Western Conference Finals a matchup between Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook, the two best point guards – NBA Feature
The Western Conference Finals matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder is anticipated to be one that will be remembered for a long time. They are the top two teams of the Western Conference and have been unstoppable in the playoffs.
The Spurs are 8-0 in the playoffs this season, whitewashing the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. The Thunder went 4-0 against the defending champions Dallas Mavericks and lost only 1 game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams are at their peak and
it is difficult to pick a winner among the two.
The highlight of the matchup between the two teams is the showdown between the two best point guards in the league, Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook. Both players are coming off great regular seasons and are the key factor in the performance of their teams.
Parker is looking for his fourth NBA championship and Westbrook is on the hunt for his 1st. Both are hungry for the title and both have their own reasons and motivations.
Westbrook was the #4 pick of the 2008 NBA draft, 3 places behind last year’s MVP Derrick Rose. He has been making news ever since he came to the NBA, and this has been his best season so far. Parker was the bottom pick of the first round for the Spurs in
the 2001 NBA Draft. But since then, he has won three championships with the Spurs and has had one of the best seasons of his career this year as he has gradually become the leader of the Spurs, taking over the position from teammate Tim Duncan.
Westbrook was unstoppable in both rounds of this year’s playoffs, and averaged 25.6 points in the series against the Lakers. However, he has not yet had a guard of the calibre of Parker to play against so far in the playoffs and that could be the difference.
Parker, coming off of a matchup with Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, is ready for yet another showdown.
“We're definitely going to go at him. It's not going to be like Dallas or the Lakers. Their point guards are not as aggressive. It's going to be a little bit different. We're going to go at him” said Parker about Westbrook.
Tony Parker scored 42 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a regular season game in February this year. Westbrook finished with 18 and was outdone by the veteran guard. He will be looking to make amends once the Conference Finals start.
Westbrook is an emotional player, getting 10 technical fouls this season. Parker had none throughout the season. In that way, they are quite different. But both have similar wishes of reaching the NBA Finals. And both will have to go through each other to
achieve their goal.
“We're not in this position without Russell's play. We have a good team but Russell makes us very good with what he does. His talents and his skills and his work ethic and his determination, sometimes it's hard to control” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks
regarding Westbrook.
Both players have different playing styles and different personalities. But both are explosive on the court and can swing the momentum of the game. It will be a tough matchup and whoever gains an advantage over the other will be able to contribute towards
the success of the team in a big way.
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