SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spurs fans were expecting a Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it is safe to say not too many, if any, expected what happened Saturday night in the AT&T Center. The Spurs blew out the Thunder 124-92.
After a week off of rest and practice, the Spurs came out on fire, especially LaMarcus Aldridge who finished with 38 points.
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"It was just one of those games. Shots were falling for me and my teammates were looking for me," Aldridge said.
The Spurs shot a scorching 81 percent in the first quarter. Aldridge lead the way with 15.
San Antonio scored 43 tying a franchise high for points in a quarter in the playoffs. That also included 18 field goals, tying another playoff record.
The second quarter was just more of the same, a lot more Aldridge and some more Kawhi Leonard.
By the time the quarter was over, the Spurs lead was up to 33 ,73-40, at the half.
The Spurs then blew it open in the third and got the lead to 43.
Aldridge got just about any shot he wanted throughout the night. It didn't matter who was guarding him, Steven Adams to Serge Ibaka.
Aldridge hit turnaround fade aways and he drove to the basket. Aldridge threw one up as he was falling down and it went in, and then to top it off he hit a one legged 3-pointer from the corner. He first three pointer of the season after going 0-16.
"Pretty bad actually, because I worked on it all summer and all year, and I took some better ones during the season that I felt were pretty good. I caught it nasty, I didn't even shoot it right and it went in, I was kind of bittersweet for me, for sure," said Aldridge.
He scored those 38 points on 18-23 shooting in just 30 minutes.
"We have to look at film and see what adjustments we have to make," said Kevin Durant. “Make it tough on him."
"Aldridge got hot early, kind of set the tone for the rest of the game, we didn't really make any adjustment after that," said Andre Roberson.
Part of the reason the scoring was so good was ball movement. San Antonio had 39 assists on 51 shots. Tony Parker had 12 assists.
"We moved the ball really well, obviously, we're a very unselfish team so it was great to kind of move the ball and collapse the defense," said Duncan, who contributed 8 points.
While Leonard knocked down 25 points. Another standout for the Spurs was Danny Green who found his 3-point shot going 5 for 6 and scoring 18.
"It felt good to get a rhythm, to get some good looks out there," Green said.
Green even got fouled on a made three and completed the three point play. Matter of fact, the Thunder fouled four three point shooters in the first half.
The opposite was true for the Thunder. Their two top shooters could never find their rhythm thanks to a tough Spurs defense.
The Spurs packed the paint and made it tough for Westbrook to get to the rim. Westbrook and Durant combined for just 30 points.
"A lot of my shots I missed at the basket against the bigs. I was able to get to my spots, I just missed some layups," said Westbrook who was 5 of 19 for 14 points.
Even though it was a lopsided win for the Spurs it was only one win in a best of seven series.
"It was only one game. Those guys are very talented so they are going to come back even better next game," Aldridge said.
"They only won one game on their home court and now we have to get ready for Game 2 and try to steal one here," Westbrook said.
Game two is set for Monday night at 8:30 at the AT&T Center.