THUNDER JOURNAL
KD gives his scouting reports of the spurs’ defense,
SAN ANTONIO — turned 40 Monday, a milestone another member of the Spurs’ venerable “Big Three” has trouble wrapping his head around.
“His longevity is just unbelievable,” point guard said. “He’s still working the same at 40 years old as he was when he was a double MVP in (2002 and 2003).”
Parker, 33, said he can’t see himself playing at 40.
“I want to go to 20 seasons, hopefully, with the Spurs,” he said. “I would be 38 by that time. … Twenty seasons will be enough.”
With a matchup looming against the Thunder and their collection of younger, more athletic guards, age is at the forefront of any discussion involving Parker and the Spurs’ second-round playoff series against the West’s No. 3 seed.
Parker is viewed by many as a defensive liability against the Thunder, especially when matched up against who leads the postseason with 11.2 assists per game, five double-doubles and a plus-minus of plus-101.
“He’s got a lot of energy, super aggressive,” Parker said of Westbrook, 27. “Obviously, one of the best point guards in the league. It’s just fun to play against him. He brings a lot of excitement to the game. He’s been a great matchup since he arrived in OKC. It’s always been great battles.”
Parker is also bracing himself for 24-year-old backup shooting guard
who averaged 11.0 points per game against the Mavericks in the first round on 46.3 percent shooting from the field (19 of 41).
“That’s going to be one of the X-factors,” Parker said. “We can’t let him get going because when he plays well, it’s usually good results for them.”
TIM’S TRAP
Thunder big man learned the hard way that Duncan’s nice-guy demeanor belies his fierce competitiveness.
“That was my biggest mistake as a rookie,” Adams told the Oklahoma City media Thursday. “I was hitting him all the time and he was having trouble with it. And then he came over and talked to me a bit. He was like, ‘Hey, man. How are you?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, what a nice guy.’ And then he just dropped 20 from there on.
“I told MB (assistant coach Mark Bryant), and he was like, ‘That’s a vet move. Don’t do that. You can’t be nice.’ ”
Having learned his lesson, Adams said he no longer talks to Duncan.
“He tries to talk to me, I’m stonefaced, looking at something else just trying to ignore him,” Adams said. “That’s my game plan.”
MARTIN UPDATE
Kevin Martin
Spurs backup guard practiced the last two days after an illness forced him to sit out the final two games of the first-round series against Memphis.
“He looked good today, so I think he is OK,” Parker said.
PINKY PROTECTED
LaMarcus Aldridge
appeared to have a different tape job on his sore right pinky than the one he sported against Memphis, but the Spurs AllStar forward made it clear that topic is off limits.
“I don’t want to talk about the finger,” he said. “That’s not smart.”