2016 Playoff Hangover (Day 17): Thunder Tie Series With Spurs After Wacky Game 2 Ending

This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Gay/AP.)

#4 ATLANTA HAWKS 93 @ #1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 104
EAST Semifinals – Game 1 – CAVALIERS lead series, 1-0

The Cavaliers were seemingly cruising in this game. They were up by as many as 18 points in the third quarter. But an 11-0 barrage led by Dennis Schroder got the Hawks back in the game. Atlanta kept the pressure on and would eventually take the lead. They were up, 88-87, with about four minutes left to go.

But it all came crashing down on the Hawks afterwards. Schroder, even though he led the comeback, turned the ball over and missed some key jumpers in the last few minutes. Kyrie Irving even snuffed a Schroder lay-up. The Cavs would score 10 straight to steal the game back.

Maybe if Schroder sang lines from a David Hasselhoff song like his fellow German Dirk Nowitzki did, he would’ve done better:

(VIDEO CREDIT: libs76.)

BEHIND THE LINES
LeBron James (CLE): 25 pts, 7 rebs, 9 assts, 5 stls.
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 21 pts, 8 assts.
Kevin Love (CLE): 17 pts, 11 rebs.
Dennis Schroder (ATL): 27 pts, 6 assts.
Kent Bazemore (ATL): 16 pts, 12 rebs.
Paul Millsap (ATL): 17 pts, 13 rebs, 4 blks.

#3 OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 98 @ #2 SAN ANTONIO SPURS 97
WEST Semifinals – Game 2 – Series is TIED, 1-1

The Thunder came out aggressive. Russell Westbrook was attacking early and often. And a combo of OKC playing better help defense and the Spurs missing some easy shots gave the Thunder an early lead.

But the Spurs settled down and gave the ball to LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge continued the work he did from Game 1. He was relentless and the only way he could’ve been stopped was if you gouged his eyes out. The former Blazer was incredible.

What was even more incredible was the last minutes of this game. Kevin Durant made a short jumper to give OKC a five-point lead with 33 seconds left. Aldridge countered with a straightaway three after an AMAZING pass by Tony Parker. Spurs went to the foul game and Russell Westbrook made two free throws. But Serge Ibaka fouled Aldridge with 13.5 seconds left behind the arc. LaMarcus would make all three foul shots that cut the deficit to one.

It set the stage for this bizarre ending:

(VIDEO CREDIT: Ximo Pierto.)

As you saw on that video, there was so much going on there. Manu Ginobili was probably too close to Dion Waiters, who threw in the inbounds pass (that went haywire). You can clearly see Waiters elbow Ginobili out of the way. You can also see that the elbow did not touch Ginobili, who (of course) sold the contact.

After the missed shot, the arm of Steven Adams was grabbed by a FAN! And as you saw on the picture above, Serge Ibaka grabbed Aldridge’s jersey underneath. It was the wildest final sequence in an NBA game in recent memory. There was so much mayhem and so many violations. It was basically this. Also:

And, of course, we get the “you took the cookie but don’t do it again” ruling from the NBA; officials already said they missed the call on that Waiters elbow.

After all of that, I kinda agree with that no-call. So this is what we get when the refs “let them play.” Not everyone’s going to agree with the ruling (or non-ruling) but as it stands, OKC got the win. And I don’t think there’s going to be a do-over on this (although it DOES happen; it happened last in 2008).

Three more things on this:

1) Nobody is talking about Patty Mills missing the go-ahead three.
2) Guys. The Spurs lost at home. It’s only the second time this season they LOST AT HOME.
3) Guys. The Thunder have TIED the series at one after most people thought they stood little to no chance on beating the Spurs. They were proclaimed to be on life support after the Spurs plastered them in Game 1. Now it’s a series! Aren’t you guys excited?!

Hello? Guysh?

BEHIND THE LINES
Kevin Durant (OKC): 28 pts, 7 rebs.
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 29 pts, 7 rebs, 10 assts.
Steven Adams (OKC): 12 pts, 17 rebs.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA): 41 pts, 8 rebs.

WATCH THIS PLAY

Again, this RIDICULOUS pass by Tony Parker to LaMarcus Aldridge for three.

(VIDEO CREDIT: Curtis88.)


Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.

us on FaceBook! Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *