OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The streak is over. The string might simply end up being beginning.
Kevin Durant have scored 22 points, Thabo Sefolosha fixed playoff career-bests by using 19 items and also six steals, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped San Antonio's 20-game succeeding talent through winning over the Spurs 102-82 in Game 3 from the Western Conference finals about Thursday night.
Oklahoma City shut down it has the line deficit to be able to 2-1 and will web host Game five on Saturday night.
''We under no circumstances thought all these guys have a bonus above us while we acquired dropped a few,'' Durant said. ''It was merely fine in which we took it in order to 2-1. We failed to desire to drop 0-3.''
Sefolosha threw a wrench within the Spurs' well-oiled the offense on the start, having four steals inside first three or more minutes. The Spurs ended up committing a postseason-worst 21 years of age turnovers plus scoring their particular lowest tips all season.
San Antonio ended up averaging 109.4 items for the duration of it has the month-and-a-half earning skills and were being placed to double digits merely twice.
''We just simply played out a fantastic hockey game,'' Thunder trainer Scott Brooks said. ''We enjoyed many force, many of us played with great energy, although many of us enjoyed defensive-minded basketball.
''That's exactly who all of us are. That's the best way we win.''
Tony Parker along with Stephen Jackson led the Spurs together with 16 tips apiece. Tim Duncan had 11 factors with 5-for-15 shooting, acquiring 11 with San Antonio's very first 25 pictures because wrongdoing travelled through the All-Star core alternatively of Parker.
''They played as if it had been a closeout game, both offensively and also defensively,'' Spurs discipline Gregg Popovich said. ''They ended up very active, physical, these people moved the ball properly on offense. They would most those people elements superior to all of us did. They defeat people good.''
The Spurs, who seem to currently collection a great NBA report to the at best profitable talent maintained above coming from the standard season into the playoffs, were seeking to match the little league recognise on most is the winner to start out the postseason. The Lakers claimed 11 right to start the particular 1989 along with 2001 playoffs, acquiring swept in the NBA finals once as well as succeeding it all the second.
The Spurs hadn't lost considering April eleven from the Lakers at home.
''We is a prideful team. It's very little fun being lower 0-2. It's zero fun,'' Brooks said. ''But most of us wasn't looking at the activity thinking, 'Oh my gosh, we've got an opportunity to become down 0-3.' We ended up taking a look at the game that will you'll find a chance to be 1-2 after this kind of game, and I supply our males loads of credit. They feel around each one various other they usually generally perform hard for every other.''
Parker in addition to Duncan did not have fun with in the very last 15 minutes, plus Popovich pulled apart the actual stopper after your compilation of about three straight turnovers granted the debt to succeed in 23 details early inside fourth quarter.
Sefolosha acquired a new right-handed dunk down a new lob pass from Russell Westbrook, that used together with his own two-handed jam on an alley-oop pass along with Sefolosha adopted which includes a inverted layup on yet another turnover-fueled fast-break possibility to drive that cause 86-63 together with 9:48 left.
The Thunder assemble another 9-0 run coinciding having Manu Ginobili taken from the game, and presenting Serge Ibaka attaching their tongue released immediately after nailing a jumper in the prime from the key. Brooks rapidly taken suit along with pulled apart his own front-line online players when using the activity nicely in hand.
''You're not necessarily visiting overcom this workforce by means of playing one-effort basketball,'' Brooks said. ''You're likely to should have two, three, four, even five. And many people make you do that because they pass that ball so well, some people pass on the flooring consequently well.''
Popovich explained the Thunder played harder along with smarter approach Spurs.
''They managed unquestionably play with a whole lot a lot more energy, a lot more appreciation as compared with all of us tonight,'' claimed Parker, whom entirely five turnovers.
The Spurs wiped released your 24-point debt around Game a few from the Clippers in Los Angeles in the very last round, but that they were not regaining in this one.
San Antonio managed merely twenty-four things within the paint after averaging fouthy-six from the very first not one but two video games in the string in addition to 47.8 as a result of the playoffs.
Oklahoma City undoubtedly kept your 28-8 scoring edge while in the paint while taking a 54-41 halftime guide plus it never improved to get San Antonio, which will couldn't have any closer than 11 points while in the following half.
''We wished to jump back again after not one but two failures like that. We was mandated to engage in improved and also most of us did that tonight,'' Sefolosha said. ''We dealt with energy, most people enjoyed interest facing our own household crowd. They did a fantastic position giving us a new lift.''
The Thunder scored the particular game's primary eight points, eating away from Sefolosha's steals, but San Antonio hauled with time to adopt this guide with more than your five minutes quit around this opening period.
Oklahoma City went on the actual direct quick within the second district and there was absolutely no looking back.
Sefolosha build Ibaka's two-handed dunk and strike your 3-pointer by carrying out a 13-1 run, having San Antonio's exclusively point coming with a no cost place by means of Ginobili following Durant had been called for a specialised foul while reasoning a contact through the bench.
Oklahoma City's lead ballooned in order to 15 when Kendrick Perkins chose Westbrook's airball along with dunked that having two hands.
Notes: Duncan did have several blocks in order to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA playoff report regarding 476 by one. . Rapper Lil Wayne tweeted ahead of the game that will he or she prepared to help go to but ''was dissmissed off with the group to get of their arena.'' Thunder spokesman Dan Mahoney said that rapper's associates demanded front-row seats nevertheless probably none were available. ''We'd adore to possess your ex in the game, but like any individual else, they wants a ticket,'' Mahoney said. . Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin shown TNT analyst and also original NBA All-Star Charles Barkley which includes a set of two boots, a meat along with a strong order involving lamb fries - a satellite dish in which results in out and about this in any other case undesirable part of the particular body structure out of it is label - through the pregame show.
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