[www.inewsguyana.com] – The San Antonio Spurs are rolling toward a return to the NBA Finals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder look powerless to slow them down.
Tony Parker scored 22 points, Danny Green made seven 3-pointers and added 21, and the Spurs used a dominant third quarter to decimate the Thunder 112-77 on Wednesday night and take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Tim Duncan added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw had 11 points apiece off the bench in San Antonio’s second straight rout.
”We just did our job. We won our first two games at home and I’m sure they’re going to go back and say we have to do our job and win two games at home,” Parker said, recalling that the Spurs blew a 2-0 lead against the Thunder in the 2012 West finals.
Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each had 15 points, but the third-quarter barrage made spectators of both — not that they accomplished much when they did play. The star duo combined to shoot 13 for 40, including 4 for 14 in the third quarter.
Game 3 is Sunday at Oklahoma City, and the Spurs are trying to remind themselves it probably won’t remain this easy.
”Manu said it’s a dangerous win but I believe in our group,” Green said. ”I believe that we have the maturity, the character and the experience to stay focused and not take this win to head.”
Playing without Serge Ibaka and given two days to adjust to dropping Game 1 by 17 points, the Thunder performed worse.
Parker and Green each had eight points in the third quarter as San Antonio outscored Oklahoma City 33-18 in the period.
It was a shocking turn for the Thunder, who started well.
”It definitely doesn’t feel good and it shouldn’t,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. ”I hope our locker doesn’t feel good. You shouldn’t feel good. We got our butts kicked. But we have a good opportunity to come back and win Game 3.”
Oklahoma City opened more aggressive on both ends, especially defensively. The physicality disrupted the Spurs early and frustrated them emotionally.
Duncan was issued a technical with about five minutes left in the first quarter after complaining when Ed Malloy ruled he threw a hip into Durant.
It turned out the Spurs veteran had little to worry about, as the Thunder finished just 4 for 9 on free throws.
The Thunder scored five straight to open the game, with Westbrook’s 3 capping the early run and producing what would become their largest lead of the series at 5-0.
