Mavericks at Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder flew under the radar as the third-best team in
the Western Conference this season but are ready to make some noise in
the postseason. The host Thunder start their quest to out-do Golden
State and San Antonio in the West when they open the postseason against
the sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
Oklahoma City is expected to roll through the Mavericks after winning all four regular-season meetings. This could be the Thunder's last chance to make a deep title run as All-Star small forward Kevin Durant is slated to become a free agent and there are clear indications that he's very much open to leaving Oklahoma City. Durant and All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook have carried the offense but Dallas played solid defense down the stretch by allowing fewer than 100 points in each of its last nine games, winning seven of them. "We stepped up to the occasion, especially shorthanded, so we've just got to continue to get healthy," Mavericks shooting guard Wesley Matthews told reporters. "Everybody is getting back together, and now we've just got that one focus of winning one game at a time."
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (42-40): Dallas is in the postseason for the 15th time in 16 seasons and will be hoping that 37-year-old power forward Dirk Nowitzki can once again step up under the playoff pressure. Nowitzki has a career scoring average of 25.3 in 140 postseason games but his average this season was below 20 points for the third time in four seasons as he finished at 18.3. The top three point guards are all ailing - J.J. Barea (groin) had a recent hot streak prior to his injury and is expected to play, starter Deron Williams (sports hernia) will attempt to play through the ailment and reserve Devin Harris (thumb) is probable.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (55-27): Westbrook figures to test the Dallas point guards in Game 1 to get a feel for their fitness level and assess how much damage he can inflict. He recorded 18 triple-doubles in the regular season, which ties for third all-time with former Los Angeles Lakers great Magic Johnson (1981-82) and trails only two marks put up by legendary Wilt Chamberlain (31 and 24) during the 1960s. Durant and Westbrook will look for scoring help from their teammates and the best bet to step up is backup center Enes Kanter, who recorded a career-best 25 double-doubles despite averaging just 21 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder averaged 112.5 points while sweeping the four regular-season matchups.
2. Dallas backup PF David Lee (foot) appears doubtful to play in the opener.
3. Oklahoma City backup SG Dion Waiters was just 8-of-33 from the field over the final three regular-season contests.