Nike Air Yeezy 2: US Release!

Excluding perhaps the Nike Air Mag, which did not even see a general release, the Nike Air Yeezy was the most-hyped shoe of all time.  Lines for the Kanye West-designed sneaker went thousands deep, campouts exceeded full weeks, violence ensued, and eBay prices soared to near $2000 for a deadstock pair.  The buzz popularized the term "sneakerhead", inspired the production of thousands of Taiwanese knockoffs (even these fakes fetch $400-500 per pair), and set fans nearly immediately towards anticipating a successor.  In March of last year the first on-foot images were seen; fourteen months later, we finally have a release date.

Via a Nike press release:

"Forging a new form of sport craftsmanship, the Nike Air Yeezy II blends classic Nike court breakthroughs with the performance and aesthetic demands of bringing hype to a crowd of thousands.

A primal, tactile approach to technology runs throughout every element of the Nike Air Yeezy II. Armored animalistic forms imbue the upper. Hand skived anaconda textured leather quarter panels are embellished with a debossed Vac-Tech Nike Swoosh. The molded rear is sculpted with a reptilian inspired spike, while an engineered strap with scaled down spikes was developed to offer a greater sense of symmetry and lock down.

Bringing the inspiration forward from the late 1980's basketball foundation of the original Nike Air Yeezy, the II is built on the Nike Air Tech Challenge II tennis shoe outsole and celebrates iconic Nike Cross Training silhouettes with the addition of the molded forefoot strap.

There's absolute function at the Air Yeezy II's core. Unnecessary padding was eliminated, and the foot-hugging tongue and plush collar are both comfortable and breathable. Fit was essential to the design with the goal to make the shoe slimmer than the original by tailoring it to Kanye West’s foot. The collar was also lowered to allow for greater movement.

An obsessive approach to materials results in a luxurious mix of leather, rugged ballistic nylon, and soft nubuck. Concealed but opulent details reference ancient civilizations, including a loop strap with hieroglyphics that spell out 'YZY.' Each screw on lace aglet is obelisk shaped, and the anaconda texture is echoed on the eyelets and leather lace toggle that carries the Roman numeral 'II.'

The Nike Air Yeezy II in the Platinum and the Black edition will release June 9th at select global retailers in limited numbers."

Perhaps, reader, we are not kindred spirits, you are not even a casual fan of sneakers.  You don't understand how anyone could stand out all night and in all weather for hundreds of ours for the opportunity to shell out $250 on some shoes that, realistically, should cost about half as much.  You wouldn't spend that much on a television, much less a pair of sneakers.  You don't even like Kanye West's music, much less his leather pants, whacked-out sense of style, or his flashy sneakers.

If this is the case, I understand entirely.  The Yeezy 2 is the peak of blatant materialism.  Few could tell you honestly that they want the sneaker just because they like how it looks.  It's an exercise in vanity.

Agree to disagree, I guess.  I shouldn't want these.  As a teenager with meager income who is two months from being a dead-broke college student, I shouldn't even consider buying them.  But I do want them, and I will do more than consider buying them:  I will go to whatever end I have to in order to have a chance to get my hands on these; if not to buy them, then just to look at them.

Maybe it's a sickness.

Video Game Review: NBA 2K12

The NBA 2K series is regarded by fans, casual gamers, and experts alike as the pinnacle in sports video games.  IGN rated it a 9.5/10; this is a superb score for a service that does not hand out such lofty reviews particularly easily.  Anyone who has played this game, though, knows that it is entirely deserving.

The hallmarks of the NBA 2K series are quality graphics, an intuitive and easy gameplay experience, superior online play, and a 'My Player' mode that is wildly addictive and now has an imitator in nearly every sports game that hits the market.  I could dwell for hours on these features and how many hours I have poured into each, but most who read this have a sense for these features already.  Trust that each is no departure from previous versions, but are improved subtly across the board.

