Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111: Tony Parker Stars As San Antonio Win Streak Reaches 20 Games

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, and Tony Parker (9), of France, talk between plays against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game 2 in their NBA basketball Western Conference finals playoff series, Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO — Tony Parker scored 34 points, Manu Ginobili added 20 and the San Antonio Spurs stayed perfect in the playoffs with a 120-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night.

The Spurs set an NBA record with their 20th consecutive victory bridging the regular season and the playoffs. They came in sharing the longest such streak with the 2000-01 Lakers, who won 19 straight before losing to Philadelphia in the first game of the finals.

Those Lakers went on to win the championship and there's no reason yet to think the Spurs won't do the same. They put on an offensive clinic for three quarters, shooting 60 percent from the field and leading by as many as 22 points in the third quarter.

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• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after making a three-pointer in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  James Harden #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes up for a shot as he is defended by Daniel Green #4 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs lands on the scorer's table after making an attempt to save a loose ball in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a shot over Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball in the second half while taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs argues a call with referee Monty McCutchen #13 while taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  (R-L) Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs talks to Tim Duncan #21 and Tony Parker #9 on the bench in the third quarter while taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs points in front of Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Head coach Scott Brooks of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts in the second half while taking on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

• Spurs Defeat Thunder, 120-111

  Derek Fisher #37 of the Oklahoma City Thunder holds himself up from falling while dribbling the basketball in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 29, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

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Comments

[Pax Romana]

11:18 PM on 05/30/2012

Aye Coyote!!!....................... SPURS NATION!!!!!!!!!!!

[Darrell Wilson]

07:30 PM on 05/30/2012

When Phil Jackson retired Greg Popovich assended to the title as "best coach in the NBA", that is why I believe that the Spurs will be NBA champs. Don't see a sweep against OKC, but a win in 5 or 6 will not be a surprise. Looks like it will be Miami out of the East and I don't see them beating the Spurs either. If the Heat loses for a second time in the finals, their coach (what ever his name is) will be gone, gone, gone.

[Dukegirlforever]

06:39 PM on 05/30/2012

Get a grip - OKC has nothing to be embarrassed about, they lost by 9 points to a very experienced team. They have already beaten last years champs and - well - the Lakers suck so that doesn't count. Who writes this drivel? Some of the headlines I read really make me wonder about these writers. Seriously!!!!!

[regis ruin]

04:19 PM on 05/30/2012

Are you ready for some Spurs, Tattoo Barbi Lebron? Those Spurs are gonna make you ache. That grimace you always show will be due to the beat down you get. Looking forward to the lop sided proof of how good the Heat aren't.

[huffdogg]

04:06 PM on 05/30/2012

Thunder Up!!

[Robert Lane]

02:43 PM on 05/30/2012

Look, it's a series to four, not two. I'm not counting the Thunder out.

[Aquaria]

08:38 PM on 05/30/2012

Only problem is, now the Thunder have to win 4 out of 5 to a team that doesn't make a habit of losing 2 in a row.

Do the math.

[Robert Lane]

09:29 AM on 05/31/2012

I'm pretty good at math, but I'm talking about basketball. If it was up to math, then why should the Thunder even show up? "According to these stats, here's the championship Spurs" So don't give me that math B.S. These players play to win, no one cares about stats. When the Spurs win fours games they will get credit, but until then, it's not over.  In sports anything can happen.

[moslef]

02:42 PM on 05/30/2012

I am rooting with Seattle Supersonic fans for a Spurs sweep.

[moslef]

07:12 PM on 05/30/2012

Obviously, I am pulling for Spurs to sweep. Bless your heart for not understanding.

[builder101]

02:34 PM on 05/30/2012

Thunder, is in Oklahoma-not a place any respectable team should locate to.

[Robert Lane]

02:39 PM on 05/30/2012

Not. Cool.

[builder101]

02:52 PM on 05/30/2012

Ask any one that lives in Texas , N.M. how (un) cool Oklahoma is.

[bravetexaswmn]

07:04 PM on 05/30/2012

yet damn funny!

[Aces007]

02:25 PM on 05/30/2012

The Spurs know Team Play, I see them winning It all....

[Moebette]

03:12 PM on 05/30/2012

You should finish that sentence , . . I see them winning it all exept for the first four against the Heat! The Heat keep getting better and better so no team , , , including the Spurs, has a chance against them.
GO HEAT!!!

[aristippe]

03:28 PM on 05/30/2012

Spurs are going to punk Miami.

[paphe6]

01:44 PM on 05/30/2012

And last but not least , San Antonio doesn't need a "closer" ???? the entire team can be a "closer" it is called "team-ball" or better yet, the idea behind Pops philosophy is 1 team-player is better then 2 "closers"(shooters that want to shine , at all costs,even loosing the game)

[paphe6]

01:38 PM on 05/30/2012

Better yet, team-ball will do it , every time , ask Bill Russell no ego bryant or Lebron.

[paphe6]

01:35 PM on 05/30/2012

The big difference between this series and LA series as follows: 1st,The Thunder kept running on the Lakers , like wild horses and jumping on ego-bryant on the 4th quarter and it pay dividends ,so LA got eliminated in 5, easy task but the running of the horses stopped with the Spurs, 1st, the Spurs play "team-ball" and 2nd in the 4th quarter anybody that's in rhythm and shooting well that's where the ball is going to be , no ego's here (sharing )that's the big difference.

[dmee44]

01:08 PM on 05/30/2012

The Spurs play team basketball. They all do what is necessary to win for the team. It is an unusual concept these days. I haven't seen much of it since the days of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird teams. I don't watch pro basketball anymore since the days of great TEAMS. Spurs may change that. Wish the Lakers could.

[ruolivert]

12:40 PM on 05/30/2012

I predicted the Thunder were gonna get swept, anybody have any reason why that won't happen?

[RusStyles]

01:39 PM on 05/30/2012

Its possible...but I don't think they'll get swept. Too much pride, youth and talent. However, If two out of the following 3-point shooters--Green, Leonard, Neal, Jackson, Bonner--can hit 40-50% of the open treys they'll undoubtedly get due to OKC's necessary focus on TP, it's a strong possibility they will get swept. But the Thunder understands that game 3 is they're de facto game 7; if they lose the next game, it's a wrap. So they'll put it all in the line and most likely win. SA will make adjustments, and take 4, then wrap it up at home in 5...

[molonlabe88]

12:32 PM on 05/30/2012

Embarrassed? Calls are going Spurs way, they are on a 20 game win streak, #1 seed in the west. How is it shocking?

[lotus321]

03:42 PM on 05/30/2012

Are you saying the NBA is scripted? If so, I agree.

[Dukegirlforever]

06:41 PM on 05/30/2012

I've been saying that for years.

[Darrell Wilson]

07:16 PM on 05/30/2012

If the NBA is scripted it would be two big market teams every year in the division and NBA championship. Do you really think that the NBA wants SA or OKC, when they could script LA vesus Miami, Boston or better yet NY? Get real. Or better yet if you feel this way, why watch?

[molonlabe88]

07:33 PM on 05/30/2012

Get real? Did you watch how Dirk and Kobe would get every call their way? How Game 3 was basically handed to Lakers? They want big market teams in there, but they can't make it TO obvious, because then who would watch. Refs have been horrible. That was seen in the Technicals in the Celtics game. Everyone knows wrestling is fake, doesn't mean the most popular "wrestler" is always in the championship match. You have to add drama to the mix. Myself wasn't saying the entire thing is scripted, but I do feel David Stern does play favorites. I think the hot team in the league is the Spurs, so they are going to get the benefit of the doubt, plus they are vetrans.