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Before we get to a proper preview of the Western Conference finals, let us address a curiosity about the Spurs and Thunder courtesy of the fancy STATS LLC camera system installed in 10 arenas around the league, including in San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

For two years in a row, the Chicago Bulls ended the regular season with the best record in the league under new coach Tom He has been a lightning rod for controversy since Derrick Rose went down with his injury and the Bulls fell to the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant is the one who makes the big shots. He's the scoring champion, the one known as Mr.

The Heat are younger, have perhaps the two best players on one team, and they have home court advantage.

The NBA Conference Finals have featured some of the most breathtaking performances in NBA history by individuals who told their team, "Get on my back, and I will carry us to the NBA Finals." In NBA Conference Finals history, there have been players that had to show up big to indeed carry their team in critical games or big moments.

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MAY 20: Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on in the second quarter while taking on the Los Angeles Clippers in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

By BRIAN MAHONEY, Associated Press SAN ANTONIO - A look at the Western Conference finals, which begin Sunday... No.

Thunder big man Kendrick Perkins discusses his defensive mentality for the team's series against the Spurs and defending the pick-and-roll. Thunder big man Kendrick Perkins discusses his defensive mentality for the team's series against the Spurs and defending the pick-and-roll. CELEBRATION: Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins celebrates the Thunder's ... (more)

Bill Simmons on James Harden's rookie card : "More important, check this out: Harden has rookie cards on eBay right now going for $355 and $148.50 . The extravagant price of the first card makes sense because it's an "Exquisite Gold Rookie Card" from Upper Deck and only 13 of them were printed.

Mark Kriegel is the national columnist for FOXSports.com. He is the author of two New York Times best sellers, Namath: A Biography and Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich , which Sports Illustrated called "the best sports biography of the year." The short-lived news that Shaquille O'Neal would talk with the Orlando Magic about the team's general ... (more)

The planet did not tilt off its axis the day Spurs coach Gregg Popovich walked into the team's practice gym and announced post-ups to Tim Duncan would no longer be the centerpiece of his offense.

Spurs guard Danny Green expects to be among several Spurs defenders who will be matched against Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook.

Thunder center Nazr Mohammed played for the Spurs during the 2005-06 season and part of the 04-05 season.

To complete our day of previews for the Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Finals, we have a Game 1 3-on-3 preview with Beckley Mason of HoopSpeak fame.

Tim Duncan, left, and the San Antonio Spurs have quietly beat down their first two playoff opponents, but who cares, right? -- LeBron James is cocky.

We can sometimes overanalyze what happened in a regular season game when trying to look at a playoff matchp.

In preparation for the series to come this Sunday, I took the initiative of re-watching all three matchups against the Spurs from the regular season.

The Thunder and Spurs open up the Western Conference finals on Sunday in a matchup that many are calling the de facto NBA Finals.

San Antonio was the No. 1 seed during the regular season, going 50-16. They won their last 10 games in the regular season, and have since swept the Jazz and Clippers in the first two rounds.