The feature that I will highlight in particular, and that is new to this year's game, is Legends mode.  Last year, 2K debuted Jordan Challenge, a gameplay mode in which the user can play as Michael Jordan and attempt to recreate his greatest performances.  'Legends' expands on that theme, and this year includes fifteen NBA legends (Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are all featured) and the opportunity to unlock their championship teams.  The result is incredibly fun and challenging, addictive to a borderline unhealthy degree, and a major drain on one's free time and impediment to one's social life.  Any player whose idol was never Jordan is appeased by this game; it includes all of the greats.  In particular, I got goosebumps playing with Larry Bird and donning Celtic green.  Jordan challenge was fun; Legends is a blast.

Also new to this year's game are Total Shot Control and Post Game gameplay features, which lend another aspect of realism to the game and provide the player with more specific influence on the offensive side of the ball.  These are more difficult to master and are fairly complex for the novice gamer (I rank among those), but are extremely useful once one gets the hang of them.

Perhaps I do not tend enough towards criticism to be an excellent critic, but I rank NBA 2K12 a 10 out of 10.  I have no complaints.  Each gameplay mode is excellent in its own right, there is no better online gaming experience, and the gameplay is impeccable.  I have no idea how I would have made it through the lockout without this game, or if it was the direct cause of my senioritis; I do know this much-- the game is a lot of fun.

Boyfriend Remix - Justin Bieber featuring 2 Chainz, Mac Miller, and Asher Roth (what?!)

What is this madness?  Asher Roth, Mac Miller, and, most surprisingly, 2 Chainz, amid his current rise to popularity, join Justin Bieber on the remix of this incredibly popular track.  It's an odd combination to think of for sure, perhaps unconventional, and has inspired a reaction that has been equal parts skepticism and excitement.  In any event, Bieber appears fast-tracked towards status as a Justin Timberlake reincarnation, earning the respect of a number of prominent rappers despite being only seventeen years old and singing like he's five years younger.  Be sure to check out the song here, and let me know what you think.  It's certainly an interesting conversation.

This Week in Sneaks

Rather than posting daily (I have neither the time nor the discipline to do so, I have decided to do a weekly rundown on news within the sneaker culture, for those of you who would rather not check the sites daily.  At the end, I can run a poll on which story or shoe is the most intriguing, and perhaps get some feedback on what I ought to be writing about that way.  Without further ado...

Jordan purists will be overjoyed to know that the Air Jordan 1 KO will return again in early June, this time in original Bulls colorways rather than the wretched schemes that released last December.  These canvas-based beauties will return on June 2nd and retail at $125.

This is cool.  Using a "Year of the Dragon" New Balance 574 as the base, customizer Vu Industries built a piece to imitate the arc reactor that keeps Ironman, or Tony Stark, alive.  Definitely in the spirit of The Avengers.

Hyped since Penny Hardaway himself wore them in a charity game during the lockout late last year, the Nike Zoom Rookie "Memphis Blues" appear to finally be approaching a release date, as we have detailed pictures at last.  A mashup of Hardaway's other signatures, the Rookies have sold well since their introduction last year, and this attractive colorway should prove to be no exception.

Although it would seem they were a bit late to the party, Nike has taken advantage of the Linsanity phenomenon to the tune of three player exclusives; this is the second thus far to release.  With a primarily black upper, this is an "away" Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 Low PE for Jeremy Lin, and released this past Friday.  Due to the subtlety of the colorway, these are likely still available at your local House of Hoops.

Stemming largely from Wale's consistent endorsement, Nike Air Foamposites have become increasingly popular over the past five years, to the degree that they now sell through, in any colorway, instantly upon release.  There is no reason to believe this pair will be any different.  Nicknamed "Gem Green" (though by my estimation they aren't not green at all), this pair surfaced this week, and would seem slated for a summer release.

Ewing Athletics made a formal return this week, launching a website to coincide with the re-launch of the brand.  This is exciting news, especially for older sneakerheads who remember the former New York Knick and Georgetown Hoya fondly and look forward to the reproduction of his signature line.

