Thunder vs. Spurs: Matchups That Will Decide Western Conference Finals

The 2012 Western Conference Finals are set, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have punched their tickets to the doorstep of the NBA Finals with wins in their respective semifinals. 

Neither team had much trouble advancing to the conference finals.

The Thunder took down the Los Angeles Lakers in impressive fashion over five games, and the Spurs improved their playoff record to 8-0 with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers. 

The series doesn't begin until Sunday, which gives us time to break down the Western Finals' biggest matchups. The following have been identified as matchups that could decide the series:

Russell Westbrook vs. Tony Parker

Kevin Durant is the unquestioned leader of the Thunder, and keeping him from dropping big numbers night-in and night-out during the Western Finals will be an important key for the Spurs. But no matchup has as much importance as the one that will be waged at the point, where two fantastic guards likely control the fate of their respective teams. 

Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook is as athletic and versatile as any point guard in the NBA. But while he's proven he can simply take over games (see Game 4 vs. Lakers), Westbrook can also get selfish and turnover happy. That wild streak has cost the Thunder games in the past.

The Spurs counter with Tony Parker, who at 30 years old has enjoyed one of his best seasons as a professional in 2011-12. He is averaging close to 19 points and eight assists, all while shooting a high percentage and running a more wide-open Spurs offense. 

The big matchup for both comes on the defensive end. Can Parker make Westbrook settle for low percentage jumpers? And can Westbrook keep Parker out of the paint, where few point guards are better at making the defense pay?

The answers to those questions may eventually give us the team advancing to the NBA Finals from the West. 

Kevin Durant vs. Kawhi Leonard/Stephen Jackson

Durant is as pure a scorer as the NBA currently has, but the Spurs are going to make it tough for him to match the 26.8 points and 51.6 percent shooting he enjoyed during Oklahoma City's five-game series win over the Lakers. 

The biggest reason might be the length of Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson, who will each see significant time guarding the 6'9" Durant in this series. Remember, the Spurs held Durant to fewer than 23 points a game in three games during the regular season. Durant shot less than 47 percent from the field while connecting on just 27 percent of his three-point attempts. 

Durant is locked in right now from all distances, but Leonard and Jackson represent a defensive tandem that could make the forward work for every point. 

Serge Ibaka/Kendrick Perkins vs. Tim Duncan

It has been amazing to watch the 36-year-old Tim Duncan work in these playoffs, even with the high minute totals we've seen during the 8-0 start for the Spurs. Duncan put in more than 30 minutes of work during each of San Antonio's four wins over the Clippers, but the results were still Duncan-esque. 

Duncan shot nearly 60 percent and scored 21 points per game, while also averaging two blocks and nine boards each night. The Thunder simply can't let Duncan be that effective in this series.

Tasked with limiting Duncan will be the front line of Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, and the Thunder have to feel pretty good about their chances here. In three games against the Thunder this regular season, Duncan shot just 35 percent and averaged 13.3 points.

Oklahoma City needs to keep the battled-tested Duncan closer to his regular season numbers to have a chance in the paint in this series.

Scott Brooks vs. Spurs Depth

No team in the NBA is as deep as the Spurs, who can play 10 able bodies any night and not lose effectiveness. How Thunder coach Scott Brooks handles that depth will be a swing factor in this series. 

While Brooks' second unit is led by Sixth Man of the Year James Harden, Oklahoma City will likely be outmanned when Derek Fisher, Daequan Cook, Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison are on the floor. 

How Brooks manages his subs when faced with bench players such as Manu Ginobili, Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter will be important in maintaining the game when Durant and Westbrook need breathers. The Spurs can run away with games when their second unit is on the floor.