The Oklahoma City Thunder welcome in the San Antonio Spurs for a fight atop the Western Conference. These teams are separated by just 1.5 activities in the rankings. They met in the Western Conference Finals last year, and the conference title will probably be a between them again this year. San Antonio has got the advantage in this season's line. The Spurs won the first and third games, which came in the home in the AT&T Center. When it comes to energy, both have gone 7-3 within their last 10 games. It's impossible to see much huge difference in those two groups. They have had good standard times yet again, and an incident might be made that either ought to be favorites for the NBA title. This game may have a genuine playoff sense. Listed here is a survey with this significant West game. Where: Chesapeake Power Market, Oklahoma City When: Thursday, April 4, 2013 Watch: TNT Stay Stream: Basketball Category Move Records: San Antonio Spurs (56-19) at Oklahoma City Thunder (54-20) Spurs Injury Report (thanks to CBS Sports) Manu Ginobili, Hamstring Mastery Injury Report (courtesy of CBS Sports) Nothing Key Storyline: European Conference Supremacy Christian Petersen/Getty Pictures For some of the season, those two have been the school of the West. There is this time the Los Angeles Clippers looked like the team to beat, nevertheless they have since dropped off. It's not impossible for either the Spurs or Thunder to slip into third place, but it is extremely unlikely now. Finishing first would ensure a likely first-round matchup with the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets. 2nd area would mean the Utah Jazz or La Lakers. For Oklahoma City, the utmost effective of the West standings was exactly where it expected to be. As soon as Kevin Durant looked into the camera walking off the courtroom in the NBA Finals, it was believed their revenge would be got by the Thunder on the Miami Heat. It is somewhat different for the Spurs. Seemingly every year for the last decade now, we have been reading about how exactly San Antonio is too old to keep at the very top team and this is the year it comes off. Perhaps that'll be next year since the Spurs have already been methodical inside their success in 2013. There is some thing physical about the way Gregg Popovich continues to possess this team winning. Important Matchup: Kawhi Leonard compared to. Kevin Durant Streeter Lecka/Getty Photographs This needless to say could be predicated on Kawhi Leonard really playing. He didn't suit facing the Magic on Wednesday night due to a painful knee. The Spurs may absolutely need his power to help counteract Durant, that's arriving since the league's leading scorer. In his three games against the Spurs this year, Durant is calculating just 22.7 details, which really is a little over five below his season average. It's not as if San Antonio has always given him fits, but this year has been successful for the staff because regard. Nevertheless, as odd as it seems, it might really be better if Durant doesn't stop. He is calculating more points and helps in OKC's 20 losses than he's in their 54 victories. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Leonard has been the high-energy person who perfectly suits the experienced leadership of the Spurs. He and Kenneth Faried need to lead the group in distance traveled on the court. Edge security is a key tool for Leonard. He brings the team in bargains, at 1.7, and his defensive win stocks is fourth on the team. He's got the athleticism to handle Durant from that standpoint, but he obviously does not match up talent-wise. Durant is gonna select 20-plus. That much is a given. It's merely a matter of creating sure these details don't are available in crunch time when the sport is on the point. Prediction The Thunder are likely to be renewed with this one. Their last game was on Sunday contrary to the Milwaukee Bucks. San Antonio must cope with the 2nd fifty per cent of a back-to-back, so OKC gets the benefit there. That is planning to drop to a battle of the frontcourts. You've got the trio of Durant, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins rising against Leonard, Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter. Playing at home is likely to be type in this sport, as Oklahoma City and San Antonio have near identical home and road splits. The Thunder and Spurs are both 32-5 in the home. The Thunder obtain the side with the overall game in OKC, and Durant and Ibaka will have big games. The last two matchups between these teams were both decided by double digits. This is a sport, with Oklahoma City pulling away late. Prediction: Oklahoma City 99, San Antonio 88
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