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(Sports Network) - Its Kobe vs. K.D., its Metta World Peace against James Harden, and its probably the most anticipated NBA playoff matchup this season as the Los Angeles Lakers get set to square off with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. The NBAs two top scorers and two most notable antagonists got here in opposite fashion with Kevin Durant, Harden and the Thunder needing just four games to oust the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, while Kobe Bryant, World Peace and Lakers survived a seven-game war with the younger and deeper Denver Nuggets. A lot of observers think you have to make a deep run in the NBA playoffs before you grab for the brass ring. A young, talented Oklahoma City team took that step in 2010-11 before losing in the Western Conference finals to Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks. The Thunder were more than competitive in that series but ultimately fell to the closing skills of the 7-foot Nowitzki. This time around the Thunder were awarded an opportunity to exorcise some demons in a rematch with Dallas in the first round. Now mind you this was a different Mavs bunch, missing the interior defensive presence of Tyson Chandler, who fled to New York, as well as couple of Rick Carlisles glue guys in J.J. Barea and DeShawn Stevenson. Still it was a tough test and the Thunder were more than up to the task, sweeping the Mavericks out of the playoffs with four straight wins. After taking the first two contests in the Sooner State by just four points combined, OKC arrived in North Texas to take a 95-79 route before finally finishing things off with a huge 103-97 comeback win in Game 4. Sixth Man of the Year Harden scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter of the clincher as the Thunder completed the first series sweep of the defending champions in the first round since the Miami Heat were dismissed in 2007. On the other hand, it took seven games and a series of trials but the Lakers finally put away Denver on Saturday. On the cusp of elimination, the sixth-seeded Nuggets stormed back with two straight wins and held a lead in the fourth quarter on Saturday, but the Lakers persevered, getting 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists from Pau Gasol en route to a 96-87 victory. "We stayed together, we continued to fight and share the ball," said Lakers coach Mike Brown. "Our two bigs (Gasol and Andrew Bynum) were terrific. (Bynum) was all over the place." These teams are very familiar with each other, having played three times during the regular season, including as recently as April 22 when World Peace was suspended for seven games after his vicious elbow caught Harden. Oklahoma City won the first two contests by 15 points (at Chesapeake Energy Arena) and nine (Staples Center) before the Lakers rebounded to win the final meeting in Hollywood by eight in double-overtime. "I think we know them pretty well," Gasol said of the Thunder. "We know their personnel, we know what theyre good at. Obviously we wont have as much chance to look at a lot of tape, but we know who were facing. We know how hard its going to be and we know its a quick turnaround. We have to stay ready mentally and physically for another battle." World Peace is expected to really hear from the Oklahoma City crowd in Game 1 tonight since his cheap shot that concussed Harden is still fresh in most fans minds. "Thats not my concern," the former Ron Artest said after Game 7 against Denver. "My concern is playing the game of basketball. Everything else is not really - its not important to me." "Hopefully, he has the same feelings that we all have. Its a bad play. It should have never happened," OKC coach Scott Brooks said. "But were focused on playing basketball. Its not going to be between James and Ron. Its going to be about us playing good basketball as a team to beat that team." On the injury front, Thunder starting center Kendrick Perkins, the teams top enforcer and a player Bryant has called the best interior defender in the NBA, was able to practice Sunday for the first time since straining a muscle in his right hip in the Game 4 victory against Dallas back on May 5. Most expect Perkins to play in Game 1 but Brooks is keeping his cards close to his vest and has labeled the big man a game-time decision. In the playoffs this rivalry dates back to 1978 when the Oklahoma City franchise was known as the Seattle SuperSonics. The Sonics beat the Lakers in 1978 and 79 when they reached the NBA Finals in both years. The franchise hasnt beaten them since, losing in 1980, 87, 89, 95 and 98 as well as 2010 as the Thunder. Game 2 of the set is scheduled for Wednesday in OKC. Cheap Jerseys China. All of a sudden Barbosas entire 2011-12 salary ($7.6-million) was eradicated from the teams ledger, affording them just a hair under $12-million in immediate cap space. Now, obviously the Raptors cannot use any cap space on an upcoming free agent until July, but as Colangelo has repeated again and again since Barbosa was shipped off, the space can be used in a lopsided trade anytime between now and July 1st so long as the team the Raptors are dealing with is no longer playing in the NBA Playoffs. Cheap Jerseys Direct. The two were the principal players in a 2007 trade that helped shape the Texas Rangers into a perennial AL power. