On the evening of April 18th, all of the NBA playoffs first-round matchups concluded. There were no upsets, as the regular season records already reflected the strength of each team.
The top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference all easily won at home. The Heat, favored by many before the game, were completely suppressed by the Boston Celtics' Big Three. The two teams engaged in a physical battle, and in the end, the Boston Celtics, playing at home, emerged victorious with a score of 85-76.
Apart from the Lakers vs. Trail Blazers game, the Western Conference battles were quite intense. The Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets played until three minutes left in the fourth quarter. It was only thanks to a breakout performance by Jason Terry that the Mavericks managed a difficult win at home.
The Phoenix Suns, however, suppressed the Denver Nuggets. Nash and Stoudemire's pick-and-rolls made the Denver Nuggets' defense suffer. The combination of Boozer and Okur ultimately couldn't withstand Stoudemire's onslaught, and the Phoenix Suns successfully defended their home court.
What surprised everyone the most was that the Thunder, making their first playoffs appearance with all core players being rookies, actually defeated the San Antonio Spurs by a large margin at home, scoring a terrifying 121 points.
America's media almost dropped their jaws. This was the San Antonio Spurs! The GDP combination played with all members. Even with Tim Duncan efficiently scoring 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists on 12-of-20 shooting and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line, the San Antonio Spurs were utterly helpless.
Shortly after the Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs game ended, the TNT program began analyzing this unexpected match. In addition to the two basketball commentators, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller also joined the show.
"28 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 12-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, 5 assists, and only two turnovers. My God! Are you sure Kayce is playing in the playoffs?"
Charles Barkley exclaimed loudly with a look of surprise after reading Kayce's stats in his hand.
"28 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 10-of-18 from the field, 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Kevin Durant's performance in this game was also impeccable, apart from going 0-for-4 from three-point range!"
"Plus Russell Westbrook's 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers, the Thunder's trio scored a crazy 78 points. Their performance was truly insane, man. Did you ever expect something like this to happen before?"
Kenny Smith also looked at the stats in his hand with extreme surprise, then tossed the topic to Reggie Miller beside him.
"Actually, I'm not too surprised by the Thunder's performance. I know Kayce. Although he's still young, he knows how to lead a team, how to make his teammates better, and he can perfectly execute all of Coaching Staff's tactical arrangements."
"What I didn't expect was the way the San Antonio Spurs lost. Tim Duncan had 6 turnovers, and Manu Ginobili also had 5 turnovers. Statistically, the San Antonio Spurs had a high of 18 turnovers, while the Thunder only had 11. This was the key to the game."
Reggie Miller had only briefly watched the full game highlights before the show. It wasn't until he saw the stat sheet in his hand that he was surprised to find the San Antonio Spurs' turnovers were so high.
"Our director team quickly put together some clips of the San Antonio Spurs' outside shooting. We can take a quick look. Oh! My God, continuous open three-point opportunities, and the San Antonio Spurs only made 3 of 19 shots."
Kenny Smith watched the edited game footage while complaining about the San Antonio Spurs' terrible performance.
"Reggie, as a legendary shooter, what are your thoughts on the San Antonio Spurs' outside shooting performance like this?"
Reggie Miller heard Kenny Smith's question, thought for a moment, and then began to speak:
"I think it has to do with the game's pace and the defensive pressure they faced. I haven't watched the game in detail yet, but just from the stats, the Thunder's high number of shots also indicates they pushed the pace incredibly fast."
"Defensive pressure is also easy to understand. We're all former players. When you're fully defending and constantly battling against the opponent's offensive players, your outside shooting can be affected. Your body, your muscles, and your shooting touch can all go wrong."
Reggie Miller briefly explained the possible situation for the San Antonio Spurs.
"I somewhat understand what you mean. You're saying the San Antonio Spurs faced too much defensive pressure, which led to their poor outside shooting. That situation is incredible; their opponent is a team full of rookies!"
Kenny Smith also agreed with Reggie Miller's point of view; otherwise, he truly couldn't explain why the San Antonio Spurs' outside shooting was so cold.
"Rookies also have different levels, and it's clear that the Thunder's three rookies are all historic. Especially Kayce's performance, he has elevated himself to another level on both ends of the court. This really reminds me of Michael Jordan."
