Pro Sports

Western Conference finals preview

Posted May 26, 2012 8:10 pm

FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2008, file photo, San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, left, of France, drives around Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio. Parker had two NBA titles when he was Westbrook's age. That makes the All-Star point guards chasing different legacies in what will be the marquee matchup of the Western Conference Finals.(AP Photo/Darren Abate, File)

Our NBA expert, Mike McGraw, breaks down the Western Conference matchup and its best-of-seven series:

No. 1 San Antonio vs. No. 2 Oklahoma City

Game 1: AT&T Center, 7:30 p.m. Sunday (TNT)

History: The Thunder lost to Dallas in last year’s conference finals 4-1. The Spurs last reached this round in 2008.

Season series: San Antonio 2-1. In the most recent meeting on March 16, the Spurs won on the road 114-105. Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and Kevin Durant added 25, but all five San Antonio starters tallied between 15 and 25 points with Tim Duncan finishing with 16 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Texas transformation: San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich won coach of the year largely because of the way he has helped change his team’s style of play. Believe it or not, the Spurs were the NBA’s second-highest scoring team during the regular season at 103.7 points per game. Two years ago, San Antonio ranked 15th in scoring. Four years ago, the Spurs ranked 28th at 95.4 ppg.

Thunder strikers: Oklahoma City’s Big Three of Durant (28.0 ppg), Westbrook (23.6) and SG James Harden (16.8) combined for more points during the regular season than Miami’s Power Trio. Serge Ibaka is averaging 9.8 points in the playoffs, but then the Thunder’s scoring drops off quickly. … As one might suspect when watching the three stars take turns going one-on-one, the Thunder ranked last during the regular season in assists per game at 18.6.

More passes for Parker: Spurs guard Tony Parker, whose two younger brothers attended Lisle High School, turned 30 this month. He started to pick up his scoring a few years ago, but this season set a career-high with 7.7 assists. During the playoffs, he’s averaged a team-high 19.1 points per game.

Bench support: One of the keys to San Antonio’s success is the lightly regarded trio of Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Gary Neal, who have combined to average 27 points and shoot 47.8 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs. The Spurs are also getting contributions from late-season pickups Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson. … Oklahoma City’s supporting cast has been less reliable, although veteran guard Derek Fisher has hit 8 of 15 shots from 3-point range in the postseason.

Steady shooters: The Spurs have connected on 42.3 percent of their shots from 3-point range in the playoffs with heavy volume, an average of 21 attempts per game. … The Thunder led the league in free-throw percentage (.800) during the regular season and is even better (.840) in the playoffs.

Winning ways: San Antonio is working on an 18-game winning streak. It won the last 10 in the regular season, then swept Utah and the Clippers in the first two rounds. The Spurs have gone 29-2 since March 21.

Prediction: Spurs in 7

—Mike McGraw

FILE - In this March 16, 2012, file photo, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, right, shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9), of France, in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City. Parker had two NBA titles when he was Westbrook's age. That makes the All-Star point guards chasing different legacies in what will be the marquee matchup of the Western Conference Finals.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gestures during the first half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference semifinal against the Los Angeles Clippers, Saturday, May 19, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after hitting a basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter of Game 5 in their NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal playoff series, Monday, May 21, 2012, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden (13) shoots in front of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, in the second quarter of Game 5 in their NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal playoff series, Monday, May 21, 2012, in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City won 106-90. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant, left, is defended by Los Angeles Lakers' Metta World Peace during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference semifinal in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

FILE - This Sept. 24, 2010 file photo shows Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti smiling as he talks with the media in Oklahoma City. This year's Western Conference finals opponents share a link _ Presti, a former Spurs executive. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) goes up for a basket in front of Los Angeles Lakers Steve Blake (5) during the second half of Game 5 in their NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal playoff series, Monday, May 21, 2012, in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City beat the Lakers 106-90 and advances to the Western Conference Finals. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

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