2012 NBA Playoff Schedule: Why Thunder-Lakers Matchup Is Best in Second Round
The second round of the playoffs is set and already underway, but the best second-round matchup is around the corner.
That would be between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers. There are a few reasons why this series is the featured series.
This series is the classic matchup between the veteran squad and young guns. The Lakers have the best veteran scorer in the league, Kobe Bryant, while the Thunder have the best young scorer in the league, Kevin Durant.
The Lakers have other veteran players like Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace and Steve Blake. The Thunder counter with the young superstar Russell Westbrook and counterparts James Harden and Serge Ibaka.
Who is going to prevail in this series? Will the experience of the Lakers pay off in the end or will fresh legs and energy be the difference?
The series will also feature two teams with different strengths. The Lakers' strength is their size in the frontcourt with Andrew Bynum and Gasol.
The Lakers are at their best when Bynum has his head in the game and scores from the block while Gasol hits the mid-range jumpers.
On the other hand, the Thunder do most of their damage from the perimeter. Westbrook and Harden both make plays in the pick-and-roll game and Durant comes off screens to knock down perimeter shots.
The Thunder will look to Kendrick Perkins and Ibaka to bang with Bynum and Gasol in the post.
The Lakers will need Ramon Sessions, Blake and Bryant to slow down the guards of the Thunder.
Then, of course, there is the matchup between the top two scorers in the league in Bryant and Durant.
Durant just barely edged out Bryant in the regular season for the scoring title and will look to get the upper hand on Bryant in this series.
Durant will most likely have to work harder for his points in this series as he'll be guarded by the hard-nosed defensive specialist in World Peace.
Durant will find a way to put the ball in the hoop, but so will Bryant. The top scorers in the NBA will obviously play a big role in who wins this series.
The showdown between Bryant and Durant inside the series will be a fun chess match to watch.
All those factors combine to make this a better series to watch than the Spurs vs. Clippers, Heat vs. Pacers or Celtics vs. 76ers.
Make sure to tune in for this series. It will be fun to watch, and there's a great chance the winner will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
