After a 118-103 victory Saturday night, a heart shot to the Portland Trailblazers, the San Antonio Spurs are preparing to sweep and move back home to wait for the winners of the Oklahoma Thunder/LA Clippers match up. That series is currently tied at two games apiece and Spurs fans hope that it goes all seven games. The closeout game is the hardest in the NBA Playoffs and Tony Parker, who is averaging 26.3 per game this series, knows it will take all the Spurs effort to put the Blazers away.
“The close-out is always the hardest game,” Parker said. “We know Portland is going to come out and play with a lot of motivation. They (the Blazers) have nothing to lose. I’m sure they want to win a game in front of their hometown. We’re going to have to match their energy, but it would be great to get it and get a rest.”
The Blazers know that they will have to perform at a higher level if they want to stretch this series out any but fighting from behind is something they cannot do if they expect to win.
“It’s the same story, We kept digging ourselves a hole,” Portland point guard Wesley Matthews said.
“You dig a hole and then fight back and give yourself a chance, and they have an answer,” Portland guard Damian Lillard said.