Charles Barkley was already won over by Kayce's performance.
"Perhaps everyone underestimated this Thunder team. Their 61-win record already says a lot. In the playoffs, upsets are actually very difficult to happen. Through this game, I believe many people will add the Thunder to the list of championship contenders."
Reggie Miller also felt happy for Kayce. He could be considered Kayce's mentor. Performing like this in a playoffs game against the San Antonio Spurs completely proved how correct his initial judgment was.
"Charles, you've always said that jump shots don't win championships. Seeing the Thunder's performance, seeing Kayce punishing the San Antonio Spurs relentlessly from mid-range, do you still stick to that view?"
Kenny Smith brought up old scores again, teasing his old partner beside him.
"Uh, I will still stick to my opinion. In the playoffs, winning starts with winning on the road. The Thunder only completed their task excellently in Game 1. I believe the San Antonio Spurs will fight back, after all, they are a championship team."
Kenny Smith almost burst out laughing when he heard Charles Barkley's words. You're still the one who knows how to stir things up!
"OK, then let's wait and see. Next, let's review the game between the Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers."
Unlike their America counterparts, the Chinese media and commentators were actually more concerned with Kayce's individual performance, as many players dominated in the regular season but performed exceptionally poorly in the playoffs.
However, after the Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs game ended, all worries and doubts completely vanished. Everyone had only one thought: Kayce is amazing!
In their first playoffs appearance, the Thunder got off to a good start, and the entire front office was ecstatic. They never expected the game to be so easy.
Coach Brooks even announced directly after the game that the video session for tomorrow morning was canceled, and they only needed to come to the team for tactical training in the afternoon.
The Thunder players were very satisfied with this reward. A day off was great; they could sleep until they woke up naturally.
Although Durant appeared very happy on the surface, seeing the box score made him feel a bit uneasy. He knew his performance was still inferior to Kayce's. Facing aggressive defense, his shooting percentage did indeed drop.
But what Durant didn't understand was how Kayce was barely affected by Manu Ginobili's tight defense, and even performed better than in the regular season. This made him incredibly jealous:
"I definitely need to increase my strength and conditioning training in the offseason. Should I practice my post-up moves?"
"What's wrong, Kevin? You look a bit dazed. Want to go out and have some fun tonight? We have the morning off tomorrow."
Jeff Green also played well in this game, easily scoring 14 points, and he made both of his open three-point attempts. Having won this game, he felt it was time to relax a bit.
"Forget it. I'm planning to do some simple shooting drills tomorrow morning. I feel like I didn't play too well this game."
"???"
Jeff Green was speechless when he heard Durant's words, but then he thought of Kayce's performance and could only sigh that the world of geniuses was indeed hard to understand.
"Russell, remember to come to my place tomorrow morning. Love and the others are all staying with me tonight. We can have a small get-together tomorrow. The fans were too enthusiastic after the game; I didn't even get a chance to chat with everyone properly."
After the game, Kayce was surrounded by Oklahoma City media and enthusiastic fans, signing autographs until his hand was sore.
"No problem. By the way, Kayce, do you think I can win MIP (Most Improved Player)?"
Russell was still quite eager for accolades. He genuinely felt that he had improved a lot this season compared to last season.
"If I were a media reporter or a commentator, I would definitely vote for you. Don't worry, I think you have a great chance to win this award."
Kayce expressed his opinion. After all, because of his arrival, Russell's regular season averages this season were 21.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, with a field goal percentage of 42.3%, a three-percentage point increase from last season.
Although his three-point shooting percentage was only 23.2%, a significant drop from last season's 27.1%, this wasn't important because the Thunder's record was good, and media reporters often voted based on impressions, which gave Russell an advantage.
"I really hope I can win this award!"
On April 21st, Game 2 between the Thunder and the Spurs was about to begin. Coach Popovich and his Coaching Staff had been discussing how to limit the Thunder for the past few days, but after much deliberation, they couldn't find a good solution.
"Gregg, we should adjust the starting lineup and put Tony back in the starting five. We should let GDP make an impact from the start, just as we analyzed before. The Thunder always push for an early lead in the regular season, and we need to respond."
"Manu's performance was very average after starting last game. Perhaps we can pair George and Tony in the backcourt, and then bring Manu on after about six minutes. George really isn't suited for the intensity of playoffs games."
