The Western Conference Finals features the Dallas Mavericks who have outlasted their two rivals in the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers in what looks like their best opportunity to finally bring a NBA Championship to Dallas.
In the Oklahoma City Thunder, you have a team full of great young talent beginning with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, a dynamic duo capable of scoring 80-90 points between them. They are surrounded by a little known but talented cast of players that can more than hold their own..
The Mavericks won the season series 2-1, winning twice in Oklahoma City.
Guards: At first glance you look at the Jason Kidd/Russell Westbrook matchup and say that this is going to be an ugly thing to watch. Keep in mind that Kidd is one of the most intelligent players to ever play the position and his veteran leadership will be on full display in this series. Physically there’s no way that he can stop Westbrook, but he’ll have help in that area. Look for Westbrook to use his speed when the opportunity presents itself. His ability to set up teammates should not be taken lightly as evidenced in Game 7 against Memphis. Expect Kidd to work the Mavericks offense into a groove before he looks for scoring opportunities.
DeShawn Stevenson and Thabo Sefolosha are starters used primarily to set the defensive tone for the game averaging 13 and 20 minutes, respectively. They could very well see more time in this series as both teams will look for a defensive edge.
Forwards: Five to seven years ago the Kevin Durant/Shawn Marion matchup would’ve been the marquee of this series. But instead we have a inconsistent and aging veteran butting heads with one of if not the most talented player in the NBA at this time. Expect Durant to once again have his full arsenal on display. The Mavs are going to come at Durant in waves looking to confuse him and possibly slow things down for him. The problem is that Durant is a dual scoring threat and can score from anywhere on the floor at any time.
Five years after blowing a 2-0 series lead to the Miami Heat Dirk Nowitzki is still looking for redemption, arguably the greatest shooting big of his era, Dirk has been the model of consistency in a league that has seen his kind come and go. Unlike his counterpart in Durant, Nowitzki prefers to attack from the perimeter and work his way in with there are opportunities. In the second round we saw Dirk as a defensive force against the Lakers’ Paul Gasol. I will be curious to see if this defensive outbreak continues.
Serge Ibaka is one of the more underrated players in the NBA . Defensively, Ibaka bring a game-changing presence, in 44 starts this season he is averaging 10 points 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per games. He has solidified a frontcourt that already has Kendrick Perkins and Durant.
Centers: In the traditional way of the NBA centers Kendrick Perkins and Tyson Chandler are the backbone of their respective teams. Chandler was a Most Improved Player of the Year, while everyone knows about the much publicized trade with the Celtics involving Jeff Green and Perkins. Although neither player possesses gaudy numbers, their defense more than makes up for their lack of scoring punch.
Bench: If the starters duel to a draw, the bench play of both teams will more than make up for it. The Mavericks bench of JJ. Barera, Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic (remember him?), Corey Brewer and Brendnan Haywood are a B-team that would give most starting fives a run for their money. Terry is the catalyst that will look to get things going the moment he hits steps in between the lines. “The Jet” is as explosive as any scorer left in the playoffs and if the Thunder allow him to spot up it could be trouble.
James Harden is the same sort of player for OKC, Harden has an inside-out game that makes him as effective as Terry. His supporting 
cast of Eric Maynor, Daequan Cook, Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed are a group of grinders that get the job done. The action will not take a back seat when these reserves are on the court.
Prediction: This is the most wide open series left for the remainder of the playoffs, both teams love to get up and down the floor and shoot from deep. The Mavs have had a week-plus to get ready and the Thunder are fresh off of a seven-game war. So you may have a tired set of legs and a rusty set in the Mavs in Game 1. If OKC is going to do damage in this series they have to get off to a fast start and win one of two in Dallas. The Mavs have a group of wily vets but I think that they still rely too much on outside shooting. How much did Memphis take out of OKC and will the Mavs be able to frustrate Durant and Westbrook. This one is really close to call but here we go…
Mavs in seven.
