OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) â€" As Manu Ginobili was finishing up his answer to a reporter’s question, Tony Parker walked up behind him, put both hands on his shoulders and provided his teammate an escape.
“Great job, Manu,†Parker said, having heard hardly a word of Ginobili’s five-minute, question-and-answer session.
After losing for the first time since mid-April, it was time for the San Antonio Spurs to face an entirely different set of questions Friday with their Western Conference finals lead over Oklahoma City cut to 2-1.
No longer was the talk about whether the Spurs â€" riding a 20-game winning streak less than 24 hours earlier â€" were invincible. It was about how San Antonio could regroup following a 102-82 blowout loss in time to face Game 4 in Oklahoma City on Saturday night.
“Usually it’s easier to refocus after a loss than after a win. Players usually have a tendency after winning a few games to relax or feel complacent. In the past, we’ve reacted really well to wins. We’ll see now how we do against losses,†said Ginobili, held to eight points in Game 3 after totaling 46 through the first two games. “Even if we react well, it’s a tough place to win and they are a great team.â€
The Thunder limited the output of San Antonio’s best backcourt players by deploying 6-foot-7 Thabo Sefolosha to use his five-inch height advantage and wingspan to corral Parker, and by changing up their defense on the Spurs’ pick-and-roll attack.
Source:Â Â ESPN
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