One great NBA scorer is going to want a slower game with a chance to set up his halfcourt offense. The other is going to want to run with the pack and keep things moving quickly. Either Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant is going to get his way and the winner of game three between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers could depend on tempo. That's what Royce Young of the Daily Thunder believes.
He writes, "Tempo. The Thunder want to run, the Lakers do not. Pretty simple, pretty straightforward. Game 1 was played in stark contrast to Game 2, and the Lakers got the game slowed to how they want it. Grind out halfcourt possessions, with fewer touches for the Thunder, which means less shots for Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The Thunder don't necessarily need transition points, but a more frantic pace certainly is preferable."
When the Thunder kept things moving, game one turned into a joke for the Lakers. In game two, things were the opposite and they had a chance to win in the end. Despite the final outcomes, the two games were very different and the series could easily be 1-1 at this point.
Expect the Lakers to do everything they can to stall the flow. At this point, they have to find something that works so they're not against the ropes after only three games.
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