With Dirk And Durant On Fire, Expect High Scoring To Continue In Western Conference Finals
The Eastern Conference finals may have this year’s MVP, the previous two-time defending MVP, a former NBA Finals MVP, one of the best trios ever assembled, and the team with the best record in the league, the Western Conference finals appears to have a decided edge in excitement.
With Derrick Rose, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and the ‘other’ member of Miami’s star-studded cast, Chris Bosh, the series between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat is without a doubt a must-see, and there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing this matchup at this stage on a regular basis over the next several seasons.
However, the Western Conference finals has its own star power, and it was on full display in Game 1 on Tuesday night, as the Dallas Mavericks outlasted the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-112.
It could well have been called the Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant show, as the stars for both teams were at their most explosive. Durant, the NBA’s scoring champion each of the last two seasons, followed up his 39-point effort in Game 7 of the conference semifinals against Memphis with his third 40-point performance of the postseason in the opener against Dallas. Durant hit 10 of 18 shots from the field, including two of five 3-pointers, and was almost perfect from the free-throw line, going 18 of 19 from the stripe on the way to a 40-point, eight-rebound night.
However, as unstoppable as Durant was, it wasn’t enough, as his best wasn’t enough to overcome Nowitzki’s best. Nowitzki put his team on his back and was absolutely amazing, leading the way with an astounding 48 points, hitting 12 of 15 shots and an even more incredible 24 of 24 free throws.
If Game 1 is any indication, tonight’s showdown in Dallas will be one that will have viewers glued to the action from start to finish, which we can’t say for last night’s Game 2 between Miami and Chicago, which saw an absolutely atrocious offensive display from both sides in the fourth quarter.
There are few gimmes in sports betting, but if I were putting any money down on the second episode of the Dirk and Durant Show, I’d be all over the over, because I don’t see either team playing too much defense, and I don’t see either superstar slowing down.
But will the Thunder be able to go back to Oklahoma City with the series knotted at 1? The answer might not lie in whether or not they slow down Nowitzki, but if Russell Westbrook can bounce back from a poor showing in Game 1. He did score 20 points, but he was only 3 of 15 from the field, and the assist machine had only three on the night.
If he can bring his best tonight, the Thunder will be in it to the end, but whatever the case, you can certainly expect big numbers on the scoreboard on both sides in Big D tonight.