Coach Popovich listened to the Coaching Staff's suggestion, pondered for a moment, then said with a firm tone:
"I still have faith in George Hill. He will prove himself in the upcoming games. We need to encourage young players more. I will not change the starting lineup for this game. I believe in Manu; he will adjust, and our shooting touch will definitely warm up."
The Coaching Staff members exchanged glances. They naturally knew that benching George Hill at this moment would be a blow to the young player, but this was the playoffs! If they lost this game, they would be down 0-2 to the Thunder, and then they would have to fight desperately when they returned home.
"Alright, Gregg, maybe you're right, but if our shooting touch is average after the start, we must make quick substitutions. The Thunder are definitely not an ordinary rookie team. Kayce's control of the game is too outstanding. Once we fall behind by more than ten points, we will be completely on the defensive."
When Coach Popovich heard this, he also nodded, indicating that he understood. Being stubborn wouldn't win games, and he realized that the Thunder were a young team that made very few mistakes. Opportunities wouldn't just appear!
However, thinking of Kayce's performance in the last game, Coach Popovich could only pray silently in his heart:
"I hope the opponent's shooting touch declines in this game. If only Kayce were a Spurs player."
The big win in the first playoffs game made the Oklahoma City fans even more enthusiastic. An hour before the game, many fans wearing blue cheering T-shirts had already gathered around Ford Center.
playoffs tickets were hot commodities, and many fans arrived early, hoping to encounter scalpers. However, to their disappointment, this phenomenon simply didn't occur. Perhaps all the scalpers had already chosen to watch the game live.
With half an hour left until the game, Ford Center was already packed with people, turning into a sea of blue. Many fans even held up banners for Russell, supporting him to win the MIP award.
Kevin Love felt the heated atmosphere of the arena and loudly said to Holiday and Darren Collison beside him:
"Do you think the Thunder will win again tonight? I always feel like the Spurs will definitely fight back."
"Unless they can make their three-pointers from beyond the arc, I still favor the Thunder."
"The Spurs simply can't contain Kayce and Durant. If Russell can also maintain his performance from the last game, I believe the Thunder will definitely win."
Holiday and Darren Collison said loudly at the same time. The UCLA guys were happily staying with Kayce. These days, the three of them had become fascinated with fishing and were planning to rent a yacht to try deep-sea fishing.
At this moment, in the Thunder's locker room, Coach Brooks was giving simple instructions to his players:
"The Spurs' outside shooting will definitely rebound. This game, as planned, we need to play with more patience. Forget the last game; don't think about taking a big lead in the first quarter."
"On offense, continue to maintain our offensive rhythm. Kayce, you control the team, minimize turnovers, and finally, I'll remind you again, don't argue too much with the referees. That's my job, guys. Fight to protect our home court and go to San Antonio with a 2-0 lead!"
"Oh!"
During the Thunder's opening ceremony, when Kayce came out, the big screen in the center of the court also updated with Kayce's highlight reels. The scene of him dunking over Duncan was edited in, which made the audience at the venue start cheering loudly again.
During the final warm-up before the game, Durant naturally noticed the Spurs' starting situation. He was also very surprised to find that Tony Parker was still coming off the bench.
"We all thought Parker would return to the starting lineup. The Spurs actually trust that rookie so much?"
This differed somewhat from the Coaching Staff's pre-game arrangements, Durant couldn't help but whisper to Kayce beside him.
"It's just a fake starter. Trust me, at most six minutes, the Spurs will bring on Parker. Pay attention to Jefferson's defensive movements; they will definitely pressure your right hand and let you drive with your left."
Kayce was afraid Durant would forget the pre-game instructions, so he reminded him softly again.
"Don't worry, I've been practicing my left hand all season. This kind of defense won't trouble me!"
When the referee signaled both teams to come to center court, Kayce noticed that all the Spurs players looked serious, completely devoid of the relaxed expressions from the last game, and he knew that the opponent would definitely intensify the physicality in this game.
The Thunder players naturally noticed Duncan receiving the ball in the low post, but unlike the previous game, Durant did not immediately double-team. Jeff Green was defending him one-on-one at the start.
Facing this defense, Duncan backed him down twice, drove deep into the paint, twisted his body, and easily shot a right-handed floater.