The Jordan Spiz'ike is on its way back to NikeiD.  Spike Lee's Jordan Brand signature, which has sold the best of any of the fusion products that Jordan has ever released, was very popular in its first customizable stint, and its return to iD is welcome news.

Perhaps this is a sample, perhaps not; regardless, this is the first picture we have seen of any sneaker bearing the name Melo M9.  If this is indeed Carmelo Anthony's signature sneaker, it is a tough design that appears almost meant for the blacktop, calling back memories of Rodman and Barkley's signature lines.  No doubt these will be very popular sneakers in New York City come fall.

The release of this year's South Beach LeBron James sneaker approaches.  With the LBJ 8 with the same color scheme now reselling for about $1000, the "Miami Vice" 9 will likely be an opportunity for many to atone for sleeping on the predecessor.  Thousands, myself included, will be in line for these when they drop on June 2nd.  The LeBron 9 Elite retails at an astounding $250.

The hype around the shoe below will be unreal.  Inspired by the Nike SB "What the Dunk" that released in 2007, the "What the Kobe" Nike Zoom Kobe VII employs a similar concept:  nearly every significant Kobe colorway is combined together to create a shoe that is anything but harmonious but heavy on the hype.  The shoe is not meant to look good, rather it's a collector's item, the ultimate prize for any fan of Kobe Bryant's sneakers.  Expect long lines, plenty of chaos, and preposterous eBay prices on these beauties.

This is why New Balance is quickly becoming my favorite sneaker brand.  Quality materials, comfortable fit and cushioning, and great colorways are all hallmarks of the brand, not to mention that all of the sneakers are produced either in England or the United States.  In particular, the red pair in the "Backpack Collection" shown below stand out.

As if the "Jekyll and Hyde" CP3.V's weren't enough, we'll suffer through more puzzling colorways on the newest edition of Chris Paul's signature line, apparently.  These particular pairs make up what Jordan Brand is calling the "Nitro Collection", a testament to Paul's quickness.

As a followup to the LeBron 9 mid-top that released two months ago, the LeBron 9 Low "Summit Lake Hornets" is also set to release.  This colorway pays homage to LeBron James' high school AAU team, which happen to share the same colorway as the NBA team from New Orleans.  Considering the popularity of their predecessors, anyone who wants a pair of these should likely act fast; they dropped as a quickstrike at select FootAction stores nationwide this weekend.

Shout out to Rick Williams and Roland Coit, the owners of Burn Rubber in Royal Oak, MI, a sneaker boutique that has reached national renown through their vision and perseverance.  Since I live just forty minutes away from the shop, I have gotten to know them a little bit, and am a frequent customer.  The New Balance "Workforce" pack that they dropped earlier this year was excellent (stay tuned-- I think I may post a review on those particular pairs tomorrow), but these promise to be even better.  At a time when the hype around the return of the Reebok Question is at a high, they certainly picked a great time to drop a teaser for their next project.

We finally got official photos for the Air Jordan 4 "Military Blue"...

and for the Air Jordan 12 "Obsidian".  Definitely a solid week for Jordan Brand.

Along with the rest of the Nike N7 collection, the Nike Zoom KD IV "N7", in two colorways, also released this weekend.  The N7 collection directly benefits the Native American community, which is an especially nice gesture from Kevin Durant, whose professional team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is located in the heart of what was once Native American territory.  Though these were limited, there are probably more than a few pairs hanging around, but only at top Nike accounts.

The sneaker of right now:  the Reebok Question.  At last, Allen Iverson's best signature returns, and the Answer was in Philly to celebrate.

Wow.  This has the potential to be Dwyane Wade's best sneaker ever; at the very least, it is the best colorway we have ever seen on a Wade sneaker.  We are without a release date yet, but one would think that this might be Nike's design for a championship sneaker for Wade should the Heat bring home the title this year.  That's all speculative, but what else does one associate with gold at this late stage of the NBA season?

