Schroder suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of Friday's win over the Denver Nuggets, despite leaving the court for a brief moment to talk with the training staff and stretch, Schroder played 14:51 in the second half on Friday and scored two points.
The last time these teams met back on February 11th, Chris Paul scored 31 points as San Antonio wound up on the high side 114-106. LaMarcus Aldrige had 25 points and 14 rebounds. Steven Adams is concerned about the screens that San Antonio ran in the fourth quarter to get Aldrige open. Billy Donovan says, "I think when you're dealing with an elite post-up player that can score you really got to do a lot of work early."... "Because I think if you get behind the play, generally, he's going to get the ball in a really good area of the floor."..." And he doesn't necessarily have to work to get to his spots because he's already there."
Donovan says that Adams being a veteran player, can "sniff things out." But, he also says that with Adams having to fight over screens, the rest of the team needs to what they can to help Adams out. Aldridge is averaging 19 points and shooting 47 percent from the floor. Donovan says that he is good enough to generate offense from anywhere on the floor once he catches the ball.
The most exciting part of tonight's pregame press conference is when Berry Trammel of the Oklahoman asked Donovan about Mark Cuban's comments on the NBA refs having been making bad calls for "20 years" (I'm paraphrasing of course). Donovan responded, "I think those guys got a really really hard job."..." They're not going to get every call right." Donovan says during his time in Oklahoma City when officials that have gotten a call wrong, most will come by the bench to say something. Donovan also says he has great respect for the jobs officials do and believes they are always trying to get better and catch up to the game.
Tipoff for the Spurs and Thunder is at 6 on Fox Sports Oklahoma.
First Quarter:
Thunder breaking out the Statement uniforms for the last matchup vs. the Spurs. San Antonio on a 5-0 run to start. Thunder has made two empty trips down the court.
Lou Dort with the SLAM! Puts the Thunder on top 6-5. Oklahoma City with six unanswered points after getting down 5-0. Greg Popovich calls a timeout.
Derrick white in for the Spurs. Thunder keep their starting five on the floor.
Steven Adams has his fourth point of the game after a slam. Adams with a beautiful spin move after putting the ball on the floor.
Lou Dort hits from three, both teams trading baskets Thunder lead 13-12 after another Adams two, off a putback from a Chris Paul missed shot.
Noel in for Oklahoma City. Mills and Gay in for the Spurs. Thunder up by three 17-14. Make that 19-14 after another Lou Dort two.
Dennis Schroder and Terrance Ferguson are in for the Thunder.
Patty Mills three gives the Spurs a 20-14 edge. Timeout Thunder.
4:29 to play in the first quarter.
Thunder doing an excellent job of finishing at the rim, something they had issues with last time they played the Spurs. Gallinari was a little out of control on that final possession. Leads to a turnover, Mills finishes on the other end with a three. 25-24 Spurs.
Abdul Nader makes the first appearance for the Thunder. He'll play the power forward as Gallinari is on the bench.
There has been no update on Darius Bazley for some time.
Schroder ties the game at 27 with a three. The in-house, the announcer has told us there are less than two minutes left in the quarter.
Adams and Paul back in for the last 25.9 seconds.
Some indecision by Terrance Ferguson doesn't give Oklahoma City a chance to get the final shot off. Ferguson is being tagged with an offensive foul that is under review. Ferguson's foul is upheld. .6 seconds left—side out Spurs. The final shot goes off the rim.
Thunder 29 Spurs 29. Oklahoma City 50 percent from the field, Lou Dort leads the Thunder with seven points. Mills and DeRozan have six each for San Antonio.
Second Quarter:
Tony Thunder brought up the fact that tonight could be the right audition for Chris Paul for a spot on Team USA's roster. Paul has six points, the Thunder trail by seven, but if Oklahoma City can win and Paul is his usual clutch self, Popovich should personally give him a jersey after the game.
Trey Lyles three puts the Spurs up 45-36 with 7:21 to play in the second quarter, timeout Oklahoma City.
Gallinari comes in and hits a three off the bench! Dort comes in gets a steal and layup. And the Spurs take a timeout.
Dort has nine points, DeRozan is back in for the Spurs, Noel in for the Thunder. Thunder down by four. Now two after a Schroder layup. 45-43 Spurts with 5:54 to go.
Gallinari with a reverse slate putting the Thunder up four. Followed by a steal and Dort three (Dort with 12 points) gives Oklahoma City 52-45 lead with 3:58 left in half.
Paul misses the final shot. Thunder with a six-point lead at the half. 61-55. Lou Dort leads all scorers with 13 points. Thunder shoot 50 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three. Both teams have lead by as many as nine points.
Third Quarter:
Just looked up to see that LaMarcus Aldridge has 8 points with 10:26 to go in the third quarter. Watch out for him this half. He's 3 for 8 from the floor. If the Spurs are going to make this close, they are going to have to start putting him in a better position to score.
69-57 Oklahoma City, Spurs take a timeout, and Elvis is playing for Kiss Cam tonight, now that's American!
Some kid in Loud City keeps yelling San Antonio every time the Spurs bring the ball down the court. While it is annoying, the Spurs have scored their last two trips down the court, so I guess it's working.
71-61 Thunder with 8:03 to play. Dort called for a foul on Mills. Mills hits both free-throws, it's now 71-63 Thunder.
Oklahoma City has ripped off seven unanswered to go up 78-63, Rudy Gay is at the line to try and cut into the Thunder lead. He succeeds; it's now 78-65. Never mind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nails a three. 81-65, Steven Adams is back in for the Thunder. Noel picks up his fifth foul. Wonder if Mike Muscala will get some run, with Noel in foul trouble.
Despite his team being down, 15 San Anton Kid keeps yelling and yelling and yelling.
Hamidou Diallo is about to check-in. For the first time in two games, Diallo will see some action. He'll come in for Lou Dort.
Diallo and Nader both on the floor. Ferguson out, Thought this could e the case if Schroder didn't play, but he is getting his usual minutes. Paul, Schroder, Nader, Adams, Diallo are the Thunder five.
Read Joe's article in The Oklahoman today, I understand there is a lot of talk about Paul being the NBA's most improved player, but how would Schroder not enter that conversation? You can make an argument based on numbers Schroder is more deserving of that honor than Paul. This doesn't take away from Paul's performance; it just speaks to how consistent he's been during his career, even battling through injuries.
It's 98-73 Thunder going into the fourth. The Thunder roasted the Spurs in that quarter, scoring 37 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 18, Adams, 17, Paul 12, Schroder 11, Dort 15, Gallinari 12.
Fourth Quarter:
It's now 100-75 Oklahoma City. Going to start work on my gamer. We'll have post-game reactions, quotes, and video right here on Inside the Thunder. Feel free to comment on any of our stories. Thank you for your support.
Eight players have now scored in double-figures. That’s never happened before in Thunder history
