Ehh they don't want to play them but the spurs are old and they are playing their fifth game in seven nights against a thunder team coming off four days rest. This is hardly a shock.
ibaka makes the thunder a bad match up for any team that's likes to get points in the paint, your ****s have to be falling... On top of that you have to worry about Durant & Westbrook
Ibaka is a terribly overrated defender. All he does is go for the weak side block. That doesn't mean you can defend.
Pop should've just Pop'd and sat everyone. It would've been better pyschologically than getting their **** pushed in again. I'm actually surprised he played everyone except Manu.
He protects the rim makes players scared to drive, his one on one defense is not a big issue when you can do that. They have plenty of offense
It is amazing how much better Reggie plays against the Spurs than he does against the rest of the league.
You are underestimating the impact of a great weak side blocker. Everyone gets second thoughts going to the paint and players start settling for jump shots.
Manu was out and they were on the back end of a tough part of schedule. OKC was rested. Don't put too much into regular season games b/t contenders when these kind of scheduling conflicts happen. They don't mean a thing in the playoffs.
That reminds me: I really enjoyed listening to Kevin Calabro in the first game. A blast from the past.
Mavs seem to play the Clippers consistently well. Doubt the Mavs would have much of a chance winning 4 of 7 games, but it could get interesting if they were matched up.
The problem is the Mavs can't seem to finish against the Clippers. In all 3 games so far this season, the Clippers stormed back with huge game-closing runs. Seems like they have the Mavs number.