First Round - Who do you want to face?

[MAD MAV MAN]

Which of the top four teams in the West do you want to face in the first round?

[OzThunder]

As far as us trying to contend for as long as you can i think the best for us (and all teams) is to avoid the lakers for as long as possible. This probably doesn't matter if you are competing for the chip (because you'll have to beat the Lakers eventually) but in our position you'd say we're not really competing. So you'd want to finish 2,3,6 or 7.

If the playoff race stays like it is, I would prefer to play Dallas. Denver is one of those teams that rebound really well and those are the teams we struggle against most. We match up relatively well to Dallas and their bigs are less the big bruising close to the basket types. If Jeff Green could crowd Dirk like he did that last game we'd have a really good chance of knocking them off. I think we (Russ) does a good job of slowing Kidd as well. I don't see us beating Denver on their home court.

Best case scenario would be for us to get up into 3rd seed (we're 2.5 games behind, not too farfetched) and play whoever ends up in 6th (Phx, Utah, SA, Portland) with home court advantage. I however think we'll end up 5th, ahead of Phx and end up playing Utah. Then if we do get passed them there's no way we're getting passed Lakers.

[slick_watts]

I would have said Dallas a couple weeks ago but they look great lately. I think we match up well with them overall but they're starting to gel with the new players.

I'd say either Utah or Dallas.. probably Dallas. I think we have another game against Utah this year so depending on how we play them..

[Joel Embust]

Mavs aren't that dominant at home, sure they're 20-9 but I've seen a lot of their home games and I'm not impressed. Denver on the other hand is just amazing at home, blowing out most of their opponents at the Pepsi Center.

[Big_Mac79]

I think as long as you can avoid the Lakers and Nuggets until the Western conference championship the Thunder have a good chance of surviving

[mcmokken]

Mavs, especially after watching our last game against them. They might also choke again like they did against GSW a few years ago. Not to say that it would be easy, but I like our chances best playing against them over the others.

[sonic-ben]

Who cares ... we in the playoffs and we are hungry and have no expectations .... fun times

[Clangus]

Jazz.

Since the Mavs got Haywood and Butler they have been great. Haywood dominates us inside.

The Jazz will likely beat us too, but if Green/Ibaka can be pesky on Boozer and Thabo/Russ can slow Williams we actually have a chance.

I dont think we can slow all of Terry, Dirk, Haywood, Butler and Kidd at the sane time

[OzThunder]

i think we match up better against Utah. But i voted Mavs on the avoiding LA idea.

[wiff]

Really it doesn't matter to me, I would like to win morethan one game though.

But I'd be happy with anyone but the Lakers the first round.