All For Three, Three 4-0

With 1.4 seconds left, and a perfect record at stake, Kevin Durant took matters into his own hands; taking the inbounds and nailing the 3-point buzzer beater to keep Thunder's record intact at 4-0, while condemning the defending champion Dallas Mavericks to a 0-3 start.

It was only seconds earlier that Vince Carter had scored what surely seemed to be the game winner for Dallas.  His joy would only last 48 seconds however, before Durant snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.  Not bad at all, considering Durant's lapse on defense allowed Carter enough room to sink the 3-pointer.

The Mavericks roster may look a little different, but the same fighting spirit that propelled them their first ever league title seems to have stuck around.  They fought till the very end and would have been deserved winners had they managed to pull through.  Alas, it was not meant to be however.

Also returning to the floor after spending sometime on the side of a milk-carton was Russell Westbrook.  He finished with 16 points, some of them at a very crucial time, helping lift the team when it seemed like Dallas was about to run away with the game.

Westbrook suffered through a 0-13 night from the field the previous night against Memphis, and it didn't help matters either when his sideline spat with Durant was blown out of proportion.  All you could hear from all the armchair coaches and certain analysts were calls to trade the point-guard. 

Forgotten in all the hoopla was the fact Westbrook went 4-4 from the charity stripe, with 2 of those points helping seal the game against a Grizzlies' team that is certain to give OKC fits for a few seasons to come.

To hear the crowd chanting Westbrook's name was a much welcome relief, making his recent struggles seem like a thing of the past.

As a parting shot, I'll leave you with the Durant's buzzer beater for your enjoyment; stuff of legend.

Mavericks weather late Thunder rally.

After a hard fought win in Game 2, the Thunder were slow to get off the blocks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, managing only 12 points in the first quarter.  By the time they had found some form of stability, Dallas had their lead padded up to 23 points.

Despite an "off-night" Durant still managed 24 pts

True to character, the Thunder rolled up their sleeves and went to work, outscoring Dallas 75-68 in the remainder of the game.  It may have been too little too late, but it was still a positive sign for the both the team and the fans, that you can never really count this group out.

Dallas was able to overcome a slow start from Dirk Nowitzki, with fellow starters Shawn Marion, DeShawn Stevenson, Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd all chipping in on offense.  Their execution on defense was also key; taking Durant out of the game early, leaving his teammates to do the heavy lifting.

Durant somehow managed to score 24 points, and Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 30 points.  After riding the bench for the entire 4th quarter in the previous game, Westbrook was the spark behind the Thunder's late rally, playing the only way he knows how; "full-tilt/ 0-100 in-the-blink-of-an-eye".  He continually attacked the basket, bringing the kind of aggression that had eluded the Thunder all game long.

Terry 13 pts & a late steal helped clinch the game.

They managed to cut the deficit to 8 points with just under 7 minutes left, but their poor shooting from beyond the arc (they shot 1-17) proved a hurdle too high to overcome.  Even when the game was within reach, they opted to attempt 3-pointers rather than continue to attack the basket; the approach that helped get them back in the game.

Another difference between these two teams was that Dallas kept going back to Nowitzki in crunch time, while OKC seemed to go away from Durant.  The Mavericks' persistence paid off, with Nowitzki making key jumpers down stretch helping buffer the lead.  Durant hardly touched the ball, save for a few throws and a basket.

In my opinion, I see Jason Terry as Dallas' unsung hero in their two wins so far.  After going crazy from the 3-point in a series clinching win that saw Dallas wreck Los Angeles, Terry continued from where he left off, sinking a dagger 3-pointer that all but ended OKC's spirited comeback in Game 1.  After going AWOL in Game 2, Terry was back to making plays; none bigger than a late steal off Westbrook that saw Dallas run out the clock.  There is no doubt that his involvement has and will be the key to success for the Mavericks.

In my previous article regarding this series, I stated that the less shots Nowitzki takes, the better for OKC.  Even though I was kind of wrong in Game 3, I still think that the Thunder should take the same approach on defense.  A much better start to the game won't hurt either.

Thunderous response!!

In the opening game of the Western Conference Finals, Dirk Nowitzki used the baseline to spin past Serge Ibaka and completed the move with an uncontested dunk; just the beginning of an "other-worldly" performance that saw him score 48 points on 12-15 shooting.  The eye-popping stat is that he did this without a single 3 point attempt, while also going 24-24 from the free-throw line; an NBA record for most free-throws attempted without a miss.

Kevin Durant saw Nowitzki's effort and raised him one, going for a power jam over Mavericks' center, Brendan Haywood (who just happens to stand 7 feet tall).  KD drew a foul on Haywood, and unfortunately a technical for "demonstration" or "taunting' or whatever they felt like calling.  Not that it mattered because the message was clear, the Thunder won't back down; not even to a team that put the hurt on the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

OKC's bench, which has been the backbone of their impressive playoff run this year, appeared on the scene just in time to help the Thunder steal home-court, and ride the wave of momentum into their next two meetings back in Oklahoma City.  In Monday's game, Dallas' bench, led by Jason Terry and J.J. Barea (24 & 21 points respectively), outscored their counterparts 53-22; including a late 3 pointer by Jason Terry to effectively end the game.  

Harden and his beard finished with 23 points

Led by the steady hand of Eric Maynor and mercurial James Harden, OKC returned the favor with a 50-29 advantage over Dallas' bench.  Barea and Terry combined for 19 points, with Terry going scoreless in the 4th quarter.  Harden, who starred in the 4th quarter, finished with 23 points (3rd among all scorers).  As always, it was up to Nick Collison to do the dirty work on the inside.  His superb defensive effort helped slow down Nowitzki, who finished with 29 points.  By the time Collison fouled out, the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt.

With the game still competitive in the 4th quarter, it was hard to ignore the sight of Russell Westbrook sitting on the bench as his teammates kept on trucking.  Westbrook, who has often drawn the wrath of fans, seemed content with his "odd" situation; hi-fiving and chest bumping teammates during timeouts.  To coach Scott Brooks' credit, the players in the game were doing just fine; "if the car ain't broke, why fix it?"

After Westbrook went 3-15 from the field in game, Kevin Durant said he would be willing to bet his house that his teammate wouldn't have a similar effort.  Westbrook backed him up with an 18 point effort, going 7-15 from the field.  Looks like Durant will get to keep his house after all.

The Thunder's key to success in this series will be to try and get Nowitzki to involve the rest of his teammates.  The less shots Nowitzki takes, the better for everyone else.  They also have to make sure to match Dallas' bench, pound for pound; especially after seeing what they are capable of doing.

The first team to take a 3-1 lead will be the once advancing to the final, but that's easier said in a series that is capable of going the full 7 games.