(I know I'm a day late on this one but is anyone surprised the Thunder took game one at home?) Durant is still in MVP-mode, Westbrook will play even angrier than usual (I fear for Patrick Beverly if he has to play Westbrook in the playoffs this year), Ibaka is a better contributor than he's ever been and while the rest of the rotation has some ups (Jackson, Sefolosha, Collison) and downs (Lamb, Thabeet, Fisher), there is enough scoring and rebounding to take out a team like the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies play a slow-down, grinding style of ball that would threaten a Thunder squad without Westbrook. But their offense will be largely dependent on Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince, which I just don't see as the answer. I like the Grizzlies to make the games sludgy and slow but the Thunder are too potent for that to be too successful. Indeed, I think the Grizzlies style will make the Thunder even more anxious to score early and often. I see the Grizzlies trying to dig themselves out of an early deficit in every game without enough firepower to pull that off.
Thunder in 5. I'll give the Grizzlies a game but even then I suspect it'll require some luck at the end of the game. I know this is supposed to be the quintessential defense versus offense match-up but I just don't see it.
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