If one of the two megastars are missing -- as in the 2013 playoffs or a lot of of the 2014-15 analysis -- it becomes a crisis. Otherwise, it's beneath affecting and consuming, but still important.In the beauteous alternation win over the Spurs, the acknowledgment to that riddle was alternately Steven Adams (feasting on Westbrook pick-and-roll deliveries), Dion Waiters and Kanter (who ate up the Spurs' autogenous defense).
Adams and Kanter are bigger bets than Waiters in the alternation with Golden State; the Thunder big men can abuse babyish lineups, while Waiters has a addiction to get big eyes and the Warriors accept a deluge of solid accession defenders. The Thunder should be analytic for lots of Kanter cavalcade moves on Marreese Speights, not Waiters dribble-drives adjoin Shaun Livingston.
Defense is what ultimately writes the Thunder's fate. The adequate ceremony is the OKC attrition was astounding backward in the alternation adjoin San Antonio. The Spurs were No. 4 in aperture in the approved season, abaft Golden State, OKC and Cleveland.However, San Antonio's beforehand is not as almighty as what the Thunder will see in the next round. The Spurs aperture was commonly abundant this season,
with LaMarcus Aldridge in the post, Kawhi Leonard demography attainable threes and accepted pick-and-roll play with added brawl movement. The Warriors are accession barbarian entirely. Ibaka, in particular, will be asked to do so abundant to basset Draymond Blooming and agitate Stephen Curry. Roberson will be run ragged, and Westbrook will not be able to crop abounding arresting backing off afterwards it costing the Thunder dearly.Ibaka's accelerate in capability over the able brace seasons could arise to roost in this series.