After Oklahoma City advanced in the playoffs for the first time since relocating and Memphis won its first postseason series in franchise history, the two young teams will start a duel that could define the West for the next few seasons. But in their first-round victories, both showed some flaws that suggest they have some maturing to do. Against Denver, the Thunder did as expected, utilizing their stars to overwhelm a less-talented roster. Russell Westbrook, though, seemed caught in a struggle between distributing and scoring, an internal battle that led to a sideline tiff with teammate Kevin Durant. For their part, the Grizzlies did the unexpected, upending the top-seeded Spurs with a mix of athleticism and a big front line, albeit with a number of late-game defensive collapses that no team can afford deeper in the playoffs.![]()
↧