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/hot.html. The County Council approved it unanimously, while the City Council voted 7-2. Both bodies had previously OKd different versions of the deal. "This is a very good financial plan here," said County Councilman Reagan Dunn, a Republican who earlier had concerns about the deal.NEWARK, N.J. -- Henrik Tallinder remembers the phone call in January from the New Jersey Devils medical staff. He had been in excruciating pain, his left leg swollen. He was told he had acute thrombophlebitis. In plain English: a blood clot that would sideline him about two months. Now its June, and Tallinder just last week was cleared to play again. The problem is the Stanley Cup playoffs are almost over and the 33-year-old Swedish defenceman is just hoping for a shot at playing in the final round against the Los Angeles Kings. "Im good. Im ready," Tallinder said this week. "I dont know, I mean, the coach has to make the call. But, as I said, I feel physically fine. I dont have any issues. Ive been practicing for two, three weeks now, and I feel good. I mean, if I get the chance, its a dream come true. This is where you want to play." Tallinder, in his ninth season, almost made it to the Cup finals in 2006 with Buffalo. However, he broke his left arm in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes. This injury is an altogether different matter. "When you get it and you read what it is, you are concerned about it and realize its serious stuff," he said. "You learn about it, deal with it and move on. But when its in your legs, you are concerned about it travelling to your lungs and its game over." Tallinder used blood thinners to eradicate the clot, but his comeback was slow. Even now that he is off the medication, he still has to be careful. Taking a flight with the team to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday requires precautions. Doctors have advised Tallinder to wear compression stockings, stay well hydrated and to get up and walk at times during the flight. Tallinder didnt seem to know exactly how he was hurt. His last game was against Winnipeg on Jan. 17. He could have been hit by a slapshot, or slashed or simply been dehydrated and took a flight. The doctors told him his clot started as an infection in his vein. ";It hurt and I was limping," Tallinder said.dddddddddddd "I thought I blocked a shot or it might have been a charley horse, but it never got better, just worse and worse and worse. Then it was excruciating pain and it swelled and it was huge. It could happen to anyone but its a freaky thing that happens. Now I know how it feels and how it occurs." Devils coach Peter DeBoer said before Game 2 on Saturday that he was thinking of getting Tallinder back in the lineup. "I do know this: I know hes kept himself in great shape," DeBoer said. "He looks good in practice. Before he went out, he was a top two defenceman for us. You miss two, 2-2 1/2 months. It didnt hurt (Travis) Zajac coming back in. I know youre jumping into the Stanley Cup Final, not into the last week of the regular season. But (Jacob) Josefson jumped in last round against the Rangers coming off six weeks out with a broken wrist, and it didnt hurt him. You know, you hope you get the desired result, but you never know." Tallinder isnt the only veteran hoping to get back into the finals. Kings forward Simon Gagne is ready to go after being sidelined with a concussion since late December. The way the Kings are going, however, coach Darryl Sutter has been staying pat with his lineup. "I have been in this league for more than 12 years, and I got close once in Philly in 2010 and I got a conference finals Game 7 three times, and close to go to the finals again," Gagne said Saturday after the Kings held a pre-game skate at the Prudential Center. "I know its hard to win, so any chance you get to go there and any chance you get to play for that big trophy, youre going to take it." Gagne also knows the opportunity to hoist the Cup does not come along often. "At this point of my career, you never know, this might be my last chance to taste something like that," he said. "Playing or not playing, a lot of things happened in my career that Im glad that I am here and in that position right now." ' ' '