2016 NBA Western Conference Final Preview: Thunder vs Warriors

(photo credit: heavy.com)

The Golden State Warriors face the Oklahoma State Thunder in the NBA’s Western Conference Finals, a best-of-seven series that will start in Golden State on Monday evening, at 6 p.m. PT.

The Warriors enter the series as the overall #1 seed in the West, finishing the season with a all-time league best 73-9 record, then winning each of their first two postseason series by a 4-1 margin. First over the Houston Rockets, then the Portland Trailblazers.

Oklahoma City has had a similar stretch as the #3 seed in the West. They dispatched of the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, four games to one. Then, as the underdog to San Antonio, defeated the Spurs by a four games to two margin.

Golden State has one major question mark looming over them right now: Stephen Curry’s health. He injured his ankle in Game 1 against Houston, sitting out Games 2 and 3. He returned to the lineup in Game 4, but sprained his MCL right before halftime. That injury held him out of play until Game 4 of the next round. Coming off of the bench didn’t have any effect on him at all, as Curry finished that game with 40 points, including a league-record 17 in overtime alone. He finished the series without any further incidents. He has also received a ton of help along the way, with Klay Thompson averaging 27 points per game, and Draymond Green averaging 17.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and seven assists per game.

For Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have continued their other-worldly production. Durant has averaged over 27 points per game in the playoffs, including 41 points in the Game 2 victory over San Antonio, and 37 points in the clinching Game 6 against the Spurs. Westbrook has averaged 25.5 points, 10.8 assists, and 6.8 rebounds, including a 36-9-12 line in Game 5 against Dallas, and 35-9-11 in Game 4 against the Spurs.

The Western Conference Finals will be determined by Stephen Curry’s health. Without him, Oklahoma City has the advantage. Seeing as how he’s managed to survive the majority of these playoffs, assuming he’ll be able to play all the way through does not seem to be a stretch. A healthy Curry should lead the Warriors to a 4-2 series win and a second-consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.