NBA Playoffs 2012: Adjustments Oklahoma City Thunder Must Make to Get Past Spurs

While the final score from Game 1 may not tell the entire story, there is no denying the San Antonio Spurs took it to the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially in the fourth quarter.

Down the stretch, Manu Ginobili displayed veteran savvy over the younger James Harden. Ginobili was able to get to the basket at will, totaling up 26 points in the 101-98 Spurs victory.

However slim the end margin was, the Spurs essentially clocked the young Thunder team in the fourth quarter, dropping 39 points in the final frame. In that fourth quarter, the Spurs were able to overcome 17 turnovers, giving up 17 fast-break points and being blocked nine times in order to surmount their comeback from a deficit that reached nine at one point in the game.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wanted some nasty, and his veteran team gave it to him when it mattered the most.

Heading into game two tonight, Oklahoma City has to remain optimistic about its chances in this sure-to-be-exciting series, having only lost by three after getting demolished for the final 12 minutes. While they have nothing to hang their heads over, the Thunder must also right the ship and learn from their mistakes to pull off the win tonight.

So, what exactly do the Thunder need to improve upon for Game 2?

Penetration defense

Oklahoma City possesses some of the quickest feet in the league, yet, their defense was picked apart by the penetrating ability of Ginobili and Tony Parker. Not only did those two dissect the Thunder interior defense, they brought to light a glaring hole in the Thunder's otherwise great defense: weakside help.

To put it into perspective, the Spurs outscored the Thunder in points in the paint by a score of 50-26.  Oklahoma City doesn't have the strongest interior defense in the league, but with Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka patrolling the paint, smaller players such as Parker and Ginobili should not have a field day like they had in Game 1.

Except, it is not solely up to the bigs to stop inside scoring. Some of the pressure must be alleviated from the primary defender to ensure their man doesn't have that opportunity to get to the paint. That leaves guards such as Russell Westbrook, James Harden and even Kevin Durant to become more aggressive on the defensive end. 

There is no denying the abilities of the Spurs guards, but the Thunder guards are no slouches on the defensive end—usually.  Sunday night proved to be a different story in the fourth quarter and now Oklahoma City must correct this issue above all else.

Take advantage of Spurs miscues

San Antonio is not commonly known for turning the ball over. As a team, the Spurs averaged only 13 per game, one of the best margins in the NBA throughout the season. 

By halftime in Game 1, the Spurs had their season average of 13 turnovers. 

Unfortunately for the Thunder, they were not able to capitalize off those turnovers all game. Of the 17 Spurs turnovers in the game, the Thunder managed only 10 points. In hindsight, Oklahoma City left, at least, 24 points waiting to be taken for the Spurs' mistakes. 

When a veteran, smart team like the Spurs gives you opportunity after opportunity to take firm control of the game, you must attack and make it pay for its mistakes. Oklahoma City did not do this in the first half, having 13 chances to do so. And in the second half when San Antonio turned it over only four times, those missed opportunities caught up to the Thunder.

If the Spurs are going to cough up the ball like they did in the first game, Oklahoma City needs to take advantage of that to take Game 2.

Urgency on the boards

San Antonio is known for its technically sound style of play. Along with that kind of play comes the urgency to control the boards. Tim Duncan, Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard combine for a very versatile frontline for the Spurs and combined for 24 rebounds while the Thunder frontline of Perkins, Ibaka and Durant combined for 19.

Doesn't sound like a huge differential, does it?

Well, when you consider the height and athleticism advantage of the Thunder's bigs, this difference is inexcusable if Oklahoma City wants to have a fighter's chance in the rest of the series. Possibly even more disappointing is the fact that Perkins, playing the center position, managed two rebounds. Two rebounds from your starting center is not going to cut it.  Especially not if you are going to have a chance against a very well-coached, motivated group of players that the Spurs have. 

Also worth noting is the fact that DeJuan Blair, one of the hardest working little-big men in the league, didn't even play in the game.  Blair has given the Thunder fits since he entered the league. 

Oklahoma City has the talent to rebound, but now it must prove it can do it.

Close out the game

Overall, the Oklahoma City Thunder did a great job in Game 1. 

They got great contributions, as they always do, from Durant, Westbrook and Harden. Also, Derek Fisher stepped up in a big way, scoring 13 points in 23 minutes off the bench. 

After that, though, no other player scored more than seven. 

Losing by only three in Game 1 is remarkable considering the horrible defensive effort in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City held a nine-point lead at one point in the third quarter, but also saw itself down 10 with only a few minutes left in the game. 

If Oklahoma City can gain a substantial lead and, this time, keep the Spurs from making that great comeback like they did Sunday, the Thunder can take Game 2 and possibly the series. 

These are just a few of the minor things the Thunder need to make adjustments on in order to get back into this series. Actually, there are no real major holes in their game, it's just a matter of tightening up the loose ends of their overall game to come away with a victory.

This series is far from over, and if Oklahoma City can correct its mistakes from Game 1, this could get very interesting.