Nike Zoom KD IV "Scoring Title"

23 year old Kevin Durant, whose fourth signature shoe has warranted more buzz and hype than ever previously, is now on not only his third scoring title but also his third signature shoe honoring that feat.  After securing that title a few weeks ago, Durant hinted at the possibility that there would indeed be a KD IV "Scoring Title" edition, but just this weekend we get our first look at a shoe that promises to be limited and highly sought after.  Featuring a bright yellow, blue accents, and hints of green with flashy graphics covering the strap and collar, these are also by no means subtle.  Check out the pictures below, and let me know if these are something you would buy.  I'll be sure to post an update should more detailed pictures or an explanation of the graphics surface.

Source:  Nice Kicks

Movie Review: THE DICTATOR

Any viewer even vaguely familiar with Sacha Baron Cohen's work in similar, hilariously, politically incorrect atrocities (for most, BORAT comes to mind) would have walked into THE DICTATOR rightfully expecting to laugh hysterically and shake their head disapprovingly, sometimes simultaneously. If that viewer paid the price of admission with that knowledge, then this film satisfies those conditions as only Baron Cohen can; if not, that misguided viewer would probably have been more than a little surprised.

It is impossible to review THE DICTATOR, as with every film starring Sacha Baron Cohen, through a traditional lens.  The movie is short but seems to drag, there is little to no complexity to the plot, and there is zero character development to speak of.  In traditional terms, this is an absolutely terribly made movie and is scarcely defensible.  A purist, like my father, who several years ago walked out of BORAT halfway through, should not deign to watch cinema of so little virtue; often, the traditional critic does not condescend to watch Sacha Baron Cohen's movies at all, except perhaps to write a scathing, uncomplimentary review.

All of that is beside the point:  THE DICTATOR, as well as all of its predecessors, is not meant to be viewed through that traditional lens.  It's meant to make the audience, or at least the members who don't have the maturity to know better, laugh.  All of the films shortcomings and the considerable number of jokes that cannot be described except as floundering duds (though they are outnumbered) are water under the bridge.  In the course of 83 unproductive, essentially wasted minutes, I laughed and laughed often, was on occasion excruciatingly uncomfortable, and was at least twice completely disgusted; that is, the movie achieved its end.  I knew walking into the theater what to expect, and every expectation was fulfilled.  I laughed when Baron Cohen, as Admiral General Aladeen, poured urine all over representatives of the United Nations, laughed at an insensitive AIDS joke, and laughed somewhat more uncomfortably at a borderline antisemitic wisecrack or two; this is where the value of the film begins and ends.

This is not a defense of THE DICTATOR as an excellent movie.  It isn't an excellent movie.  I'm not sure it's even a good one.  All that the previous three paragraphs are intended to point out is that the movie serves its purpose and is in line with anyone's reasonable expectation of what it should have been.  This is by no means a fulfilling film to watch and doesn't deserve to be considered along with films that are.  Some might want the hour and a half that they spent watching this movie back the second they walk out of that theater.  But while you're watching it, THE DICTATOR is, at least in parts, hilarious.  For the right viewer, and at seventeen I am probably the right viewer, it is worth the price of admission.  I rate the movie 6 out of 10, but the degree to which you enjoy it really depends on your personality and mood.  If you really don't have anything better to do, and can withstand the occasional offhand joke that might offend you personally, I recommend that you check it out.

NBA Conference Finals preview: Gotta love the Association

For all of the criticism that the NBA takes-- for a supposedly lackluster regular season, for prevalent lazy play, for rampantly egotistical superstars-- no one can criticize it for lack of intrigue.  There are more captivating stars, more storylines, more compelling personalities, and, in my opinion, more spectacular athleticism on display.  There is an argument that can easily be made for the NFL, but in my less-than-humble opinion, the NBA is the best professional league in American sports.  I scarcely, if ever, miss a game, a statement that becomes even more true as the end of the season fast approaches.

Today, the 2011-2012 NBA season approaches a climax after a season marred by a lockout and contractual disputes.  Happily, all of that is behind us, and one could not ask for two more intriguing matchups for the conforence finals.  So, without any further ado...

