Let's talk after January. OKC has 14/19 on the road staring them in the face. Even if they stay healthy, you'll see. Boredom, a rut, a brief chemistry hiccup or [name something else] will prevent 70 wins. That's actually a good thing for them. I'll predict right now OKC will stumble immediately after the All-Star break just like last year.
JK... Larry Bird and Kevin McHale twice followed by Larry Bird and Bill Walton 3 consecutive years 1983-84 to 1985-86
Thunder are going to win the title. No one is as good as them unless the Heat can "turn it on" but to me Wade has regressed.
Durant is currently shooting 50-40-90 fg% 3pt% and ft%. A feat that has only been done a few times before.
I like analyzing individual match ups because in the playoffs individual weaknesses and advantages are exploited more. Howard dominates Perkins in every aspect of the game. Gasol does have 2 inches and 15 pounds over Ibaka, but Ibaka does more for his team overall. Peace/Ebanks will take turns getting owned by Durant. Kobe will do his thing against Sefalosha. Nash will get owned by Westbrook, but he will run his team better. The bench advantage goes to OKC, but you play Martin against Kobe and we know what Kobe will do. I don't think the Thunder have anyone outside of Perkins that can guard Howard. The backup PG spot is also a questionable for the Thunder. I doubt Lamb will get minutes in the playoffs, but he probably should. Collison does not match up well with Jamison. Hill will provide defense and rebounding as well as Howard and Gasol with rest. Meeks is a nice scoring guard off the bench. I say the Lakers have the advantage over the Thunder come playoff time when it matters.
Durant has been on a tear and will win MVP simply because this will be an anyone but Lebron year I feel like (much like Jordan had a few times). I think Lebron has been the better player overall, but it is REALLY close. As far as the trade goes. It was a win-win for sure, but I'd really like to see come playoff time if Westbrook can chill the f out and help them win. Last year Harden was the reason they got past the Spurs, and this year the Spurs look good and game planning for Westbrook, Durant, Martin is MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than Westbrook, Durant, Harden.
Perkins has proven to be one of the best defenders on Howard for years now. He can hold him without tons of help and battles on the boards. Thabo is one of the better defenders on Bryant and like Perkins on Howard, can hold him without tons of help. He makes Kobe work to get his. Nash may run his team fine but he has no prayer to stop Westbrook. You are really selling OKC short in their bench advantage. Last postseason LA couldn't stop OKC defensively and I'm not seeing how that has changed this year. Durant will still be the best player on the court and they have no one to contain him. They also still have no one to contain their 2nd best player (Westbrook).
I think the Thunder take it this year simply of the fact that they will come into the playoffs hungrier than last year which will be lethal.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6gN4Bn1fFL4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> KD dominating Josh Smith...
Brian Davis and Grant Long calling the same sequence. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rR3t4wIu5Hs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Here's the crossover on Korver. LOL! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xWP0LBF4vlQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> and WB's hammer dunk. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3nd6sU7DwXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That's not much of an LOL crossover. I've seen much much worse. That's almost about as good as you can expect ANY nba player of Korver's size/athleticism to guard Durant on a play where he crosses over like that. Hope he misses. He didn't. Short of putting someone like KG in his prime on KD, you just can't guard that. I've seen him impacted by physical defense a bit in the past, so maybe a prime Artest would have bothered him some, but with the groove he's in, still probably not. The best defense on him is ball prevention, which teams have done successfully in the playoffs.. though still rarely.
