Spurs dan Thunder Jaga Strategi Jelang Game 5 Final Barat

San Antonio Spurs dan Oklahoma City Thunder bersiap menghadapi laga krusial kelima pada babak final Wilayah Barat playoff NBA yang dijadwalkan berlangsung pada Selasa malam di markas Thunder.

Pertarungan sengit ini terjadi setelah San Antonio Spurs berhasil menyamakan kedudukan menjadi 2-2 lewat kemenangan telak 103-82 atas Oklahoma City Thunder pada pertandingan keempat hari Minggu yang lalu.

Kedua tim tercatat sama-sama memenangkan 60 pertandingan lebih pada musim reguler dan kini mencatatkan statistik akumulatif yang sangat ketat di fase playoff, dengan keunggulan skor tipis untuk Spurs sebesar 446-442.

Pelatih kepala Oklahoma City Thunder, Mark Daigneault, menilai bahwa setiap pertandingan di fase ini selalu dimulai dari awal tanpa terpengaruh oleh hasil pada laga-laga sebelumnya.

"There’s a reason we talk about getting to zero every game. We played great the other night. We went and earned those two wins and none of that carried over and nothing from (Game 4) will carry over in Game 5. That’s a blank slate. We have the same exact opportunity that they do to go get that game." kata Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

Evaluasi menyeluruh kini tengah dilakukan oleh staf pelatih Thunder menyusul performa buruk tim yang mencatatkan 20 kali kehilangan bola serta akurasi tembakan tiga angka yang hanya mencapai 18 persen pada laga keempat.

"We went to him a little bit at different times," ucap Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

"But I just thought the global approach offensively didn’t benefit anybody. It was more of a five-man issue and us holistically." sambung Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

Lini pertahanan elit menjadi sorotan utama mengingat Oklahoma City Thunder memegang predikat pertahanan terbaik nomor satu sementara San Antonio Spurs berada di peringkat ketiga di liga sepanjang musim reguler.

"You have to look at the process in a clear-eyed manner and see what corrections you can make," cetus Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

"And I think some of the turnovers and some of the shooting was a result of the way we played and a result of the way they defended. I’d never take away credit from them. It’s a little bit of both probably. It wasn’t our night, but at the same time we could have been a lot better, and we need to be a lot better in Game 5 if we want to compete in the game." tambah Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

"Nothing from (Sunday) will carry over in Game 5," urai Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

"That’s a blank slate. We have the same exact opportunity that they do to go get that game. So, we’ve got to win the gaps between the game right now. We’ve got to get recovered, get ourselves mentally back to zero, learn the lessons from (Game 5) that we can apply forward and get ourselves ready to go." tutur Mark Daigneault, Pelatih Oklahoma City Thunder.

Di kubu lawan, bintang muda San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, mengemas 33 poin, delapan rebound, lima assist, tiga blok, dan dua steal pada gim keempat untuk membawa timnya bangkit meraih kemenangan.

"There’s definitely similarities, as in any strategy game," ungkap Victor Wembanyama, Penyerang San Antonio Spurs.

"It’s fun. It’s very fun. In the playoffs at some point, especially when a series drags on, everybody knows the other team almost by heart. … I would say the coaches hold a lot of this load of the chess match, the coaching staff, all the strategy, it’s a lot." jelas Victor Wembanyama, Penyerang San Antonio Spurs.

Kondisi kebugaran pemain turut membayangi jalannya seri ini karena penyerang andalan Oklahoma City Thunder, Jalen Williams, masih diragukan tampil akibat cedera hamstring kiri yang dideritanya sejak beberapa laga sebelumnya.

"The series is 2-2 and basically zero-zero and it’s first to two games now," sebut Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Pengawal Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I mean, it’s not at the front of our mind, but it is a fact and it is the reality of where we are." timpal Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Pengawal Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ketegangan internal Spurs sempat memuncak pasca-kekalahan di gim ketiga, memicu kedatangan mengejutkan dari Presiden klub Gregg Popovich ke ruang ganti guna memberikan teguran keras bagi seluruh elemen tim.

"Best perimeter defender in the league," puji Devin Vassell, Pengawal San Antonio Spurs.

"And he holds himself to that standard. He buys in all the time. He’s physical. He knows how to slide his feet, has quick hands and is just a pest the whole game. You don’t want to get beat up all game – getting hit, getting hit, getting hit, and that’s what Steph does." lanjut Devin Vassell, Pengawal San Antonio Spurs.

"Pop’s been around throughout the course of the season, but that was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, ‘Nah, that’s BS. That’s not how we play basketball,’" ungkap De'Aaron Fox, Pengawal San Antonio Spurs.

"And obviously, he had some choice words for it, but that was the first time all season that he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt. And everybody felt" pungkas De'Aaron Fox, Pengawal San Antonio Spurs.