Spurs Vs Thunder Game 7 Predictions And X Factors

We set the table for Spurs vs Thunder Game 7 and explain why this series has been the most fun ride of the playoffs. We give our pick, then lay out the simple stats and player checklists that decide who advances. 
• Why Game 7s feel different and why this series has delivered 
• Why we still lean Spurs despite OKC’s experience 
• The Spurs’ winning formula: limit turnovers and win rebounds 
• What we need from Wembanyama: near 30 points and double-digit boards plus elite defense 
• What we need from SGA: steady rim pressure plus strong assist-to-turnover playmaking 
• How injuries could tilt the Thunder rotation and effectiveness 
• Which role players must swing the outcome on both sides 
• Why either team could win and why a blowout would be disappointing 
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Transcript

Welcome And Quick Housekeeping

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What's up, everybody? It's your favorite show's favorite show, get a bucket. I'm your host, Trey, as usual. I hope you're all having a wonderful, wonderful day. Today we're going to talk about the NBA conference finals predictions for game seven between the Spurs and the Thunder. But before we do that, please make sure to hit that like and subscribe button. Comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. I'm trying to get the ratings up a little bit, you know, just a little bit. And if you wonder where you've heard this, that's because you've been listening with me Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. So I greatly appreciate

Why This Series Has Delivered

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you. Now, let's go ahead and talk about this game because you know I love game sevens, ladies and gentlemen. I love myself a good old-fashioned game seven. And I told y'all this series is going to be the most entertaining series of the entire wait for it, playoffs. And it has been just that. We've gotten back and forth, right? Spurs win game one, OKC wins game two and three, Spurs win game four. Then OKC wins five, Spurs win game six. But the first one was pretty spectacular. Because you know, again, no D'Aaron Fox. You're expecting the Thunder at home, right, to win. Shea just gets crowned the MVP again, right? Like we this was a good game. And that one went double overtime with Wimby drops, what, 41 points, 24 rebounds. Like it was pretty, like it was pretty spectacular. And it showcased, hey, this is what he is capable of doing. Next couple games, all right. He might not have the best game in comparison. But ladies and gentlemen, don't get it twisted, though. The man sits up there and still performs. But also, we got to give credit to people like SGA. Because SGA helped lead his team after that game one. Well, we were trying to wonder well, is SGA losing a little bit of performance? Because he wasn't the same SGA that we are used to seeing, right? So, again, we've had back and forths, we've had X Factors, we've had unsung heroes from Alex Caruso to Stefan Castle, Devin Vassell, Jalen Williams, Jared McCain, Chet Holmgren, like the list, Darren Fox, Harrison Barnes, getting look, Keldon Johnson, the list goes on and on. There have been a couple people who've been getting a bucket. But y'all may be wondering, okay, well, Trey, you're doing a lot of rambling.

Game 7 Pick And Why

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Who you got for game seven? And ladies and gentlemen, this one is tough. I will say this. But I'm still leaning Spurs. Here's why I lean Spurs. I think they have enough makeup to get over the experience advantage that the Thunder do have. Keep in mind the Thunder are back-to-back champions, right? They went to a game seven in the finals just last season. I do think the Spurs have one, I think Wimby's going to dominate, right? I think Darren Fox is going to continue to show up from a playmaking standpoint, but also not turning the ball over as much. That's going, like, that's really key. Like the reason why the Spurs dominate, I did say last time, if Wimby gets 30 points, right, they win. That is true. Like that is true in every game that he's played in and they've won in this in this year's conference finals, he has averaged over 30 points. Now, last game, GameSafe, he does get 28 points. So again, that's why I said averages 30 points. So it's not just he has to get the 30. What's the main real reason why the the Spurs win? Well, it's because they limit their turnovers, but also win the rebounded and re win the rebound battle. If you look at every game that the Spurs have won, they have either really dominated in the rebound game and at minimum was closest in the turnovers. Let's take game one, for example, right? They out the Spurs out-rebounded OKC, 61 rebounds to 40, favoring the Spurs. The rebounds, 23 turnovers. I'm sorry, the turnovers, 23 turnovers to 15.

Spurs Formula: Rebounds And Turnovers

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The Thunder had 15, Spurs had 23. Every game, again, if it's a if it's a if it's a lopsided rebound advantage, every game that the Spurs have won, they have been relatively close or ahead of the Thunder in rebounds, meaning they had they had lower turnovers and a higher count of rebounds. That's what they need. But again, in these games, Victory Wimbanyama still gives you 30 points averaging. So that one still needs to hold true. He also needs to get close to double-digit rebounds. I think he's had six rebounds in the game. Can't cut it. I can't even say eight will cut it, honestly. You're going to need to rebound the ball at quite an alarming rate. Because keep in mind, too, you are the tallest person on the floor. Like, even though you might even get boxed out a little bit, double-teamed a little bit, I still need to see 10 rebounds from you, Chank. I get you, Chet Holman, Isaiah Hartenstein, they're out there, they're seven-footers themselves, they're mobile. You're you're yeah, you're better than them personally. So I need to see that from Wimby. Now, on the flip side, though, because again, I told y'all, the turnovers and rebounds have to lean the Spurs way.

