Western Conference Round 1: #8 Thunder Vs. #1 Lakers

[rabman_gold]

Sorry it took so long. I was just making it look better. But here it is. Hope it's to your liking.

Oklahoma City Thunder (8)
Vs.
Los Angeles Lakers (1)

Season Series (LAL wins 3-1):
November 3, 2009: Lakers 101 - Thunder 98
November 22, 2009: Lakers 101 - Thunder 85
December 22, 2009: Lakers 111 - Thunder 108
March 26, 2010: Thunder 91 - Lakers 75

Games:
#1 @ LAL: Sunday, April 18, 2010 @ 3:00 on ABC
#2 @ LAL: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 10:30 on TNT
#3 @ OKC: Thursday, April 22, 2010 @ 9:30 on TNT
#4 @ OKC: Saturday, April 24, 2010 @ 9:30 on ESPN
#5 @ LAL: Tuesday, April 27, 2010; TBD
#6 @ OKC: Friday, April 30, 2010; TBD
#7 @ LAL: Sunday, May 2, 2010; TBD

Locations:
Staples Center: Los Angeles

Ford Center: Oklahoma City

Coaches:
Scott Brooks

Vs.
Phil Jackson

Starting Lineups:
Center:
Nenad Krstic
Vs.
Andrew Bynum/Pau Gasol

Power Forward:
Jeff Green
Vs.
Pau Gasol/Lamar Odom

Small Forward:
Kevin Durant
Vs.
Ron Artest

Shooting Guard:
Thabo Sefolosha
Vs.
Kobe Bryant

Point Guard:
Russell Westbrook
Vs.
Derek Fisher

Bench:

• Serge Ibaka
• Nick Collison
• James Harden
• Eric Maynor
• Kevin Ollie

Vs.

• DJ Mbenga
• Lamar Odom/Josh Powell
• Sasha Vujacic
• Shannon Brown
• Jordan Farmar

Others:

• Byron Mullens
• Etan Thomas
• DJ White
• Kyle Weaver
• Mustafa Shakur

Vs.

• Adam Morrison
• Luke Walton

Key Matchups:

• Battle of the Big Men (will Bynum be healthy)
• Superstar Struggle (Bryant Vs. Durant)
• Will the Lakers take it up another notch and make this a pseudo battle instead?
• Can the Thunder make it a series if that's the case?
• Is there any chance of an upset happening?

Good Links to read up on:
http://www.nba.com/2010/news/04/14/westseries1_preview/index.html
http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/matchup/_/teams/thunder-lakers
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/...t Picks&tag=coverlist_active;coverlist_footer
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/playoffs/firstround/west;_ylt=AqS9KkVhGppVnylyCg1eEEOmxMEF
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...eviews-No-1-Lakers-vs-No-8-Thu?urn=nba,234790

General Consensus:
All 23 Sports Analysts choose the Lakers.
None chooses a sweep.
5 choose a 7 game series (including the NBA2K10 simulation machine... lol)
9 choose a 5 game series.
So 9 others choose a 6 game series.

• 21.7% for 7 games
• 39.15% for 6 and 5 game series each
• The Lakers aren't expected to win without a fight, but expected to eventually take the series

My Take (because everyone else did one...):

The Lakers and Thunder are both beaten up. Taking a lot of lumps into a start of a postseason battle isn't a surefire way to win a championship, but thankfully only one will need to make it past the first round. The Thunder have climbed up the mountain and face a deadly challenge in the form of a bigger, star-dominant team led by a genius coach. It's like a lone wolf taking on a grizzly bear or two, instead of having a pack with it.

One thing to keep in mind is that both teams have a pure superstar that will lead their teams to victories. Both are very good at what they do and will make big time shots. This is Kevin's first foray into the playoffs and it's expected to have the same impact that LeBron's and Derrick's first playoff year had. That's what superstars do. Kobe will be a little more beaten up and tired, but expect him to bring a big game or 3 to the plate.

If the stars are equal, then whoever has more role players step up will likely take the series. The Thunder have the point guard and small forward, but the Lakers still have more star 7 footers, versatile big men, and a larger cast of current and former all-stars. But don't take Jeff Green lightly, despite being outmatched. He'll probably bring his A game as well.

Prediction:
Lakers in 4
I'll be a radical in this case. I don't expect it to come easy, but I know that a playoff team is different than a regular season team that doesn't play with intensity. I'm unsure of this series because the Thunder won't die, but they may just be outmatched.

 

[Powerslave]

Refs in 5.

 

[Oreos]

I'm totally disappointed by the lack of tables.

 

[Imadogg]

I like this

Let's go Lakers.

Refs in 5.

Aka Kevin Durant in 5?!?!

 

[Urban]

By the end of this series (even though LA wins) everyone will know who Thabo Sefolosha is.

 

[Triumph36]

Voting Thunder with the upset because fuck LA and Durantula > Kobe.

 

[Bruce Leroy]

Serge Ibaka will make a name for himself in this series by dominating Gasol. IBAKAAAAAAAAA

 

[Obawan12]

Look for this series to be closer than people think... I don't think the Thunder can win, but I can definitely see them pushing the Lakers to 6 games... it all depends on how much Westbrook exploits Fisher...

 

[Powerslave]

Aka Kevin Durant in 5?!?!

Fuck you.

 

[Photon]

Fuck you.

Relax. He was talking about how many minutes it will take KD to foul out... Anyway my sources are telling me that refs will wear purple and gold underwear this playoffs...

 

[JayP146]

Wasn't Scott Brooks the guy who actually posted here on RCF last season (I think it was in a Cavs nostalgia thread)? :chuckles:


Regardless, go Thunder!

 

[gourimoko]

Voting Thunder with the upset because fuck LA and Durantula > Kobe.

Fucking A!

 

[Clinton91]

Who else thinks Lisa Salters is sexy?

 

[Clinton91]

I guess Durant isn't getting the same calls as he did in the regular season....

 

[MYoung23]