Why not one more game?
This Western Conference finals series young heavyweight battle will come down to game seven, first time since 2018.
CREDIT: Sam Owens / San Antonio Express-News
On this night, the San Antonio Spurs weren’t going to allow an impressive season end on their home floor.
Not without a fight.
From the opening tip, a defensive determination and efficient shot-making, attacking the lanes to create drive and kick opportunities set up a three-point avalanche. In total, San Antonio drained eight triples in the opening stanza to build a double-digit lead.
On a few occasions, last season’s champions Oklahoma City Thunder compiled runs to close the Spurs lead inside double-digits. But this young and abrasive group didn’t succumb to shifts, keeping a level head and maintaining composure.
Not even the Thunder’s 2-3 zone to start the final period halt San Antonio’s humming offence. With the Spurs triumphing in game six, 118-91 to force a deciding game seven back in Oklahoma City, every ounce of desperation will come to the fore to who plays the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Here are three takeaways from the Western Conference finals’ penultimate game.
More gears to play in Wembanyama’s game
A human wrecking ball throughout this series, the Oklahoma City Thunder has had its fair share of success containing Victor Wembanyama in three victories.
It has come by physically playing him at the top, forcing him to catch the ball 30-35 feet from the basket not allowing any space to attack. Examining closely, many of his 15 field-goal attempts in game five weren’t in the flow, settling too often for threes, missing all five free throws.
Unlike in games one and four, where the former number one pick feasted on the interior, whether in pick and roll with Stephon Castle or getting an early inside seal. In hindsight, some would say the Thunder designed a perfectly tailored game plan by putting Isaiah Hartenstein on Wembanyama to be extra physical after game one. But conversely, Wemabanyama went away from his strengths in the three losses.
Instantly in game six, Wembanyama had his game face on.
Without hesitation he buried two triples, prompting an early Thunder timeout only two minutes in.
Oklahoma City didn’t have answers to stem this 224 cm giant, effortlessly gliding his way on spin moves to the basket, seizing up mid-range shots and unafraid to challenge Holmgren in single coverage.
Defensively is where he causes frequent disruption, patrolling the interior and throughout these six games, the Thunder hasn’t been able to drag him out the paint, barring when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a driving layup late in regulation of game one to level scores at 101.
Again, Wembanyama’s aptitude to roam as a weakside defender and punctuate shots was on show, detonating Jarred McCain’s layup attempt and swatting Holmgren’s shot attempt to end the third period.
Although Oklahoma City ran pick and rolls, putting Wembanyama into action, it had minimal effect due to the Spurs centre staying in drop coverage, effectively anchoring the middle and blowing up any possibility of a Thunder paint penetration.
There were no nerves whatsoever for San Antonio’s main man, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in only 28 minutes, including sitting out the final 9:20 with the result intact.
Putting the Thunder in a blender
San Antonio showed how stifling their defence is when smothering Oklahoma City to only 82 points on 33% shooting and forcing 20 turnovers leading to 25 points in a game four victory.
What the Spurs hoped for was to replicate those defensive efforts in a must-win game six.
Mission accomplished.
Every defensive play radiated intensity and control, keeping in front of their Thunder man , often making them pick up their dribble or having to pass out with nowhere to go.
Throughout, the Spurs have zeroed in on back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There’s been multiple assignments put on OKC’s superstar, mainly Devin Vassell, but San Antonio aren’t giving away anything easy.
Yes, he has been to the charity stripe 56 times, hitting 52 at 92.9%, but minus his supreme free throw accuracy, San Antonio has constantly made him work for his shots. On plays, the Spurs aren’t doubling Gilgeous-Alexander rightaway, but giving him an opportunity to drive left or right to the middle.
However, that’s where San Antonio has an extra defender ready to shade and help. Effectively what this does is force Gilgeous-Alexander to play into a crowd and pass the ball back beyond the arc to a teammate, completely disrupting the Thunder’s main go-to offensive possession.
It’s been a continual theme from the series’ outset where Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Vassell primarily have kept their defensive discipline.
Even in game six, rookie Carter Bryant had a couple of tremendous defensive possessions in the second period guarding Gilgeous-Alexander one-on-one.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has been firm but encouraging of the 20-year-old’s progression and his adaptability to guard multiple positions. There will be mistakes made by Bryant, still it isn’t impacting his overall confidence.
Decisively, a 20-0 Spurs run spanning 7:18 from 8:23 to 55.8 seconds remaining in the third ultimately decided the outcome.
During this period, the Thunder missed 14 consecutive field-goals, none were easy, perhaps barring Hartenstein’s missed alley-oop dunk.
When Gilgeous-Alexander drove, San Antonio already put a defensive wall.
Usually he goes to his favourite mid-range jumper, but Castle does an outstanding job staying attached and forcing a difficult 15-foot pull-up jumpshot.
One defensive play highlighted the Spurs’ intense defensive rotations. With 4:43 remaining in the third period and 15 seconds remaining on the shot-clock, Vassell kept in front of Gilgeous-Alexander, not falling for his multiple moves, making him pass out of traffic to Alex Caruso on the right wing.
With the shot-clock at eight seconds, Julian Champagnie closes out on Cason Wallace at the top, despite Wallace getting a step in front. However, the Thunder’s defensive ace doesn’t have room to have a layup as Spurs centre Luke Kornet stays in the paint to help disrupt Wallace’s layup.
Now with no time to generate an effective look, Caruso has to launch a three, but Castle applies a great contest leading to a miss.
This defensive possession typified San Antonio’s attention to detail where it smothered Oklahoma City to only 21.4% shooting in the period and 37.2% shooting overall.
One final stance
It’s the best two words in basketball: Game Seven.
Six games haven’t been enough to determine who advances to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks.
Both coaches Mitch Johnson and Mark Daigenault have been shuffling chess pieces to gain any advantage, each game presenting a new strategy.
San Antonio’s young players, minus no playoff experience heading into this postseason have been undaunted, relishing every challenge.
Whilst game one has been the only close result on paper going to double overtime, this series has undergone a bout of UFC, with the Spurs and Thunder throwing their best punch.
Further underlining a tense series, each team has had to endure injuries with De’Aaron Fox missing the first two games (right ankle sprain) and Dylan Harper (right abductor soreness), whilst Jalen Williams (hamstring, out for game seven) and Ajay Mitchell (right soleus calf strain), two key pieces for OKC won’t play.
The moment is nearly here and there’s no hiding from the glaring spotlight set to cast upon Paycom Centre in front of a sellout.