The championship-chasing Western Conference third-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will be gunning for their third win in the first round of the playoffs series against the host team Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night.

After a sluggish 7 for 33 shooting clip in Game 2, Kevin Durant bounced back with a rousing 34 points game performance in Game 3 to seal a 131-102 win. Russell Westbrook did the same going 9 for 16 from the field scoring 26 points and dishing out 15 assists.

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With the Thunder's dynamic duo playing superb basketball, it is safe to say that Dallas will have a hard time finding an antidote for the All-Star tandem,

The Billy Donovan-headed team also enjoys deeper bench firepower offensively with Enes Kanter and Dion Waiters contributing double figure scoring along with starting forward Serge Ibaka.

"The way we won Game 2 was it was a slower-paced game for us, kind of grind it out," said the 2007 NBA MVP Nowitzki said. "It's going to be tough for us to win a game if they score 131 points. I don't think we can score 131 right now with the team we roll out there, the injuries."

On the other hand, Dallas Mavericks cannot be count out yet; they are a veteran postseason team with a championship experience and with a lot of pride. They will not give up the fight that easily, even though injury issues robbed them of Chandler Parsons and Deron Williams' much needed services.

Aside from Nowitzki, the Mavs will defend on their backcourt players, with J.J. Barea, who scored 15 points in their latest match, back after missing Game 2 with a groin injury.  Raymond Felton will also be expected to give his best for the team.

The projected starters for the Thunder are Westbrook, Andre Roberson, Durant, Ibaka and Steven Adams. Barrea, Felton, Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews and Zaza Pachulia could start for the Mavericks.

TagsNBA 2016, NBA Playoffs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Dirk Nowitzki