The Oklahoma City Thunder were many analysts' pick as the team to watch in the Western Conference playoffs this season. After Memphis knocked off San Antonio in the first round, it looked as though the Thunder had a clear run to the Western Conference finals.
Now, after the Grizzlies have won two of the first three games, Oklahoma City must beware. It is the Grizzlies and not the Thunder who appear to be the up and coming, athletic team in the league. Game four in Memphis could provide a glimpse to which team will advance.
The Thunder have been one of the toughest teams to beat at home this season. If Oklahoma City can capture game four, the pressure would again shift to Memphis. If the Grizzlies should win, they would need just one win in the final three games to advance to their first-ever conference finals.
Memphis has been led by Zach Randolph. The team rewarded Randolph's strong play this season with a contract extension, and with each game the team wins in these playoffs, Randolph is becoming more of a fan favorite, and a trip to the finals would cement his place in Memphis sports history.
The Thunder, meanwhile, have been seen as the emerging team in the West. Kevin Durant won his second straight scoring title this season, but he will need to be adding some hardware to his trophy case before analysts start putting him among the best of all-time. As young as he is, there will be plenty of opportunities for the team to win championships in the coming years.
Memphis is a 1.5 point favorite in the game four match up tonight. The total for the game is 198, suggesting that both teams will be scoring at will. These playoffs have seen frequent totals of less that 190, but the Thunder-Grizzlies series has consistently been up over 195.
May 10, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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