Thunder Checklist: SGA And Health

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Because respectfully, the Thunder are actually the more skilled team right now, which is scary to think about when thinking of the future. But that's what I'm looking at. So for the Thunder, SGA won. You have to give us an efficient game, right? We need to see that. Although game sevens can be a little muddy, so I get you if the numbers aren't there efficiently wise. But at least continue to get to the basket, attack, get to the free throw line, which is something that people overly criticize him for doing. But one thing that we got to pay attention to is the fact that SGA has actually been giving us pretty good numbers when this like when we're talking about assisting wise, he's been doing pretty well. Like the first game, 12. Next game, nine, next game, twelve, next game seven, next game nine, game six, only four assists. So if you're noting anything, not only is SGA scoring, right, because he got 24 points inefficiently game one, but still is 24 points. Game two, 30, next one, 26, after that, 19, then 32. He's been giving at minimum about close to 20 a game outside of the last game where he gets 16. And this is somebody who even broke Wilt Chamberlain's record of average of scoring 20 points in consecutive games. That's pretty spectacular. So he's gonna have to continue that. He's gonna have to continue getting a bucket as well as playmaking. But also, the turnovers have been rather low, like outside of what was this game five, where he had nine assists, six turnovers, but 32 points. We can excuse that. It's been a solid assist to turnover ratio. He's gotta that's gotta keep going. That has to keep going. Again, ladies and gentlemen, these are the two stars from both teams, right? Will we get a Jalen Williams back? Because that also factors in. AJ Mitchell, will he return? They had some hamstring injuries, if I'm not mistaken. So that that that could be a little troublesome for sure. So could the Thunder be hampered a little bit? Very possible, which also helps out the Spurs. Again, ladies and gentlemen, I I lean the Spurs. I genuinely do. But could the Thunder win? You damn skippy. Like let's let's let's call a spade a spade. Either team could, in fact, blow out the other team. The thing that does it for me, one, the possible injuries, right? Because Jalen Williams, AJ Mitchell, they're probably gonna be hampered on the court, even if they play. Like that's gonna that that could pros that could possibly hurt the Thunder. Now they do have the experience, and only you only need one game now, but still, the Thunder's experience could give them a little edge, especially early on. Now, the coaching battle has been a good one, I can't lie to y'all. And I could just see, even though the Thunder have actually won back-to-back games in this series, they're the only team to do so. I think the Spurs will eventually get that back-to-back game this game and go on to face the Knicks in the finals. Again, I need to see Wemby get close to 30, give me double-digit rebounds. I need SGA giving me about 25 to 30 and continuing to give quality assist to turnover

Role Players Who Must Show Up

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ratio. We also need to see their others step up. So when I'm looking at a De'Aaron Fox, Stefan Castle, Dylan Harper, I need y'all to step up once again, fellas. Also a Harrison Barnes and a Keldon Johnson. We need y'all to be X Factors in this in these sorts of games because the pressure is going to be on the young guns. Let's get some of the vets to help out too. And Harrison Barnes is no slouch. He's been quality. I'll give him that. And especially this season, he's been quality. Keldon Johnson, sixth man of the year. Y'all need to show up now for game seven, especially. And on the other side, the Thunder, Chet, and Isaiah. Y'all can't be looking like punks like y'all have been the last couple games now. Or I'm sorry, let me rephrase that. This series. Because there were about two games where I was like, alright, I can work with this. Y'all need to get back to them two games where I was like, alright, we can work with this. Because then you guys are on a different stratosphere. Still beatable, but a little different stratosphere. Jared McCain, Caruso, like AJ Mitchell, if he plays, but if he doesn't, Case Man Wallace, I'm looking at you. I'm still looking at you, Casey. But y'all need to be able to show up too. Because this team is called a deep team. One of the these are these are considered one of two of the deepest teams in the NBA. This is now the time to showcase this. You're not going to showcase it during the Knicks series. I promise you on that much. So again, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very looking forward to seeing this game commence. It should be a good one. You know I love myself a good old game seven. I'm not going to be surprised if either team wins. I almost won't be surprised if either team wins in a blowout. I'll be disappointed. Kind of like a good close game. But again, I can understand whoever

Final Prediction And Listener Question

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wins. I just lean the Spurs when I think who's going to win. And again, it's because both out of both teams, one, the injuries favoring the Thunder right now. Then it's, you know, that could hamper you all. But two, they arguably have the best player, the most physically imposing player in Victor Women Yama. So yes, I know I talked about his scoring. I know I talked about his rebounding. Defensively, that's where he has his biggest impact personally. So if we can make sure that that holds true, plus they limit the turnovers, which, because of Darren Fox, I think that is doable because now him and Stefan Castle don't have to turn the ball over as much. More so the pressure is not on Stefan Castle. Dylan Harper, I don't expect to turn the ball over an obscene amount. Could he? Sure, he's young. But because you've got Darren Fox in there, Stefan Castle is a secondary playmaker, I think it works out. And again, a pick and roll action between Darren Fox and Victor Womenyama is pretty stout. I can't lie to you. Like Darren Fox doesn't have to get a bucket all the time. I would like for him to, especially when we're talking about future-wise, he's gonna have to start scoring some buckets now, for sure. Because if not, people are gonna wonder why we got Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper coming off the, well, more so Dylan coming off the bench. When De'Aaron's the shorter guard, you can be more defensive-oriented without De'Arien. You know what I'm saying? Like these are conversations that I don't want De'Arien to have to go through. So I would love to see him get a buck a little bit more, but more specifically, limit the team's turnovers if possible. And then on the rebound front, that's why I'm expecting Wimmy to do what he does. And I think those are doable, personally. But ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I'm curious, who do you all have winning the game seven between the Spurs and the Thunder? It's gonna be game on Saturday now. So we got some time. And like I said, right now I'm leaning the Spurs. Do you all agree? Do you disagree? Comment below. But ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that does conclude the end of the episode. So please make sure to like, subscribe, comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. My name is Trey, I'm the host of Good of Bucket. I hope you are all having a good one. Take care.