WC - Round 1 - Oklahoma City (2) v. Dallas (7)

[VF21]

Who advances to Round 2?

 

[TyFreak Evans]

Should be a good series, but I see KD outlasting Dirk in the end...

 

[rainmaker]

This series will be a war. Looking forward to it tonight. IMO, this series and the LAC/MEM series are the top two to watch in the West 1st round.

 

[kingsnation]

Great game happening right now in OKC. The Mavs showing how valuable experience and chemistry are in the playoffs. Love watching Dirk, Terry and Kidd play.

 

[kingsnation]

Great game. 2 greats going back and forth. First Dirk, then Durant. This will be a great series.

And Marion could NOT have played better defense on Durant on the Gamewinner.

 

[VF21]

wow...Just wow.

 

[Spok22]

Great game today. Cheering for OKC to win it all this year.

 

[TyFreak Evans]

The Durantula is just freaking amazing.

 

[jalfa]

one of the best basketball games I've ever seen. great stuff from both teams and pretty much everybody outside of Derek Fisher delivered. you can't ask for more.

 

[VF21]

The next game will tell the tale. Will the Mavs snap back from that dagger to the heart? If the Thunder can manage to get the lead early and take the crowd out of it, I just don't see the Mavs rallying.

 

[ArcoKings]

Awesome Game #1. Durant got the soft bounce to win it. Should be a good- close series.

 

[VF21]

I think Dallas lost their heart in game 1 and still haven't found it. They do not look anything like a home team battling to defend a championship.

GO THUNDER!!

 

[TyFreak Evans]

I think Dallas lost their heart in game 1 and still haven't found it. They do not look anything like a home team battling to defend a championship.

GO THUNDER!!

Honestly, after tonight's performance, I'd be surprised if this series sees a game 5.

 

[Mass]

Westbrook's mid-range shot has really improved. Tyreke, are you watching this series? That's what he has to learn. With is ability to attack the rim, if he'll be able to stop and shoot with good pct from 15-20 feet, he will be unstoppable.

 

[kingsnation]

Very sad for the Mavs. I love the Thunder though. I was telling someone the other day, it's too bad that these two had to meet in the 1st Round. I would've loved to see them meet in the 2nd Round or WCF again. Because I do think the Mavs could've and would've beaten anyone else in the West not named San Antonio.

 

[kingsnation]

Great game 4. Harden is unbelievable. Thunder just a few second from the 2nd round.

 

[VF21]

Congratulations to the Oklahoma City Thunder and to ArcoKings, who was the only one to correctly predict their sweep of the defending champions. WTG!!!

 

[Tetsujin]

Commence the deconstruction of the Mavs as we know them. Can anyone say D-Will?

 

[jalfa]

Commence the deconstruction of the Mavs as we know them. Can anyone say D-Will?

another conspiracy theory: Dwight Howard actually only waived his option, because the Mavs couldn't sign both he and Williams this offseason. he'll thus wait out another year in Orlando to team up with Williams and Dirk in 2013.

 

[Jose]

another conspiracy theory: Dwight Howard actually only waived his option, because the Mavs couldn't sign both he and Williams this offseason. he'll thus wait out another year in Orlando to team up with Williams and Dirk in 2013.

But they could have. They have enough expirings and non-guaranteed contracts where they could have pulled a Miami, clear out the roster, keep Dirk, and offer a near-max to both and then fill in afterwards with min players / exceptions.

Not that it matters much, Howard will be demanding a trade as soon as their season is over.

 

[jalfa]

But they could have. They have enough expirings and non-guaranteed contracts where they could have pulled a Miami, clear out the roster, keep Dirk, and offer a near-max to both and then fill in afterwards with min players / exceptions.

yeah, but at the trade deadline there was still hope that Odom would get his act together and that they might emerge as legitimate championship contenders again. this might, and I stress: MIGHT, also explain Howard's squirming around that time. once it became clear that the Mavs would pursue a championship this season and decline to clear house, he was "all in" all of a sudden. again, this is only a theory and a pretty nutty one at that, but some of the story does check out.