"Swish!" Two points made under the basket.
"Boo!"
"OKC! OKC! OKC!"
The Ford Center audience first gave Duncan a huge boo, then, led by the live DJ, began cheering and shouting for the home team's offense.
The Thunder quickly inbounded the ball. Russell dribbled past half-court and immediately passed the ball to Kayce on the left wing outside the three-point line. At the same time, using Jeff Green's screen at the left elbow of the free-throw line, he suddenly made a reverse cut towards the baseline.
Kayce's pass was also perfectly timed, accurately finding Russell, allowing him to drive for a layup after receiving the ball.
"Swish!" A successful sneak attack under the basket.
"Aww!!!"
In their first offensive possession, the Thunder scored easily, and everyone began cheering for Russell's basket.
On the Spurs' offense, Duncan and Antonio made a cross screen on the baseline, then immediately moved to the elbow area to receive the ball. George Hill tried to go for a hand-off, but he couldn't shake off Russell's persistent defense, so he reluctantly ran away.
At this moment, Manu Ginobili quickly moved to the top of the key. As he approached Duncan, he pushed off with his feet, made a simple reverse cut, temporarily shaking off Kayce's defense. Manu Ginobili received the pass from Duncan, dribbled with his left hand, and accelerated to drive.
The Thunder's defense instantly collapsed. Manu Ginobili didn't force the shot. After driving to the baseline, he kicked the ball out to Jefferson in the corner. The latter caught the ball and, without hesitation, shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc.
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
"Oh!!!"
Seeing the Spurs make a three-pointer so early, the Oklahoma City fans were startled and let out a collective gasp. This was not a good sign!
Kayce immediately made a gesture to his teammates, indicating that the basket was his fault. Manu Ginobili's first step was indeed very quick; he had just been beaten by the opponent.
Thunder on offense. Durant, near the restricted area, used Kostić's screen to shake off Jefferson, who was pulling and tugging at him. After receiving the pass from Russell, he took one dribble with his left hand and immediately pulled up for a jump shot.
"Swish!" A mid-range shot made steadily.
"Ah!!!"
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
"Sir, you need to make them pay attention to their defensive actions. In that last possession, Jefferson clearly pulled my player!"
Due to the overly heated atmosphere at Ford Center, Coach Brooks had to loudly complain to the sideline referee. He had to put pressure on the referees, otherwise the Spurs' defensive actions would definitely become more and more aggressive.
When Duncan received the ball in the low post again, the Thunder still didn't opt for a double-team defense, and he scored another 2 points. When it was their turn to offense, Kayce was tightly guarded by Manu Ginobili.
When Kayce and Jeff Green made a cross screen on the baseline, Manu Ginobili skillfully moved around the screen, constantly sliding his feet and keeping one hand on Kayce's body.
However, Kayce was strong and pushed off with his feet, quickly moving to the high post. He used one arm to fend off Manu Ginobili, leaned back with his body, and extended his other hand to call for the ball.
After receiving the pass from Russell, he put the ball down with his right hand, dribbled one step into the paint, quickly gathered the ball and faked a shot. The realistic pump fake instantly sent Manu Ginobili flying. Kayce immediately pivoted on his left foot, skillfully turned, and shot a mid-range jump shot.
"Swish!" Two points made steadily.
Coach Brooks on the sidelines frowned slightly. He naturally noticed the Spurs' strategy. Unlike the previous game, the opponent strengthened their off-ball defense, preventing Kayce and Durant from easily reaching their offensive positions.
"However, with such a defense, the Spurs should be expending more energy, right?"
After the official timeout in the first quarter, the Spurs subbed in Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair, replacing George Hill and Antonio, forming a lineup with one big and four small players. Coach Popovich increased his rotations.
Kayce quickly noticed that the Spurs had started using fouls to disrupt the Thunder's offensive rhythm. It was clear that Blair was sent in with a specific task.
As Durant prepared to receive the ball, Blair directly pushed him, causing him to stumble. The referee's whistle immediately blew:
"Squeak!" "Hush!"
"That's not a basketball move at all! Does he think he's playing football?! That should be a Flagrant Foul 1!"
Coach Brooks was very dissatisfied with the call, but the referee wouldn't change his decision because of his complaints. It remained a common foul, and the Thunder inbounded the ball from the sideline.
