What Adjustments Should Thunder Make For Game 6?

[jonathanlambert33]

As I stated in a previous post, the Spurs shot 70.4% at the rim last night in Game 5. They only shot 44.7% combined in Games 3 and 4, after the return of Serge Ibaka. Obviously the sticking point here was the increased work load of Matt Bonner and Boris Diaw, and the decreased workload of Tiago Splitter and Aron Baynes.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Not really sure what change they can make to prevent the Spurs from stretching Ibaka out of the paint. put Ibaka on Duncan instead? Idk, didn't get a chance to see most of the game. 

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Brooks isn't going to sit Perkins, so lets just get that out of the way. If he hasn't done it by now, he's not going to do it.

I see a lot of people talking about how the Spurs stretched him out of the paint, but nobody is talking about the other things the Spurs did. They actually forced him to play perimeter defense. They (the Spurs) really didn't change what they did personnel wise too much, but how they used that personnel was where the change happened:

Here you already see Ibaka hesitant to come out and defend Diaw on the perimeter. This isn't any different from what happened in Game 4, but this time the Spurs noticed it and led to more minutes for Bonner/Diaw and they were also both more aggressive than you would normally see them:

But like I said, they were both more aggressive and weren't shy to pull the trigger. But they also both put the ball on the floor on a few occasions:

This was the big theme of the game. Spurs dribble penetration leading to kick outs. They got open shots, but also used these kick outs to get to the rim again.

Here you see out of the slob the Spurs break right into horns. This is a beautifully drawn up play.

Diaw then runs to spot up, effectively switching Ibaka and Perkins defensively after Parker uses both ball screens:

Now you have Perkins and/or Ibaka wandering so far off of Diaw off the ball screen it leaves him wide open:

HERE is that play live.

They can't switch screens and force him to defend Tony Parker one-on-one on the perimeter:

This leads to more problems than just Ibaka on Parker, but it also leaves a San Antonio big on a OKC guard. Advantage San Antonio on the boards.

They can't allow the Spurs to drag Ibaka this far across the court on dribble handoffs:

So in recap, I fully expect to see more of Ibaka on Duncan tonight. OKC did make that adjustment in the 2nd half of Game 5. But there will still be times when Ibaka is on the court with Perkins which will lead to him having to defend out on the perimeter.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Ah, that makes sense. I was thinking they might keep Ibaka on Duncan, didn't know if they did it in the second half of Game 5. Glad I'll be able to stay up for the entirety of this one. 
 
When people say they stretched Ibaka on the floor, they meant exactly what you said -- forced him to play perimeter D and got him out of the lane. I don't think Bonner even took a 3, but he had to be guarded out there. 
 
 
Also, I and i assume most people don't expect Perkins to sit. There's a difference between what Brooks should do, and what he will do.