OKC Thunder: Spurs' Tony Parker turns in performance even Gregg Popovich can love

Gregg Popovich ripped into his point guard. The Spurs coach didn't like a shot, or maybe it was a pass, you can't always tell.

Parker let the criticism roll off like it was a Thunder defender of him. Like most Frenchmen, he's a lover, not a fighter.

Soon enough, the Spurs had squelched a Thunder rally from the depths of a blowout. San Antonio beat the Thunder 120-111 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals, and Parker knew his coach was pleased. Even if Pop won't always show it.

“It's always been a battle my whole career,” Parker said of dribbling the fine line of scoring and quarterbacking. “Pop wants you to score, then he wants you to pass. And he wants you to score, and he wants you to pass. You go back and forth. Over the years, I got better at it.”

Rarely has Parker been better than Tuesday night: 34 points on 16-of-21 shooting, eight assists, only two turnovers. Parker hit medium jumpers and floaters in the lane and made the Spurs offense hum like a symphony.

This was the opposite of those Eastern Conference playoff games, where baskets are precious. With the Spurs, points came in flurries, with Parker delivering the ball through the hoop or into the hands of a teammate who could do the same.

And the ex-Mr. Eva Longoria is more than just a pretty face and an exquisite ballplayer. He can be on the tough side, too.

Even after the Thunder figured out that defense is not optional this deep in the playoffs, Parker delivered in crunch time.

A jumper over Kevin Durant's spider arms that gave the Spurs a 97-86 lead with 9:11 after the Thunder had finally reduced its deficit to single digits. A drive to the basket that led to a goaltending and restoration of a double-digit lead with 4:33 left. And finally, the back-breaker, a fallaway 15-footer to make it 107-96 with 3:39 to go.