NBA Playoffs 2012: 4 Things Oklahoma City Thunder Should Learn from San Antonio

Oklahoma City and San Antonio are very similar franchises. They're both the cream of the crop in their conference, both have a loyal fanbase due to their existence as the only major sports franchise in town and both expect to move on to the NBA Finals following their bout in the Western Conference Finals this year.

When the Spurs and Thunder face off in the coming week, it will be the old guard vs. the new order. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have been doing it for years. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden might be the best "Big Three" in the league.

However, the young guns in OKC will have their hands full with the abbreviated pace and controlled environment San Antonio fosters down IH-35 between the two opponents.

This series could go down to the wire. Since San Antonio is one of the more veteran squads in the league, here's four things OKC can learn from their counterpart in order to move on to the championship round.

Move the Ball on Offense

San Antonio has the crispest offense in the league. Their players are seemingly always in position for a wide open three-pointer or an uncontested layup off a Tony Parker drive-and-dish.

They do that with penetration and ball movement. Rarely do you see anyone other than Tim Duncan go one-on-one, and let's be honest—Tim's earned that right.

The majority of San Antonio's offense comes from ball reversal, pick-and-roll and unselfish play. It's what makes guys like Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard so valuable to the team, not to mention Stephen Jackson and Manu Ginobili.

The Thunder's Big Three (Durant, Westbrook, Harden) take the majority of OKC's shots. That's great when they're all on, but what is going to happen when Westbrooks' 18-foot jumper is off, and Durant is forcing it? The Thunder can take a page out of San Antonio's manual and spread the ball more evenly on offense.

Curb the Enthusiasm

For the record, I love emotion in sports. I hate technical fouls in today's NBA because a guy dunked the ball too hard or showed too much fire on a big play.

However, I think OKC is riding the wave a little bit too much here. The story is the difference between the Spurs and Thunder's bench. Every basket that the Thunder make, you'll see a flurry of movement from Cole Aldrich and the rest of the gang.

In San Antonio, it's expected that good offense and good defense be a part of every game. If they aren't, there's more reason to stand when the big plays finally start happening. Again, I love the fire and intensity OKC brings to the table, but it's beginning to get watered down.

Pick your moments, Thunder. It might help out in the long run, as that emotion can be fueled into a late game-winner or clutch moment.

Late-Game Execution

The Thunder struggled to close out games against the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks in the NBA playoffs in 2011, but have had no problems during the first two rounds against the Mavs and the Los Angeles Lakers.

One of the best teams in the league at closing out games, especially in terms of execution, is the Spurs. While the Thunder haven't had any problems yet, they might find some in the suffocating late-game defense San Antonio has patented over the years.

While San Antonio is a decidedly less intimidating defensive squad than they used to be, there's no doubt they can dial it back and turn up the heat when they need to.

To win this series, OKC can take a page out of the Spurs' playbook and focus on solid possessions and quality shots over the course of the last quarter. If they do that, their athleticism and scoring punch might just trump the Spurs by the end of the series.

Play Thunder Ball

From all the "lessons" and advice the Thunder can take when they challenge the Spurs, it won't mean anything if they don't focus on what's got them this far: playing their game.

It's all about adjustments and coaching at this stage of the game. OKC will come ready to play. Bet that San Antonio will, too. This series is going to be a fun one to watch, and the Thunder will bring their high-intensity, high-octane offense to square off against anyone who wants to challenge them.

But this NBA is about finding a system that works, and following it. San Antonio is the poster child for this idea, and many people hate watching them play. Who cares? They win ballgames.

The little adjustments like knowing when to celebrate and finding a late-game execution system will be worked on. The Thunder just need to play their game.