Have the Thunder found the formula?

It was a big win in many ways, but it was just one win and the Oklahoma Cty Thunder know it. True, they blew out the San Antonio Spurs by 20 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to break into the win column, but the job isn’t done yet.

From 31-28 midway through the second quarter, the Thunder reeled off a 9-2 run, they built on that with more streaks to end with a 13-point lead at halftime. It was really their defense that stymied the Spurs, who are perhaps the best in executing their offense. Many things were vastly different in Game 3, most importantly the final score, only the third time the Spurs have been held below 100 since their winning streak began.

In Game 2, the Spurs took 42 shots within 15 feet of the basket, making 27. Not only is that a massive 64 percent, it is also an indication of tremendous discipline. In that game, San Antonio made 43 of 78 shots. Combining those to facts, that means they made sure more than half their shots were easy baskets. In Game 3, those numbers were down to 30 of 76 for a mere 40 percent shooting clip. In the first two games, the Spurs averaged 46 points in the paint; in Game 3, they were only allowed 24.

The last couple of years, San Antonio has also pushed the ball up more, and it has done wonders for the confidence of the supporting cast. In the post-season, San Antonio basically has five players in double figures: Parker (20.5 ppg), Duncan (16.8 ppg), Ginobili (13.6 ppg), Danny Green (9.3 ppg) and Kawhi Leonard (9.3 ppg). In Game 3, all those numbers were all down. Parker had just 16; Duncan scored 11, Ginobili only 8. Green and Leonard combined for five points.

The reverse happened. It was the Thunder who had five players in double figures in Game 3: Kevin Durant had 22 points, Thabo Sefolosha tallied 19, James Harden scored 15, Serge Ibaka registered 14 and Russell Westbrook managed 10. The Thunder found their flow as the Spurs floundered, hitting open shots and getting dunks. And even when San Antonio threatened through Stephen Jackson’s three-point shooting, Oklahoma was unperturbed.

How did OKC sap the power from the Spurs’ offense? They rechanneled their athletic ability on the defensive end. More active switching, attacking the ballhandler. Sefolosha sent the message early, getting four steals in the first three minutes. Rattling the backcourt of San Antonio early in the match was game-changing. This is, after all, a team run by Tony Parker. The Thunder also showed some patience on D. The Spurs normally run Parker off multiple screens, or reset if he gets the ball and the defense doesn’t give him any openings. This time, the pick and roll didn’t work because Oklahoma was quick to switch. It wasn’t a question of size, but defensive presence has made the difference.

In a way, the Spurs will be playing with less pressure in Game 4. They set a new record for carryover wins from the regular season to the playoffs with 20, and were one game away from tying the Los Angeles Lakers’ record 11 straight playoff wins. With that gone, they can refocus on winning one in Chesapeake Energy Arena, and move within one game of another Finals appearance. The challenge will be for OKC to play that well again, especially when San Antonio makes the adjustments. Perhaps Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will tell his boys to get “nasty” again.

Popovich took Duncan and Parker out towards the end of the third quarter and didn’t see any reason to put them back into the game. More than the score, it was an acceptance of the fact that he would not be able to change the outcome, and it might not have been worth it even if they had scraped back for a win. Pushing his starters could have impacted the rest of the series. One step back, two steps forward. Popovich is always thinking big picture.

For the Thunder to tie the series, they have to keep forcing San Antonio away from their sweet spots, play better defense off the ball, and spread their offense around again. All season long, they’ve been beating teams with individual quickness and dribbling instead of passing, playground style. In Game 3, they showed they could also move the ball well, accounting for 23 assists, up from their playoff average of 20 and their regular-season norm of 18.5.

The Thunder are an exceptional rebounding team and have more athletic ability. Their goal is to keep the Spurs from setting their own tempo. Can OKC improve their shot selection and balance? Can they borrow a page from the Spurs and be more deliberate in their thinking and execution?