For the rest of the quarter, whistles blew frequently. The Spurs' strategy worked, and by the end of the first quarter, the score was 24:24, with both teams tied. The Thunder had somewhat lost their offensive rhythm.
During the break between quarters, Coach Brooks looked at his players and said encouragingly:
"We played very well, guys. Be patient. Just as we anticipated before the game, this will be a grind, but we will definitely win this game in the end!"
"Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka, and Darren Collison must protect the rebounds when they come on. Kayce, you'll control the team's offense. Jeff Green, keep shooting if you're open."
When Kayce heard Coach Brooks's arrangements, he knew this was a temporary adjustment. He would directly play at the point guard position, and the Thunder would field a five-forward lineup, with all players on the court being over two meters tall.
"Don't worry, Coach, leave the game to me!"
At this moment, it was important to show confidence. Kayce vaguely felt that Jeff Green was having another terrible game. This lineup in the second quarter was meant for him to shoot freely, while others played all-out defense.
Coach Popovich no longer stubbornly trusted George Hill. In the second quarter's rotation, Parker, Manu Ginobili, Jefferson, Matt Bonner, and Antonio came on. At this time, he still trusted the veterans more.
However, seeing the Thunder's rotation lineup, Popovich also had a subtle bad feeling.
"OKC! OKC! OKC!"
The audience at Ford Center once again began to cheer for the home team. Although the first quarter was a bit dull, the team's overall performance was still very good.
The baseline ball was inbounded. Kayce, playing at point guard, quickly dribbled across half-court. Noticing Manu Ginobili's defense immediately following him, he quickly made a tactical hand signal, and Serge Ibaka quickly moved up.
Facing Manu Ginobili's defense, Kayce faked a right-side drive with a left-hand crossover. Manu Ginobili was tight on defense, trying to squeeze through the screen, but Kayce suddenly made a big right-hand spin, shaking off his defender.
At this point, Matt Bonner's defense quickly came up. Seeing Kayce lower his center of gravity and hold the ball with his left hand, intending to drive, he couldn't help but take a step back, but this was clearly a wrong defensive choice. Kayce instantly pulled the ball back between his legs, then shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
"Ha!! Ah!!"
The Oklahoma City fans in attendance erupted in huge cheers. A circus-like three-pointer, terrifying body coordination, completely shaking off two defenders. Everyone was excitedly screaming.
Seeing Kayce coolly shrug his shoulders and calmly retreat on defense, the home atmosphere was reignited. Led by the arena DJ, everyone began to shout loudly:
"Defense!! Defense!! Defense!!"
Spurs offense. Tony Parker immediately felt something was wrong; the Thunder's defensive aggressiveness had increased too much.
Kayce and Thabo Sefolosha tightly guarded Parker and Manu Ginobili. Collison naturally followed Bonner to the three-point line, while Serge Ibaka was responsible for help defense in the paint. The Spurs continuously passed the ball on the perimeter. Jefferson received the ball and used a cross-step to drive past Jeff Green's defense.
Seeing the huge space in the paint, Jefferson continued to accelerate with the ball in his left hand, intending to throw down a one-handed dunk. However, just as he took off, Serge Ibaka instantly displayed his terrifying defensive talent, directly swatting Jefferson to the ground.
After securing possession, the ball was passed to Kayce, who quickly initiated a fast break. Matt Bonner, who was at the top of the arc on the three-point line, was the first to retreat on defense. Noticing Kayce slowing down outside the three-point line, he had no choice but to quickly defend him.
Kayce, on the three-point line, naturally noticed Bonner's defense. After slowing down, he performed an In and Out with his right hand, faking a drive. He quickly dribbled the ball in place twice with his right hand, changing rhythm, then instantly pulled it back.
Matt Bonner thought Kayce was going to shoot another three-pointer, so he immediately shifted his weight forward. However, Kayce changed direction with a left-hand between-the-legs move, faking a drive again. Matt Bonner quickly took another big step back.
When he saw Kayce's sudden behind-the-back dribble and step-back jump shot, he instinctively lunged forward, but his feet got tangled, and he fell directly to his knees.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
When the Ford Center crowd saw Kayce raise his hands, signaling the arena to get hyped, everyone shouted excitedly. This shot was simply amazing! Everyone started wildly waving the white handkerchiefs in their hands, and the arena seemed like a blue and white ocean.
