Spurs drill OKC in Game 1

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE | EXPERT BRACKETS

SAN ANTONIO — Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge did not come into this year’s postseason with a great deal of built-up credit.

Leonard was a 2014 Finals MVP but, even then, he wasn’t the man, making his name instead on the back of his defense against LeBron James and otherwise filling all the right gaps for the Spurs. Aldridge was a bona fide All-Star in Portland but had never stepped up beyond the first round. Neither were Tim Duncan in his prime, the caliber of player where you knew when they stepped on the floor they were going to be the best player on their team no matter what.

In Saturday night’s 124-92 annihilation of the Oklahoma City Thunder, not only were Leonard and Aldridge the best players on the Spurs, they were the best players on the floor, period, and by a significant margin — as Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and the rest of the Thunder simply weren’t ready to compete on this night.

Aldridge and Leonard dominated the Thunder, combining for 63 points on 28-of-36 shooting without having to step foot on the court in the fourth quarter. They were unstoppable in every sense of the word. If the Thunder left Leonard in single coverage, he pulled up. If they doubled Leonard, he found Aldridge for jumpers, including his first 3-pointer as a Spur.

Leonard had a disappointing series vs. the Clippers in the Spurs’ first-round exit last season. He slowly vanished over the course of that series, particularly offensively, and without a major wing matchup for his defensive impact to show. He also had low-output games vs. the Warriors this season, prompting questions about whether he was ready to truly be the man on …

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