OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The talent is over. The series could just be beginning.
Kevin Durant scored 22 points, Thabo Sefolosha collection playoff career-bests having nineteen factors and half a dozen steals, as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped San Antonio's 20-game winning streak by means of whipping the particular Spurs 102-82 in Game 3 or more from the Western Conference finals upon Thursday night.
Oklahoma City sealed its string debt in order to 2-1 and definately will host Game four about Saturday night.
''We never considered these kinds of guys acquired a benefit over us even while we acquired dropped your few,'' Durant said. ''It has been just fine that people took it that will 2-1. We failed to desire to are reduced 0-3.''
Sefolosha used your wrench from the Spurs' well-oiled offense at the start, becoming a number of steals inside the initial 3 or more minutes. The Spurs ended up carrying out some sort of postseason-worst 21 turnovers as well as scoring his or her least points just about all season.
San Antonio had been averaging 109.4 points in the course of its month-and-a-half earning talent and also ended up presented to two bottle digits simply twice.
''We only played out an excellent basketball game,'' Thunder trainer Scott Brooks said. ''We played with a great deal of force, we all dealt with good energy, nevertheless we performed defensive-minded basketball.
''That's who seem to we are. That's the best way all of us win.''
Tony Parker along with Stephen Jackson led that Spurs by using 16 items apiece. Tim Duncan have 11 points on 5-for-15 shooting, taking 11 connected with San Antonio's very first twenty five photos as the offense gone throughout the All-Star core rather than Parker.
''They gamed enjoy it was a closeout game, both equally offensively in addition to defensively,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ''They have been extremely active, physical, they will transferred the basketball nicely about offense. They did all those items as good as we did. They conquer people good.''
The Spurs, who seem to already established an NBA record with the best winning ability taken through from the off the shelf period in to the playoffs, were seeking to complement the actual little league mark for many of us victories to begin the postseason. The Lakers won 11 instantly to begin the 1989 along with 2001 playoffs, getting swept within the NBA finals initially in addition to profitable all of it the second.
The Spurs had not misplaced since April eleven resistant to the Lakers with home.
''We certainly are a prideful team. It's simply no fun becoming along 0-2. It's absolutely no fun,'' Brooks said. ''But we all wasn't wanting in the video game thinking, 'Oh my gosh, we now have a chance to become lower 0-3.' We were taking a look at the sport that individuals include an opportunity to often be 1-2 once that game, in addition to I supply some of our guys plenty involving credit. They believe in 1 another and they often play tricky for each other.''
Parker and Duncan decided not to have fun with inside very last 15 minutes, plus Popovich pulled apart the stopper after a compilation of three straight turnovers granted that debt that will reach twenty three points earlier while in the fourth quarter.
Sefolosha experienced a new right-handed dunk away from a lob pass from Russell Westbrook, which implemented by using their very own two-handed jam on an alley-oop pass and Sefolosha taken using a slow layup on another turnover-fueled fast-break opportunity to thrust the result in 86-63 using 9:48 left.
The Thunder build one more 9-0 run coinciding using Manu Ginobili being subtracted from the actual game, plus presenting Serge Ibaka firmly sticking his language away once nailing a jumper through the best from the key. Brooks soon followed agree with along with torn in two his or her own front-line participants with the adventure properly with hand.
''You're not going to overcom this company by means of trying to play one-effort basketball,'' Brooks said. ''You're about to require two, three, four, possibly five. And they will make you achieve that all around health pass this baseball so well, they multiply your floorboards and so well.''
Popovich reported this Thunder played out difficult as well as cleverer versus Spurs.
''They does surely engage in along with a lot more energy, even more interest than us tonight,'' mentioned Parker, exactly who dedicated personal training turnovers.
The Spurs damaged a 24-point debt in Game three from the Clippers in Los Angeles inside last round, nevertheless many people were unable recuperating during this one.
San Antonio maintained merely twenty-four factors within the paint following averaging 46 over the very first two online games with the line and 47.8 with the playoffs.
Oklahoma City undoubtedly stored a 28-8 scoring border from the coloring even though having a 54-41 halftime direct but it certainly not received improved regarding San Antonio, which often could hardly find just about any more detailed in comparison with 11 points within the subsequent half.
''We wished to rebound returning immediately after two failures for instance that. We were required to perform greater and also many of us did which tonight,'' Sefolosha said. ''We enjoyed energy, most people used eagerness staring at the monitor of our home crowd. They have a terrific work giving people a lift.''
The Thunder scored the game's first actions points, providing off Sefolosha's steals, but San Antonio hauled with time to consider the cause together with more than 5 minutes quit inside opening period.
Oklahoma City procured the particular head early on within the next quarter plus there were very little looking back.
Sefolosha set up Ibaka's two-handed dunk along with hit a 3-pointer during a 13-1 run, along with San Antonio's solely position on its way with a cost-free place by Ginobili once Durant appeared to be necessary a technical foul while arguing some sort of name with the bench.
Oklahoma City's lead ballooned in order to 15 when Kendrick Perkins chose Westbrook's airball as well as dunked this having two hands.
Notes: Duncan did have all 5 hinders to get around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA playoff document associated with 476 through one. . Rapper Lil Wayne tweeted before the activity that will he or she organized to go to although ''was refused with the company that they are of their arena.'' Thunder spokesman Dan Mahoney reported this rapper's representatives required front-row seat designs nonetheless none of them were available. ''We'd like to have your pet at the game, but like anyone else, he / she requires your ticket,'' Mahoney said. . Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin presented TNT analyst plus original NBA All-Star Charles Barkley with a set of two with boots, your steak plus a strong obtain associated with lamb fries - a meal that will leaves away your usually undesirable a part of the particular anatomy out of it has the name - over the pregame show.
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