"Ah!! Ooh-ooh!!"
Kayce, unleashed, exploded with terrifying shooting ability, boosted by the [Hot Zone Hunter], [Ankle Breaker], [Rhythm Shooter], and [Circus Three-Pointer] badges. Such three-pointers simply defied all logic.
Coach Popovich yelled from the sidelines, signaling his players to retreat quickly and not let big men like Matt Bonner defend Kayce.
When the Spurs attacked again, continuous drive-and-kick plays still couldn't shake off the Thunder's defense. Tony Parker suddenly changed direction with a crossover, shaking off Kayce, then accelerated with the ball in his right hand, driving and quickly spinning to attempt a signature scoop layup.
But this offensive attempt was still disrupted by Serge Ibaka, who directly hit the rim and missed. Serge Ibaka then secured the defensive rebound. At this point, all five Spurs players had already quickly retreated on defense.
Seeing no opportunity for a fast break, Kayce signaled his teammates to slow down, dribbled slowly across half-court, made an offensive hand signal to everyone, and also signaled Thabo Sefolosha to receive the ball on the right side of the three-point line.
Serge Ibaka now came to the vicinity of the free-throw line elbow. The moment Kayce passed the ball to Thabo Sefolosha, he immediately moved up a step. Kayce suddenly made a back cut, using Serge Ibaka's screen to shake off Manu Ginobili's defense. Tony Parker quickly followed up to defend.
With no immediate opportunity, Thabo Sefolosha quickly passed the ball to Serge Ibaka at the top of the arc. At this moment, Kayce quickly popped out along the baseline. Jeff Green and Collison also made a down screen, blocking the defense for Kayce.
When Kayce reached the three-point line at a 45-degree angle, he received a pass from Serge Ibaka. There was no one in front of him, and he quickly shot a jump shot.
"Swish!" Another three-pointer went in.
Coach Brooks on the sidelines, seeing Kayce make another three-pointer, also held his head in his hands, showing an expression of disbelief. Russell and Durant led the bench mob in wildly waving their towels.
"Ah!!"
The Thunder instantly took a nine-point lead. The Oklahoma City fans were already screaming wildly. Such a brilliant individual offensive performance completely ignited the audience's passion.
"Squeak!"
Less than three minutes into the second quarter, Popovich quickly called a timeout. What kind of bizarre play was this? It reminded him of encountering the Thunder in the regular season, but tonight was the playoffs! In his opinion, Kayce's shot selections were all unreasonable.
The Spurs, returning from the timeout, did not adjust their lineup. After all, Duncan still needed to rest for another two or three minutes. Popovich also didn't believe Kayce could continue shooting like this, but in the playoffs, many times, the course of the game can also be decided by role players.
In the remaining time, Serge Ibaka showcased his talent on both ends of the court!
When Jeff Green fell into a terrible slump in the second half, Coach Brooks directly brought Serge Ibaka onto the court. The improved screen quality also unleashed Durant's offense.
And Serge Ibaka's excellent help defense also allowed Russell to launch fast-break attacks multiple times, and the Thunder once again regained control of the game's rhythm.
By the time there were 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the third quarter, the Thunder were already leading by 14 points. The Spurs in the fourth quarter only struggled for a little over four minutes before Coach Popovich pulled his starters. He needed to start thinking about the tactical arrangements for the home game.
96:110, the Thunder once again defended their home court. Kayce still efficiently scored 26 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 turnovers in this game, but the biggest contributor to the victory was Serge Ibaka.
Serge Ibaka played 38 minutes, shooting 5-for-5, scoring 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks, performing impeccably on both offense and defense.
After the game, Kayce saw Serge Ibaka still standing there, stunned, on the bench. He immediately walked over, patted his shoulder, and shouted:
"Serge, go accept the cheers of the Oklahoma City fans! You are the biggest hero of this game!"
Russell and Durant also started to egg him on with their teammates. The Ford Center audience, seeing the Thunder players raise Serge Ibaka's hands, immediately cooperated by cheering:
"Oh oh oh!!!"
While enjoying the victory of this game, Kayce also quietly thought to himself:
"Playoffs, starting with a road win. San Antonio, I'm coming!"