Eastern Conference Finals:  Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

The good guys versus the bad guys; the old guard versus the next generation; a franchise steeped in decades of championship-caliber tradition versus the one that engineered the grossly trendy group that guaranteed "not one... not two... not three..." championships.  Long forgotten is the fact that the first group on which the title "Big Three was ever bestowed and used frequently was actually Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen when the Celtics brought the group together via some offseason trading wizardry that made the Boston instant title contenders.  That group brought another championship to Beantown in 2008, and serves as the gold standard for any triad of teammates that might warrant the label "big three" ever again.  The chemistry and unselfishness that the group has displayed in not only winning and winning quickly but also in remaining relevant long after their best years are behind them is impressive and commendable.

Let me say, in the interest of full discretion, that LeBron James is my favorite basketball player on the planet, and that I take each criticism of him as cowardly or un-clutch as a far more personal annoyance than perhaps I should.  Thus, I am rooting wholeheartedly for the Chosen One to win his first championship at the same age that Michael Jordan first did, to silence his many doubters and to raise a banner in Miami, as much as I detest the idea that Pat Riley's scheme to lure a trifecta of all-world players should succeed.  I have long since forgiven my favorite player for the abomination that was the Miami Heat welcome party of last year following the ill-advised "Decision" televised by ESPN.  I want the media to give the world's best player the credit he deserves; I want three MVP's to be validated by a first championship; I want Skip Bayless, in all of his bold idiocy and unapologetic ignorance, to eat his words and stop doing his best impression of a diluted Dwyane Wade fanboy.  If LeBron should lose again, and take the full brunt of criticism for what is a very flawed team, do not be surprised if I make a video much resembling the famous "Leave Britney Alone" Youtube classic.  If you are an avid basketball fan, you not only know that LeBron James is the best player on the planet by no small margin, but that he has been a clutch player throughout his career:  last year's finals were the aberration, not the rule.

MIAMI HEAT
PG - Mario Chalmers  11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1 spg
SG - Dwyane Wade  23.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2 spg
SF - LeBron James  29 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.5 spg
PF - Shane Battier  4.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1 spg
C - Ronny Turiaf  2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.9 bpg
Key substitutes:  Udonis Haslem (PF), Joel Anthony (C), Mike Miller (SG), Norris Cole (PG)
Injuries:  Chris Bosh (PF)

BOSTON CELTICS
PG - Rajon Rondo  15.3 ppg, 12.3 apg, 6.7 rpg, 2.7 spg
SG - Ray Allen  9.9 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.8 spg
SF - Paul Pierce  19.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg
PF - Brandon Bass  11.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.6 bpg
C - Kevin Garnett  19.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.5 bpg
Key substitutes:  Mickael Pietrus (SG), Ryan Hollins (C), Keyon Dooling (SG)
Injuries:  Avery Bradley (SG)

The lack of depth for the Heat, especially without Chris Bosh, would absolutely be a concern for Miami, except that Boston not only has even less depth but is considerably older.  If there is a combination of bigs that inspires less confidence than Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony of Miami, then it is Ryan Hollins and Greg Stiemsma of Boston.  That said, if the Heat have the two best players in this series in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, then the Celtics likely have at least three through seven is Rondo, Garnett, Pierce, Bass, and Allen, respectively.  Rajon Rondo is the best all-around point guard in the league; his playoff splits, given above, are testament to that.  While there are certainly more glamorous players at the position (Rose, Paul, and Deron Williams all come immediately to mind), Rondo is now the league's best passer and is a premiere rebounder from his position.  It has been speculated, most famously by ESPN's John Hollinger, that the Heat, having dispatched the Pacers, have earned what amounts to a bye to the NBA finals.  While I agree that Indiana was probably the best challenger remaining in the conference after Derrick Rose's ACL injury (get well, my man), this just isn't the case.  How can so-called experts so consistently undervalue not only Rondo, who was never even touted as a member of the big three but has far surpassed his counterparts and is the team's true catalyst, but also Garnett, who is averaging nearly 20 and 10 in these playoffs, and Pierce, who is the definition of a closer?  I don't believe that a team as old as Boston can beat a team as spry as Miami with so few quality players coming off the bench, but this is not the four-game series that some people are speculating about.  I'm taking the Heat in six games, with Garnett reigning supreme against the Heat's piecemeal frontcourt and Rondo providing enough spark to extend the series.  In the end, though, the Celtics will have to try to make do with Pietrus or Pierce on James, and with Avery Bradley shelved, will struggle to guard Wade also.  This is not a recipe for success, especially when those players have few subs to look to for a significant rest in their tall task.  Miami rolls.

