ManRam
05-16-2011, 06:34 PM
.....http://rotoworld.com/img/NBA/teams/logos/DAL.png_______________http://rotoworld.com/img/NBA/teams/logos/OKC.png
(3rd Seed, 57-25)_________ (4th Seed, 55-27)
Series Tied 0-0
American Airlines Arena
http://www.world-guides.com/images/dallas/dallas_american_airlines3.jpg
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - 9:00 PM EST
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/attachments/team-d1-miui/21805d1291581772-miui-themed-icons-espn_logo.png
http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p429/Rosh360/Projectedstartinglineups-1.jpg
http://www.nba.com/tvc/image/assets/wordmarks/DAL_wordmark.png.................................. ....... http://www.nba.com/tvc/image/assets/wordmarks/OKC_wordmark.png
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/kidd-1.gif___PG___http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2259/77922595.jpg.....................................J ason Kidd __________________________ Russell Westbrook
The Breakdown:
In the playoffs there is no substitute for veteran savvy, and there are few veterans more savvy than Mavericks floor leader Jason Kidd. He's not the great individual defender he once was, but he is still as good as anyone in the passing lanes, and he anticipates his teammates on the offensive end as well as any point guard ever has. He's also proven time and time again that the standard defensive approach of leaving him open from behind the arch is going to cost you three more often than not. Kidd's offense has already been a huge key for Dallas this postseason.
As smart and savvy as Kidd is, he represents the old guard of NBA point guards. He comes from a time when point guards were much more focused on running the offense than they were with being a significant offensive factor themselves. Westbrook is very much a new-school point guard, able to score at will, break down any defense, and create havoc in the paint and on the scoreboard.
There's no way Kidd can contain Westbrook defensively, but he'll have help doing that. Where Kidd will outplay his younger counterpart is in the mental aspect of the game, making better decisions on the fly. Westbrook is still very much learning what it means to run a playoff team, and the Western Conference Finals is a brutal place to learn. The Mavs can use players like DeShawn Stevenson and JJ Barea to compensate for Kidd's defensive slow-footedness, but the Thunder don't have a player to match Kidd's brilliance in running a team. Westbrook's offensive prowess and Kidd's veteran savvy make this match-up pretty even.
Advantage: Push
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/stevenson.gif ___SG___http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4757/85385920.jpg
.....................l...............Deshawn Stevenson ________l________l___l_______ Thabo Sefolosha
The Breakdown:
This is one of the more interesting match-ups in the series, as neither of the starters is likely to play many minutes and the reserves are more likely to have a say in which team wins the series. Sefolosha is averaging just over 20 minutes per game in the playoffs and Stevenson plays just 12.8. Both of these players are used as defensive stoppers, and since neither of them is particularly adept at scoring they won't be needed to stop each other. The Mavs are more likely to use Stevenson to guard Westbrook and switch Kidd over the Sefolosha, so we'll see how that plays out. Either way, neither Stevenson nor Sefolosha has a clear edge in this matchup, especially since neither will be in the game at crunch time.
Advantage: Push
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/marion-1.gif ___SF___http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2249/13080501.jpg
...........................l.........Shawn Marion ____________________________ Kevin Durant
There are two matchups where one team or the other has a clear and distinct advantage, with this being the first. Kevin Durant is one of the top young stars in the NBA today, and is emerging as a perennial MVP candidate. The Mavericks have their work cut out for them just containing Durant, and have little hope of stopping him. Shawn Marion is still a decent defender, but his offensive game has dropped off noticeably in recent years. He no longer takes to the sky to finish at the rim, preferring to get into the paint and flip the ball in the general direction of the hoop.
Marion was a significant factor for Dallas in the first round. He averaged 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field, while also having some success in containing Portland's small forward duo of Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum. He didn't fare nearly as well against the defense of Ron Artest in the second round, when he managed just 8.5 points on 38% shooting. No matter how well Marion plays, however, he's completely outmatched in squaring off with Durant.
Durant was the NBA's leading scorer for the 2010-11 season, and stepped his game up even more in the first round, averaging 32.4 points per contest as the Thunder took out the Nuggets in five games. Defensive specialists like Shane Battier and Tony Allen made life a little more difficult for Durant in the second round, but he still led OKC in scoring with 24.3 points per game. The Mavericks can push and crowd Durant, but he's not going to be stopped. He will dominate whoever matches up with him in this series.
Advantage: Thunder
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/dirk-1.gif ___PF___http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2927/63469302.jpg
........................l.............Dirk Nowitzki ____________l_____________ Serge Ibaka
The Breakdown:
It's been an impressive second half of the season for Serge Ibaka. Once again, with the trade of Jeff Green, we've seen that Thunder GM Sam Presti is one of the best in the business. Unlike Green, Ibaka is the game-changing front court defender the Thunder needed, and he's a big part of the reason they're now preparing to compete in the Western Conference Finals. In 44 starts this season Ibaka averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game, and it's clear he's the starter of the future for the Thunder.
