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11/02/2024 02:29:20 pm

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NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs Looking to Extend Series Lead, Oklahoma City Thunder to Bounce Back in Game 2

lamarcus aldridge

(Photo : gettyimages.com) LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 38 points in the Game 1.

The San Antonio Spurs will be looking to stretch their lead in the Western Conference Semifinals when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder for Game two of their best-of-seven second round series at the AT&T Center on Monday night.

The second-seeded Spurs currently have a 1-0 series advantage after demolishing the third-seeded Oklahoma City with a 124-92 victory to take the opening game of their series.

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The top defensive team in the league is once again expected to give Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook a hard time on both ends of the court and take a comfortable 2-0 lead before the series shifts to the Thunder's home ground for games three and four on May 6 and 8.

All-Stars Durant and Westbrook were limited to just 30 combined points and were held to a shaky 11 for 34 shooting from the field. The duo was averaging a total of 52.0 points per contest in the first round of the postseason.

LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored a game-high 38 points in the Game one, is expected to lead the Spurs together with the league's top defense specialist Kawhi Leonard, who still managed to produce 25 points while shouldering the tough assignment of guarding the NBA's triple-double leader Westbrook.

"They do a good job of helping," Westbrook, who was limited to 14 points and nine assists, said. "Most of the time it's help-side defender. Me personally, I never look at the guy in front of me. I look at the help see what's the next move. Not a big problem, just got to find ways to read the help a little bit better, and make better decisions."

Oklahoma City is expected to make adjustments on how they would stop Aldridge and find ways to outplay the tight defense of Leonard and the rest of the Spurs. Durant and Westbrook are likely to be more aggressive and with more intensity as they seek victory in Game two.

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