Western Conference Finals:  San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder


It has been widely speculated (as I don't have to just yet, I won't make any such assertion) that the winner of this series will also win in the next series, with relative ease, and be crowned 2012 NBA champions.  This is a distinct possibility.  The top two seeds in the Western Conference were also the top two teams in the league in the regular season, and will enter game one of their series on Sunday night having lost just one game between them in these playoffs thus far (the Thunder fell in game three to the Los Angeles Lakers before prevailing in the series, 4-1).  The Spurs in particular have been impressive, boasting the league's best record for the second year in a row and, at this particular joint, eighteen consecutive wins.  This is a blockbuster series filled with blockbuster players, and has an excellent chance to be the trademark series not only for these 2012 playoffs but for a rising Thunder dynasty or a dwindling Spurs one.

At first glance, it seems very difficult to pick against the Spurs.  They have the league's best coach in Gregg Popovich, far and away the deepest roster of any remaining team, and the nucleus of what has been the closest thing that the Association has had to a dynasty in the 21st century.  Tim Duncan is still operating at an incredibly high level, Manu Ginobli is finally-- FINALLY-- at full health come playoff time (this is not a jinx, I swear), and Tony Parker is still a bouncy, 29 year old point guard who many outside of San Antonio do not fully realize was one of the top three point guards in the league this year and a legitimate MVP candidate, if ever Mr. LeBron James is no longer eligible to win that award.  Outside of that, San Antonio has probably five other players, six if you stretch, who could start for the Thunder.  Eighteen consecutive wins, an elite coach, top point guard, a true elite center, and a plethora of capable bench players:  one might wonder if any remaining team stands any chance at standing between this well-oiled machine and another championship.

Trust me, they do.  Led by Kevin Durant, who is now three times the scoring champion at age 23, Russell Westbrook, whose rise from an 8 point-per-game, hyper-athletic underachiever at UCLA to one of the NBA's most electric guards, and James Harden, the sixth man of the year and a player who calls back memories of a young Ginobli (although with a far more impressive beard), the Thunder are infinitely younger, more athletic, and arguably more talented, at this stage, than the Spurs, and not devoid of playoff experience despite their relative infancy.  In these playoffs thus far, they have dispatched the previous two NBA champions with ease, sweeping the Mavericks and losing only one game to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.  They have inside presence defensively (Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins), plenty of energy players (Thabo Sefolosha, Nick Collison, and Nazr Mohammed), and two players that they can expect to regularly shine in crunch time, even if their coexistence is at times inharmonious or conducive to inefficient offense.  They have the greatest home court advantage in the league and perhaps in the four major sports.  And, now, they have Derek Fisher, who brings exactly the veteran presence that the Lakers apparently missed and that has been a boon for the Lakers and for Westbrook specifically.  Perhaps too much attention is given to the "big three" in Miami and not enough to the combination of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden in Oklahoma City, though Durant's quiet humility would never allow him to accept such a title.