On the Dallas side of the equation, of course, is a man who needs no introduction. Dirk Nowitzki is the best international player to ever grace the NBA hardwoods and he shows now signs of slowing down. Dirk has learned to pace himself during the regular season, but once the playoffs begin he does what the great ones do and takes his game to another level. After averaging a fairly low (for him) 23 points per game during the season, Nowitzki is averaging 26.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and even 2.5 assists per game in postseason play. Never known for his defense, Nowitzki has been especially sharp on the defensive end, making life tough on Pau Gasol in the second round. Like Durant, Nowitzki is a force that cannot be stopped. The Thunder can only hope to contain everyone else and force Dirk to beat them.
And he might.
Advantage: Mavericks
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/chandler-1.gif] ___C___http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8949/96290106.jpg
.......................................Tyson Chandler ________________l_________ Kendrick Perkins
The Breakdown:
The one thing the Thunder were clearly lacking as they began the 2010-11 season was a true starting center, and true to form Presti went out and got exactly what his team needed. Kendrick Perkins arrived as part of the aforementioned Jeff Green trade, and together with Ibaka he has formed one of the toughest defensive front lines in the NBA. His numbers don't jump off the page, but his presence is something every team has to account for as they talk about attacking the OKC defense.
On the flip side is Tyson Chandler, who was in the running for Most Improved Player thanks to the remarkable impact he's had on the Dallas Mavericks. All of a sudden the Mavs have gone from somewhat of a pushover defensively to one of the better defensive teams in the league, and Chandler is a huge part of the reason for the change. Like Perkins, Chandler's numbers don't overwhelm, but his 6.9 points and 8.7 rebounds have been huge for the Mavs as they base their success around controlling the glass.
Advantage: Mavericks (slightly)
http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p429/Rosh360/TeamStats.png
http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/VSNResources/NBA%20Resources/119x120%20Round%20Logos/mavssml.png (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks)............................http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/VSNResources/NBA%20Resources/119x120%20Round%20Logos/thunders.png (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/okc/oklahoma-city-thunder)
Dallas Wins Season Series 2-1
Mavericks 111, Thunder 103 - November 24, 2010 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=301124025)
Mavericks 103, Thunder 93 - December 27, 2010 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=301227025)
Thunder 99, Mavericks 95 - January 6, 2011 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=310106006)
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/4608/nbaplayoffs.jpg (http://www.nba.com/playoffs/2011/westseries7/index.html?ls=st)
(3rd Seed, 57-25)_________ (4th Seed, 55-27)
Series Tied 0-0
American Airlines Arena
http://www.world-guides.com/images/dallas/dallas_american_airlines3.jpg
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - 9:00 PM EST
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/attachments/team-d1-miui/21805d1291581772-miui-themed-icons-espn_logo.png
http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p429/Rosh360/Projectedstartinglineups-1.jpg
http://www.nba.com/tvc/image/assets/wordmarks/DAL_wordmark.png.................................. ....... http://www.nba.com/tvc/image/assets/wordmarks/OKC_wordmark.png
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/kidd-1.gif___PG___http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2259/77922595.jpg.....................................J ason Kidd __________________________ Russell Westbrook
The Breakdown:
In the playoffs there is no substitute for veteran savvy, and there are few veterans more savvy than Mavericks floor leader Jason Kidd. He's not the great individual defender he once was, but he is still as good as anyone in the passing lanes, and he anticipates his teammates on the offensive end as well as any point guard ever has. He's also proven time and time again that the standard defensive approach of leaving him open from behind the arch is going to cost you three more often than not. Kidd's offense has already been a huge key for Dallas this postseason.
As smart and savvy as Kidd is, he represents the old guard of NBA point guards. He comes from a time when point guards were much more focused on running the offense than they were with being a significant offensive factor themselves. Westbrook is very much a new-school point guard, able to score at will, break down any defense, and create havoc in the paint and on the scoreboard.
There's no way Kidd can contain Westbrook defensively, but he'll have help doing that. Where Kidd will outplay his younger counterpart is in the mental aspect of the game, making better decisions on the fly. Westbrook is still very much learning what it means to run a playoff team, and the Western Conference Finals is a brutal place to learn. The Mavs can use players like DeShawn Stevenson and JJ Barea to compensate for Kidd's defensive slow-footedness, but the Thunder don't have a player to match Kidd's brilliance in running a team. Westbrook's offensive prowess and Kidd's veteran savvy make this match-up pretty even.
