Why San Antonio Spurs Will Shatter OKC Thunder NBA Finals Dream

The Oklahoma City Thunder are running away with the best record in the Western Conference. That doesn't mean it's time to stamp their tickets to the NBA Finals, though. Playoff basketball and regular-season basketball are different animals. 

In fact, there are some pretty big warning signs for the Thunder that indicate they won't make it to the Finals. There are some commonalities in the Thunder's losses that indicate, should they run up against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs, they might not even survive that series. 

In all six of their losses there are three things that are in common: The Thunder 1) took fewer field goal attempts, 2) turned the ball over more often, and 3) gave up more three-point field goals. 

It just so happens these are three things that the Spurs do well. They are second in the NBA in turnover percentage. They are fifth in the NBA in terms of field goal attempts per game. They are fifth in the NBA in three-pointers made. 

They also have arguably the smartest coach in the NBA in Gregg Popovich, who is going to be aware of this and do everything they can to exploit it. 

On top of that, the Thunder have been a weak defensive team for the most part this season or, at the very least, average. They are 15th in the NBA in defensive rating right now. Only two teams, the 2002 Lakers and the 1993 Rockets, have ever had a defense worse than that and won the NBA title. 

In both of those cases the team in question had the most dominant center in the NBA at the time. The Thunder don't have that. 

Against a team like the Spurs, which has the offense to match with Oklahoma City, that's going to make things difficult for the Thunder in a seven-game series. 

Should the Thunder meet the Spurs in the playoffs, look for San Antonio to be the winner. The Spurs have the team and the mentality to get past the Thunder.