Yesterday’s action saw another team eliminated from the NBA Championship race, with the Portland Trail Blazers losing 4-1 in their series against the Golden State Warriors. With both respective number one seeds now safely through to the Conference Finals, the focus remains on their opposition. Toronto hold a 3-2 lead over Miami, with tomorrow’s Game 6 in South Beach, while today’s game sees the Oklahoma City Thunder with a chance to oust the heavily-favoured San Antonio Spurs. In what has been a series of changing fortunes, can the Spurs force a Game 7 at AT&T Center… or will the Thunder complete the upset at home?
San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder
The Big Dog has said this on a few occasions during the season… but now-and-then you come across a game where statistical analysis can be considered secondary to historical knowledge of a franchise, its culture and the players’ ability to stand up when it counts the most. Never has this been more true than when looking at the San Antonio Spurs and their Game 6 predicament. Fresh off of winning a franchise-record 67 games in the regular season and currently making their 19th consecutive appearance in the playoffs, the Spurs trail the Oklahoma City Thunder 3-2 and must win at Chesapeake Energy Arena to force their way to a Game 7. Game to game, this series has been virtually impossible to pick. The Spurs began in devastating fashion, winning Game 1 by 32 points, before three of the next four games would be decided by four or less points. What will no doubt trouble them the most about the three losses is the undeniable chances they had to win each game. From the calamity of Game 2 that ended in a missed Patty Mills three-pointer, to holding fourth-quarter leads in games four and five. Ironically, the Thunder had lost more games when leading at three-quarter time than any other franchise, during the regular season. A trend that they certainly appear to have reversed at precisely the right time. With all that being said, The Big Dog is a true believer in this San Antonio Spurs team. They will no doubt be considerably upset at being in this position and if the rest of the team buys into Danny Green’s philosophy that the Spurs will “play angry” in Game 6, there’s every possibility that the series goes to a Game 7, where it will again be advantage San Antonio.
Selection
San Antonio Spurs -1.5 @ $1.95 (William Hill)
Tools
Results Spreadsheet
