Thunder Vs. Grizzlies Predictions: Is Memphis' Magic Sustainable, Or Will Kevin Durant Be Too Much?

There's a lot to like about the Memphis Grizzlies, especially the way the team throttled the San Antonio Spurs' offense in the first round. Memphis was excellent in rotating back in transition defense, and made the Spurs miss their few three-point attempts. But when the last time someone bothered Kevin Durant's shot? How many times does Russell Westbrook screw up in transition? Where the Spurs are somewhat small and slow (despite playing up-tempo), the Thunder are big, fast and athletic. The Grizzlies have the antidote to efficient halfcourt play. But the Thunder have the antidote to the antidote. Its name is Durant, and in the halfcourt, he's unstoppable.

That the Thunder's defense picked up in the first round against the Denver Nuggets is just more kindling for the increasing belief in Oklahoma City's chances to make the NBA Finals. The Nuggets had the NBA's No. 1 offense in the regular season; they were worse than league average in the Thunder series. While Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins will have their hands full down low, no one -- not Tony Allen, not Shane Battier -- can stop Durant. Add in Westbrook, James Harden and the advantage Eric Maynor should offer over Greivis Vasquez off the bench, and I see the Thunder taking the series in five.

By Tom Lorenzo of Straight Outta Vancouver, SB Nation's Grizzlies blog.

The hardest part about making a prediction for this series is actually accepting that we've gotten to this point. Don't get me wrong, I predicted the Memphis Grizzlies would beat the San Antonio Spurs (in seven games, actually), but beyond that never gave it much thought as to what would happen when we did beat San Antonio. For some, the first-round series was our NBA Finals. For a franchise who had never won a playoff series, let alone a game, toppling the Spurs meant we needed to actually amend our bucket list.

What stands in the way of the Grizzlies making a second highly improbable run in the playoffs is a somewhat retooled Oklahoma City Thunder team. True, Memphis took three of four from Oklahoma City during the regular season, but they've yet to face the Kendrick Perkins-Serge Ibaka frontline, which, believe it or not is more imposing than San Antonio's. The story changes, but ever so slightly. We still hold the advantage in the post, and winning the battle off the glass is going to be key if the Grizzlies want to make this an interesting series.

Of course I worry about Kevin Durant, but the key to beating the Thunder is accepting defeat in a war with Durant. Battles can be won, but not the war. Tony Allen will use his quick hands and active feet to hound Durant on defense, and while I expect KD to get his 30 points, the battle lies in offensive efficiency. I echo that sentiment in the fight against Russell Westbrook. I'll admit, I am prepared for him to torch Mike Conley on offense, just as he did during the regular season where he averaged 24.5 points on 47.2 percent shooting in four games. That's five percentage points north of his career field goal percentage. While the Grizzlies were able to disrupt Westbrook from setting the offense, forcing 4.3 turnovers per game, when he initiated the offense setting up his own shot he was spectacular. Conley is going to need a lot of help defense. They can't let Westbrook shoot 47 percent from the floor in this series.

Finally, the Grizzlies need believe that they can win on the road. That's no easy task against the Thunder, who were 30-11 at home during the regular season. Memphis shared a 30-11 home record, yet unlike the Thunder they won just 16 road games (Thunder won 25 on the road). While you always argue that a win is a win, it's no small fact that the only road game we won in our series against the Spurs was Game 1, when San Antonio was without Manu Ginobili.

After all of that, I believe that the Grizzlies can and will win this series. We still should dominate the post, despite the fact that the Thunder have added Perkins. At times throughout the playoffs our defense has been spectacular, and while we'll give up 60 points to Durant and Westbrook, forcing turnovers, disrupting the passing lanes and keeping the pressure on players not named Durant and Westbrook to step up and beat us is key -- force them into a Gary Neal moment, if you will. I also think that in the minds of many we've already won the playoffs, meaning we have nothing to lose in this series and can play as such. Honestly, I don't see us losing a home game and I can certainly see us picking off a non-Game-7 road game, which leads to my prediction: Grizzlies in 6.

Be sure to follow our Thunder vs. Grizzlies hub for full series coverage. For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Grizzlies, visit Straight Outta Vancouver.

By Zeb Benbrook (Zorgon) of Welcome To Loud City, SB Nation's Thunder blog.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the perfect team to upset the Oklahoma City Thunder and move on to the conference finals. They have a point guard who can simultaneously take advantage of the Thunder's tendency to trap on the perimeter and Russell Westbrook's turnover prone ways in Mike Conley.

They also have two of the best offensive big men in the NBA, and while the Thunder were built to deal with offensive two-man tandems down low, Zach Randolph showed last series that he can't be slowed down by the best of defenders.

The one area where the Thunder do hold an advantage is on the bench, since the Grizzlies have no backup point guard and haven't had much recent success from their lone backup big, Darrell Arthur. But when it comes down to it, the Grizzlies have had the Thunder's number all season, and have two excellent defenders (Tony Allen and Shane Battier) ready to make things difficult for Kevin Durant. It pains me to say it, but I see the Grizzlies winning in 6.

Be sure to follow our Thunder vs. Grizzlies hub for full series coverage. For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Grizzlies, visit Straight Outta Vancouver.

This is not going to be an easy series for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Honestly, facing the San Antonio Spurs probably would have been easier than facing the Memphis Grizzlies. Tim Duncan's lack of foot speed stopping dribble penetration would have been massively exposed by the Thunder's drive-at-all-costs philosophy, and San Antonio also doesn't have anyone to guard Kevin Durant. The Grizzlies, though, are great at cutting off driving lanes, and they have Tony Allen to throw at Durant. There's a reason Memphis took three of four in the regular season.

This is a series where they desperately need Russell Westbrook to perform. Westbrook had his problems in the last two games of the Nuggets series, jacking up too many shots and forcing things off the dribble. In a weird twist of fate, the Thunder might need Westbrook to keep forcing the issue against the Grizzlies. Allen is capable of taking Durant out of a game, and did so in the second of two games the teams played this season. Therefore, Westbrook is needed, big time. If the Grizzlies' defense has a weakness, it's that it fouls a little more than it should. They put San Antonio on the line far too often in Games 2, 3 and 5. Marc Gasol is really good at sliding over to cut off dribble penetration, but Westbrook shoots out of there like a jet when he is on. His power taking it to the hoop could overwhelm Mike Conley in a way Tony Parker could not. He just has to have his head on straight.

On the other end, Zach Randolph should have a field day against the Thunder bigs. Serge Ibaka is good, but he is slender. It's better than trotting out Jeff Green to stop Randolph, but it's still not ideal. The Thunder, like most teams, aren't built to stop two post players. Kendrick Perkins could check Randolph, but Randolph is probably too perimeter-oriented to make that work on a consistent basis. O.J. Mayo vs. James Harden off the bench is also a key barometer in play.

In the end, I expect Oklahoma City's stars to come through when it matters most, but this is not going to be easy. The pick: Thunder in 7.