Thunder Lost Heart in San Antonio

Photo Courtesy of Newsday.com

Rememeber how we were all brushing Game 1 off as just one game? Remember how "all San Antonio did was win the first game?"

Well, so much for that. Let's take the time to push the panic button for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In two games, NBA MVP Kevin Durant and his crew have been beaten all over the AT&T Center by the San Antonio Spurs by an average of 26 points.

The Thunder haven't done much right to really warrant anyone to give them a chance...even with them going home. In two games, OKC has gone 72-of-169 from the field. For those of you who like the full breakdown rather than doing the math yourselves, they shot 42.6 percent in San Antonio. Here's the thing. It's not that the Spurs did anything special. They didn't completely clamp down on Oklahoma City. The Thunder just aren't executing their offense, taking care of the ball or playing great defense.

Danny Green made five more 3's than OKC's entire team tonight. OKC shot 2-of-20 (10%) from distance.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) May 22, 2014

I likened the Spurs to that old guy who you always find at the park shooting hoops. He'll play with anybody and he's not going anywhere. Chances are he's a lot better than you think he is and he'll beat you by double digits if you're not careful. The Spurs have the experience to know what it takes to get to the NBA Finals and how to deal with pressure in a series as big as this one and it showed. San Antonio Having two games like these gives the Spurs all the confidence in the world and zero to the Thunder as they head home.

Photo Courtesy of Newsday.com

Two things need to be pointed out here. First, Oklahoma City misses Serge Ibaka tremendously. His presence on the court gives the Thunder a boost on defense. It also keeps the Thunder's chemistry intact. Ibaka's calf injury is a big blow and it could be part of the reason that OKC is down 2-0. Whatever else is ailing Scott Brooks and his team, they're going to have to get over it...fast. The Thunder will need every measure of confidence they can muster up for these next two games. It might help if they were able to come up with a couple of double-digit wins themselves. Yeah, a win by one is just as a win by 31, but I think Oklahoma City needs to know they can beat San Antonio by a respectable margin if this is going to remain a series.

I still believe that my teammates are gonna make it happen #ThunderUp
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka9) May 22, 2014

I'm glad somebody does because I don't know if the Thunder are mentally capable of putting those two games behind them...especially if Ibaka can't go. Look for the Spurs not to change much of anything in OKC. Hell, they may even sweep. But I'm not willing to go out on that limb just yet.