Golden State Warriors Playoffs 2014: Clippers or Thunder? The Pros And Cons Of Facing Each (Photo: @warriors Instagram account)
As the Golden State Warriors approach their last game of the season tonight, their eyes will be locked in on two potential opponents’ games. The Warriors are locked into the 6th seed and are awaiting to find out who will be the 3rd seed. It will either be the Los Angeles Clippers or the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder will clinch the 2nd seed by winning tonight against the Detroit Pistons at 5pm PDT or with a Clippers loss at the Portland Trail Blazers at 7:30pm PDT.
Both teams have had great seasons and would represent a difficult challenge for Golden State and likely an entertaining series. Evaluating both teams, there are pros and cons to facing each.
The Oklahoma City Thunder
Overview: The Thunder boast the front-runner for the MVP, Kevin Durant. Durant has had one of the greatest offensive years in NBA history, boasting 31.9 points (on 50.4% shooting), 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists per game.
In addition to Durant, the Thunder have perennial all-star, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook has battled knee injuries all season, but looks healthy entering the playoffs averaging 22.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, in only 27.8 minutes, per game post-all-star break.
Pros: With the Thunder boasting two of the leagues most lethal scorers, they don’t have much of an inside game. Starting center Kendrick Perkins is a defensive player who rarely scores and power forward Serge Ibaka is more of a jumpshooter. Their back-up big men are similarly defensive-minded.
With the Warriors likely missing Andrew Bogut for the first round due to a fractured rib, not having to deal with a team that plays primarily inside would be more ideal.
The Warriors could get away with David Lee playing an undersized center with fewer consequences.
The Warriors have also played the Thunder well this year, with two games going down to last minute winners, one of them by Andre Iguodala and the other by Westbrook.
Cons: Durant is as dangerous a player as there is in the NBA, capable of beating teams almost single-handedly. In their third game this season, Durant scored his season high of 54 points against the Warriors, making shots from everywhere, well-defended or not.
While the Thunder don’t depend on their big men to dominate inside, Durant and Westbrook regularly get to the rim and draw fouls on opposing big men. Not having a rim protector will only put more onus on the Warriors’ perimeter defenders to deny penetration to these two, no easy task.
The Los Angeles Clippers
Overview: The Clippers are led by perennial all-stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Both of whom have had their best seasons under former Coach Of The Year Doc Rivers.
They like to run and they usually dominate opponents with their rebounding. Their front line’s athleticism is a mismatch for any team.
Pros: The Warriors have played the Clippers well over the last two seasons. This season, they each won twice and last season the Warriors won three out of four, and those were all with Bogut out.
Per Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group:
It’s no coincidence Bogut played in none of the Warriors-Clippers games a year ago and the Warriors went 5-1. Chris Paul is a great defender when he wants to be. But the rest of the Clippers guards have their hands full, especially if Iguodala and Barnes have it clicking.
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The Warriors’ best shot is to trade dunks for 3s. Having four shooters opens the floor and gets the Warriors better looks.
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And, it gets the Warriors out of iso ball.
The Clippers have been a Top Ten defense all season, but don’t really have a lock-down perimeter defender to put on Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson. Their uptempo style can also benefit the Warriors who like to run as well.
In their four meetings this season, Curry has shot 52.5% against the Clippers, 58.6% from 3-point range.
Cons: These are not the same Clippers whom the Warriors beat 3 out of 4 times in 2012-13. They have a new coach with deep playoff experience and added depth, while Griffin and DeAndre Jordan have rapidly improved.
The Clippers frontline is a challenge for anyone, but without Bogut protecting the rim and rebounding, it’ll only be more difficult. Jordan has had a break-out season, leading the NBA in rebounds per game with 13.8. No team’s starting frontline has averaged more rebounds per game than the Clippers’.
Paul is also one of the NBA’s best ‘thieves’, leading the NBA with 2.5 steals per game. In a game against the Warriors on 10/31/2014, his pressure defense forced 11 turnovers out of Curry.
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