OKC vs. San Antonio Spread at Spurs -4.5: Game 2
Carrie Stroup here with your OKC vs. San Antonio morning/early afternoon spread for Game 2 of the 2012 Western Conference Finals. I want to remind Gambling911.com readers that Sportsbook is giving away up to $250 in FREE CASH to eligible new customers based on amount of initial deposit. You can learn more here.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: San Antonio -4.5 & 201.5
Opening Line & Total: Spurs -4.5 & 201.5
The Spurs had to work hard to earn their 19th straight win on Sunday, and the Thunder plan to make it even more difficult for them to win 20 in a row when the teams meet again in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma City had a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter of Game 1, but San Antonio won the final stanza 39-27 to post the 101-98 victory. The Spurs are now just the fourth team in NBA history to start the postseason with at least nine straight wins, joining three Lakers teams (1982, 1989 and 2001). SG Manu Ginobili exploded in Game 1 for 26 points, upstaging Thunder star Kevin Durant who finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. San Antonio also got 16 points and 11 rebounds from PF Tim Duncan, while SG Tony Parker started slow, but finished strong with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. He outplayed Oklahoma City PG Russell Westbrook, who managed just 17 points on 7-of-21 FG, while tallying just five assists and four turnovers. As expected, San Antonio dominated points in the paint (50-26) and outrebounded the Thunder 50-43. The Spurs shot 46% FG, which helped overcome 16 turnovers. Oklahoma City made just 42% FG, but knocked down 9-of-23 threes (39%), but a few were in garbage time. But even if the Thunder shoot well from long distance again, the Spurs are 16-3 ATS in the second half of this season against teams that attempt at least 18 threes per game The Spurs are also 20-4 ATS this season with a total of 200 or more.
With Sunday’s SU loss/ATS win combo, the Thunder are still a tremendous 24-14 (22-15 ATS) in road games this season, averaging 100.0 PPG. But the Spurs are a stellar 33-5 (27-9 ATS) at home, outscoring visitors by an average score of 106 to 93. Oklahoma City is an excellent 17-3 SU (14-6 ATS) following an SU loss this season, and is also a stellar 30-12 (21-20-1 ATS) with just one day of rest. San Antonio is 17-5 (15-6-1 ATS) after an ATS defeat and 29-9 (24-12-2 ATS) with just one off-day in between games.
Durant shot just 42% from the field in Game 1 (8-for-19 FG), but he did get to the line a dozen times, making 11 free throws. Westbrook attempted just two foul shots all game and did not have a steal. Starting SG Thabo Sefolosha led his team with a +11 rating, posting a well-rounded stat line of seven points (3-of-7 FG), five rebounds, four steals and two assists. PF Serge Ibaka scored just five points in 22 minutes, but did grab seven boards and blocked a couple of shots. The Thunder got great contributions from the bench to stay close in this game though. Oklahoma City’s reserves made 15-of-29 shots, as SG James Harden dumped in 19 points (5-of-9 threes) and PG Derek Fisher scored a playoff-high 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Fisher had averaged just 4.2 PPG on 32% FG in the five-game conference semifinals with the Lakers.
Ginobili’s 9-for-14 shooting day was a bit of a surprise considering how poorly he has shot in the past three seasons against Oklahoma City (24-for-90 FG, 26.7%). His sharpshooting helped offset starting SG Danny Green’s miserable 0-for-6 night (0-for-5 threes). But considering Green’s dead-eye accuracy the last series against the Clippers (12.3 PPG on 56% FG and 11-of-19 threes), he should bounce back with a strong Game 2. SF Kawhi Leonard also had a tough shooting night Sunday at 3-for-9 FG, while posting a game-worst minus-16 rating in his 25 minutes. But like Oklahoma City, the San Antonio bench also helped out in a big way. In addition to Ginobili’s heroics, reserve PG Gary Neal scored 12 points (5-of-9 FG) with a +7 rating, while C Tiago Splitter posted a whopping nine points and six rebounds in just 13 minutes of action.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
