Mavs - Thunder Preview

Regular Season Series - Mavs Won 2-1

11/24/10 - Dallas 111 Oklahoma City 103 - Nowitzki 34 Durant 32
12/27/10 - Dallas 103 Oklahoma City 93 - Durant 28 Nowitzki 13 (left game w/ injury)
01/06/11 - Oklahoma City 99 Dallas 95 -  Durant 28 Nowitzki DNP


Playoff Resumes

(3) Dallas

Def. (6) Portland 4 games to 2
Def. (2) Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0

(4) Oklahoma City

Def. (5) Denver 4 games to 1
Def. (8) Memphis 4 games to 3


Likely Starters

Dallas

PG - Jason Kidd - 10.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 7.2 apg
SG - DeShawn Stevenson - 3.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 1.0 apg
SF - Shawn Marion - 9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.3 apg
PF - Dirk Nowitzki - 26.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.8 apg
C - Tyson Chandler - 6.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 0.3 apg

Oklahoma City

PG - Russell Westbrook - 23.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.0 apg
SG - Thabo Sefolosha - 4.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.8 apg
SF - Kevin Durant - 28.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.3 apg
PF - Serge Ibaka - 9.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 0.3 apg
C - Kendrick Perkins - 4.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.5 apg


Key Bench Players

Dallas

SG - Jason Terry - 18.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.8 apg
SF - Peja Stojakovic - 10.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.2 apg
PG - Jose Juan Barea - 7.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
C - Brendan Haywood - 2.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.3 apg

Oklahoma City

G - James Harden - 12.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.7 apg
PF - Nick Collison - 5.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.6 apg
PG - Eric Maynor - 5.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.5 apg
SG - Daequan Cook - 4.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.1 apg
C - Nazr Mohammed - 2.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.0 apg


Prediction

This one's a tough one for me to pick. Dallas has to have the edge going in as the Thunder haven't beaten them when Dirk Nowitzki plays. However, the Thunder have also made some big moves since they last met and now possess a lot more interior size. Dallas also had Caron Butler at their disposal in their two wins and while there are rumors that he may be activated for the Conference Finals, it seems unlikely he'll return to his previous level of impact. Either way, you're looking at the league's hottest team, winners of 6 in a row who absolutely decimated the defending champion Lakers in the second round, going up against one of the best tandems in the NBA right now in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Both teams have interior size (Chandler and Haywood vs Perkins and Mohammed). Both teams have depth, both teams can hit outside shots, both teams have dominant scorers... I think Oklahoma City gets the edge in point guard play, but Dallas just has so many options who can beat you. I dunno. I'm going to say Mavericks in 7 with Dirk and Durant trading blows the whole series, but ultimately experience winning out. That being said it would not surprise me in the least to see the Thunder steal the series, but I ultimately think Oklahoma City is still a year away.