San Antonio won the season series 2-1, but, as SB Nation's Matt Conner points out, two of these meetings came prior to the All Star break, and the cast of characters now is entirely different from the ones that met then.  This is a heavyweight bout, destined to go the distance.  Duncan, Parker, and Popovich won't let the Spurs lose, but then again, will Durant and Westbrook?  I have a hard time fathoming that, barring the unforeseen, this series would go fewer than seven games, and certainly not fewer than six.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS
PG - Tony Parker  19.1 ppg, 7.1 apg, 3.4 rpg, 1 spg
SG - Danny Green  10.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.6 spg
SF - Kawhi Leonard  8.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 1.5 spg
PF - Boris Diaw  6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.8 spg
C - Tim Duncan  17.6 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.9 bpg
Key substitutes:  Manu Ginobli (SG), Stephen Jackson (SF), Matt Bonner (PF), Tiago Splitter (C), Gary Neal (SG), Patty Mills (PG), DeJuan Blair (PF)

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
PG - Russell Westbrook  24.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.9 spg
SG - Thabo Sefolosha  3.9 ppg, 1.9 ppg, 1.7 apg, 1 spg
SF - Kevin Durant  26.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.1 bpg
PF - Serge Ibaka  9.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 0.7 apg, 3.7 bpg
C - Kendrick Perkins  3.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.6 bpg
Key substitutes:  James Harden (SG), Derek Fisher (PG), Nick Collison (PF), Nazr Mohammed (C), Daequan Cook (SG)

As I begin to think about breaking down this series, the Spurs first round defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies last year, 4-2, inevitably comes to mind.  Although this edition of the Spurs and last year's share definite similarities, this is not necessarily fair:  Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, and Kawhi Leonard are all important contributors on this year's team who were not Spurs at this time last year, and Manu Ginobli's health certainly was not flawless in 2011.  Even knowing this, I am inclined to believe that the Spurs' model for winning is susceptible to this sort of upset.  The Spurs two greatest advantages at this stage of competition, most would acknowledge, are coaching and depth, since each remaining team probably matches them one through five in terms of talent.  As significant as these two advantages are, I think they are less so the deeper into the playoffs you go.  Throughout the regular season, the Spurs play harder and are coached better than the competition, which has yielded the league's best record in each of the past two seasons.  Even without Rudy Gay, last year's Memphis Grizzlies had no problem with a similar team:  they, too, boasted depth, and had scoring options across the board that made it difficult for Popovich to key in on one glaring weakness as he does so masterfully.  The Spurs' first-round opponent this year, the Jazz, have no such capability:  Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson make up an excellent combination inside, but the Jazz's weak guard-play was all that Pop needed to key in and run the Jazz silly behind Tony Parker en route to a sweep.  The same was true for the Clippers; the Spurs knew that if they could stop Chris Paul, they could minimize Blake Griffin's impact and stymie LA's other team.  Though he will look long and hard, Popovich will find no such obvious key to glorious victory in the tape on the Thunder.

Westbrook, Harden, and especially Durant all present considerable matchup issues for the Spurs.  Who is to guard the lightning-quick Westbrook?  Probably Parker, but not in key situations; he thrives on steals but does not count on-ball defense among his greatest strengths.  If the Spurs bring Danny Green off of the wing to slow Westbrook, then they are short a defender on the perimeter, which becomes an issue the second James Harden enters the game.  Kevin Durant is better described as unguardable than as a matchup issue, as there really isn't a player in this league that is fully equipped to stop him.  Kawhi Leonard, presumably, will try.  This combination, with Ibaka serving as the x-factor with his length and athleticism providing just enough on the inside for the Thunder to achieve some sense of balance, could prove a lethal combination for San Antonio.  For these reasons, I am taking the Thunder in six games, stealing one game in Texas and handling business on their home floor.

Not that I am in any way comfortable picking against the Spurs.  If anyone is capable of finding an answer to whatever challenges Oklahoma City might present, it is he, the most underappreciated piece of San Antonio's success in the Duncan era.  If he can find a combination that works defensively on OKC's three scorers, and if Timmy Duncan can assert himself on the inside, the Spurs win this series.  Moreover, I have a helluva time believing that the Thunder could take game seven in San Antonio.

Time will tell.