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As of my writing this preview, it seems both the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will have their full rosters for when they face off on Thursday. It’s a Christmas miracle!
If that is the case, Thunder-Spurs will be game of the day; and it just makes sense that this would be a playoff preview in some fashion. The two teams have been the class of the Western Conference for most of recent memory, and if this is some sort of last hurrah for San Antonio, it’ll probably have to go through Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook (my MVP thus far) and the rest of this talented, young Thunder roster.
On paper, I give a slight advantage to the athleticism and youth that OKC poses. That being said, it’s almost completely nullified by coach Gregg Popovich’s brilliant scheme centered on spacing and ball movement. When they’re at their best, no team plays prettier half-court sets than these Spurs. No matter how fast and strong a player is, they cannot move faster than the ball.
Kawhi Leonard is telling those close to him that he feels ready to suit up on Christmas Day, having missed considerable time with a hand injury. His rhythm will definitely be off, but he should have been able to continue conditioning enough to stay in proper shape. Leonard is irreplaceable in this matchup for his ability to guard Durant one-on-one. Yes, the Spurs will show several defensive looks against the game’s most prolific scorer, but they’ll rely heavily on Leonard in this case.
In terms of narratives that might stem from Thursday, it’ll be interesting to see who shoots down the stretch of a close game for Oklahoma City. Westbrook has a much clearer advantage offensively against his counterpart, Tony Parker, but Kevin Durant is Kevin freakin’ Durant. Scott Brooks loves some form of iso-ball during clutch moments, so I look forward to seeing who gets said isos.
Both teams are still figuring themselves out thanks to injuries, so it’s an amazingly even game. As it will be played in San Antonio I give them a slight advantage, though.
Final Score: Spurs 107, Thunder 104
Anthony F. Irwin is an NBA, NFL, MLB and NCAA Football contributor for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. Send him an email at .
