If the Oklahoma City Thunder wants to make it to the 2012 NBA Finals, they have to get past teams like the Los Angeles Clippers first. This is easier said than done when looking at the team's battles so far this season. The Thunder take on the Clippers once again on Monday night, April 16.
The two teams have played three times so far this season and the Clippers won two of the match-ups. Looking at the one win that the Thunder pulled off, it is easy to see what they need to do to beat Los Angeles. When they beat the Clippers on March 21, they shut down the connection from Chris Paul to Blake Griffin. As a result, Griffin only finished with seven points in the game, the lowest total of his career.
Of course, it is easy to see that is how to beat them but that is not easy to actually pull it off when on the court. The other two games were big wins for the Clippers. On January 30, they beat Oklahoma City by 12 points in a game where Chris Paul finished with 12 assists and Griffin slammed the ball over Kendrick Perkins' head, making the highlight reel on ESPN for the next week.
The second win came only five days ago when they won by two points after Chris Paul hit a layup with 8.8 seconds left to cap off a 31-point game for the point guard. It proved that the Clippers are a different team than the perennial losers they have been for most of their existence. This Clippers' team is headed to the postseason for the first time in six years and is only 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the race for the Pacific Division title.
They also need this win over Oklahoma City to put doubt in the Thunders' minds heading into the postseason. With the win, Los Angeles would win the series over the Thunder and present themselves as a team to beat in the playoffs. Of course, if the Thunder win tonight, they tie up the series and head into the postseason with a chance to remain the No. 1 seed overall.
To do that, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook need to play a strong game and limit their propensity for turnovers. They also need to rely heavily on Thabo Sefolosha to guard the perimeter and keep Paul from getting any clear looks at Griffin. It is an obvious game plan but one that is not guaranteed. This is a game that could possibly be a preview of the Western Conference Finals and one that the Thunder, and their fans, have to hope swings in their direction.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.
Source: NBA.COM
Other articles by Shawn S. Lealos:
- Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs Battle for No. 1 Seed: A Fan's Take
- Five Areas the Oklahoma City Thunder Must Improve for NBA Playoffs: A Fan's Take
- Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: A Fan's Preview
- Jalen Rose Exposes Skip Bayless After Oklahoma City Thunder Criticism: A Fan's Take
- Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Milwaukee Bucks - 04.09.12: A Fan's Preview
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