Ibaka had a middling regular season, averaging 12.6 points-per-game and 6.8 rebounds in 32.1 minutes. The key to this series for OKC is Serge Ibaka, who was always meant to be the third amigo for that team, but has struggled to live up to that reputation. We’ll get to Steven Adams later, and the less I think about Andre Roberson, the better. I surrendered my passport to Waiters Island a long time ago and don’t expect more than one whistle-to-whistle good performance from him. But what any championship team really needs is a third elite scorer to get rolling to power the second unit or to ease the defensive pressure on the superstars. It goes without saying that Durant and Westbrook have to play the series of their lives to get through the reigning champs. Who has to get hot for the Thunder to win? Answering these questions will go a long way toward deciding who walks out with this weird trophy that looks like it’s awarded to a rec league team in Syracuse, New York. Legacies are on the line and the movements of this summer’s biggest free agent target could be decided very soon. What’s at stake for the Warriors and Thunder goes beyond simply who wins four games first. This series promises to be an uptempo, athletic affair with some of the game’s most dynamic scorers going head-to-head. When you remember that Durant and Westbrook play next to Dion Waiters, then maybe their indulgences can be forgiven. On the other side of the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder are fronted by another dynamic duo in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, players routinely criticized for relying on dull hero-ball tactics and being unwilling to get their team-mates involved. The Warriors are led by jovial, unselfish three-point maestro Steph Curry and his loveable sidekick, Klay Thompson - defending NBA champions and unquestioned, unchallenged masters of terrible facial hair. The Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder are mirror universe versions of each other. The 2016 Western Conference finals start on Monday night, and the entirety of NBA fandom - save for a few hundred thousand surly Spurs fans still clutching their Tim Duncan jerseys as though they might float away at any moment - is eagerly anticipating the first playoff meeting between two teams that define the modern league.
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