The Memphis Grizzlies visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday for Game hands down the Western Conference Semifinals after hard-fought six-game series was survived by both teams in the very first round. The top-seeded Thunder will discover precisely how heavily they are able to depend on celebrity Kevin Durant in the continued absence of position guard Russell Westbrook, who took his meniscus in Game 2 against the Houston Rockets. He'll be confronted with a stout Memphis defense headlined by the pesky Tony Allen and extended Tayshaun Prince on the side, though it is highly doubtful Durant can be stopped completely. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are riding a surge of momentum on the heels of four straight wins from the L.A. Clippers. For the reason that collection, Memphis' inside size became too much. Big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol averaged a mixed 38.1 points and 15.5 rebounds through six games. Oklahoma City may counter with some defensively oriented large men of its own in Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. They'll find the key to this series could be earning the paint, although the Thunder will need nearly all of their rating to come from edge players like Durant and Kevin Martin. Without Westbrook to force the pace, OKC might find it self in a uncharacteristically grind-it-out line, one which will certainly test this team's power to fit its premier expertise with some much-needed grit. Game 1 methods off at about 1 p.m. ET on ABC. The Grizzlies won 2 out of 3 games this season against the Thunder,AincludingAthis 90-89 OT triumph won on a by Marc Gasol.
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