The NBA's Western Conference finals feature two high-scoring teams with MVPs leading the way.
The Golden State Warriors have advanced to the conference finals for the second season in a row and the fourth time in their history. They are coming off a competitive, roller-coaster series against an upstart Portland Trail Blazers team. They won the series in five games, but were challenged in each of the last four, including the two for which they had Stephen Curry. In the end, though, the MVP came up big in both his appearances, scoring 40 points in a pivotal Game 4 win and hitting the game-clincher in Game 5.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the Western Conference finals for the fourth time in six years. Their path wasn’t easy — they had to fight an aging but determined underdog in the Dallas Mavericks and then having to unseat the San Antonio Spurs in six games — but they made it. Now they just have to take down the team with the best regular-season record of all time.
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Regular-season series: Golden State won 3-0
Warriors 116-108
Warriors 121-118, OT
Warriors 121-106
Matchup to watch: Kevin Durant vs. Draymond Green
The Thunder were at their best against the Warriors in the first two games when Durant ran wild, scoring 40 points in the first matchup and 37 before fouling out in overtime in the second game. He had 32 in the third game. Green will have to work at both ends of the floor, and try to make Durant do the same.
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Outlook: The Thunder head into another series as an underdog, and they should be after the season that the Warriors had. But the Thunder have already done the unthinkable by beating the Spurs twice in San Antonio, so who's to say they can’t steal a game or two in Oakland? Either way, the regular-season matchups suggest we are in for a treat.
Prediction: Thunder in six.
Schedule (all times Eastern):
Game 1: May 16, Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 2: May 18, Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 3: May 22, Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 4: May 24, Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 5 (if necessary): May 26, Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 6 (if necessary): May 28, Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9 p.m., TNT
Game 7 (if necessary): May 30, Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, 9 p.m., TNT