ESPN Staff Split Down the Middle on OKC Thunder, Dallas Mavericks Series Outcome

As Oklahoma City and Dallas prepare to square off for the next two weeks, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. Both Mavericks fans and Thunder fans feel confident and there’s certainly paths to victory on each side.

The ESPN staff made series picks ahead of the Western Conference Semifinals, and like the rest of the basketball community, the answers were split down the middle.

Of the 14 reporters that predicted the series, it was an even split. Seven writers picked the Thunder and the other seven chose Dallas. And the real kicker is that not a single staff member picked the series to be fewer than six games. Everyone is expecting a highly contested matchup, and it should be one of the best of the entire playoffs.

In the regular season, Oklahoma City took the series in dominant 3-1 fashion. The Mavericks never seemed to be fully healthy against the Thunder, though, until the very last matchup of the season where Dallas ran away with a 30-point victory.

The Mavericks boosted its lineup significantly at the trade deadline, adding Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington. The pair has added so much to Dallas’ front court, and the team’s depth is serious. It’s unfair to judge past matchups without Gafford and Washington on the roster.

No matter which side feels more confident, this series seems bound for six or seven games like the ESPN staff suggested. Both sides have too much star power to go out quietly, and the state border rivalry has added fuel to the fire. It could be a matchup for the ages.