Advantage: Push
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/stevenson.gif ___SG___http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4757/85385920.jpg
.....................l...............Deshawn Stevenson ________l________l___l_______ Thabo Sefolosha
The Breakdown:
This is one of the more interesting match-ups in the series, as neither of the starters is likely to play many minutes and the reserves are more likely to have a say in which team wins the series. Sefolosha is averaging just over 20 minutes per game in the playoffs and Stevenson plays just 12.8. Both of these players are used as defensive stoppers, and since neither of them is particularly adept at scoring they won't be needed to stop each other. The Mavs are more likely to use Stevenson to guard Westbrook and switch Kidd over the Sefolosha, so we'll see how that plays out. Either way, neither Stevenson nor Sefolosha has a clear edge in this matchup, especially since neither will be in the game at crunch time.
Advantage: Push
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/marion-1.gif ___SF___http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2249/13080501.jpg
...........................l.........Shawn Marion ____________________________ Kevin Durant
There are two matchups where one team or the other has a clear and distinct advantage, with this being the first. Kevin Durant is one of the top young stars in the NBA today, and is emerging as a perennial MVP candidate. The Mavericks have their work cut out for them just containing Durant, and have little hope of stopping him. Shawn Marion is still a decent defender, but his offensive game has dropped off noticeably in recent years. He no longer takes to the sky to finish at the rim, preferring to get into the paint and flip the ball in the general direction of the hoop.
Marion was a significant factor for Dallas in the first round. He averaged 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field, while also having some success in containing Portland's small forward duo of Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum. He didn't fare nearly as well against the defense of Ron Artest in the second round, when he managed just 8.5 points on 38% shooting. No matter how well Marion plays, however, he's completely outmatched in squaring off with Durant.
Durant was the NBA's leading scorer for the 2010-11 season, and stepped his game up even more in the first round, averaging 32.4 points per contest as the Thunder took out the Nuggets in five games. Defensive specialists like Shane Battier and Tony Allen made life a little more difficult for Durant in the second round, but he still led OKC in scoring with 24.3 points per game. The Mavericks can push and crowd Durant, but he's not going to be stopped. He will dominate whoever matches up with him in this series.
Advantage: Thunder
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/dirk-1.gif ___PF___http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2927/63469302.jpg
........................l.............Dirk Nowitzki ____________l_____________ Serge Ibaka
The Breakdown:
It's been an impressive second half of the season for Serge Ibaka. Once again, with the trade of Jeff Green, we've seen that Thunder GM Sam Presti is one of the best in the business. Unlike Green, Ibaka is the game-changing front court defender the Thunder needed, and he's a big part of the reason they're now preparing to compete in the Western Conference Finals. In 44 starts this season Ibaka averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game, and it's clear he's the starter of the future for the Thunder.
On the Dallas side of the equation, of course, is a man who needs no introduction. Dirk Nowitzki is the best international player to ever grace the NBA hardwoods and he shows now signs of slowing down. Dirk has learned to pace himself during the regular season, but once the playoffs begin he does what the great ones do and takes his game to another level. After averaging a fairly low (for him) 23 points per game during the season, Nowitzki is averaging 26.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and even 2.5 assists per game in postseason play. Never known for his defense, Nowitzki has been especially sharp on the defensive end, making life tough on Pau Gasol in the second round. Like Durant, Nowitzki is a force that cannot be stopped. The Thunder can only hope to contain everyone else and force Dirk to beat them.
And he might.
Advantage: Mavericks
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Eazie4E/chandler-1.gif] ___C___http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8949/96290106.jpg
.......................................Tyson Chandler ________________l_________ Kendrick Perkins
The Breakdown:
The one thing the Thunder were clearly lacking as they began the 2010-11 season was a true starting center, and true to form Presti went out and got exactly what his team needed. Kendrick Perkins arrived as part of the aforementioned Jeff Green trade, and together with Ibaka he has formed one of the toughest defensive front lines in the NBA. His numbers don't jump off the page, but his presence is something every team has to account for as they talk about attacking the OKC defense.
On the flip side is Tyson Chandler, who was in the running for Most Improved Player thanks to the remarkable impact he's had on the Dallas Mavericks. All of a sudden the Mavs have gone from somewhat of a pushover defensively to one of the better defensive teams in the league, and Chandler is a huge part of the reason for the change. Like Perkins, Chandler's numbers don't overwhelm, but his 6.9 points and 8.7 rebounds have been huge for the Mavs as they base their success around controlling the glass.
Advantage: Mavericks (slightly)
http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p429/Rosh360/TeamStats.png
http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/VSNResources/NBA%20Resources/119x120%20Round%20Logos/mavssml.png (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks)............................http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/VSNResources/NBA%20Resources/119x120%20Round%20Logos/thunders.png (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/okc/oklahoma-city-thunder)
Dallas Wins Season Series 2-1
Mavericks 111, Thunder 103 - November 24, 2010 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=301124025)
Mavericks 103, Thunder 93 - December 27, 2010 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=301227025)
Thunder 99, Mavericks 95 - January 6, 2011 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=310106006)
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/4608/nbaplayoffs.jpg (http://www.nba.com/playoffs/2011/westseries7/index.html?ls=st)