OKLAHOMA CITY // Kevin Durant and his teammates are this week enjoying their longest break of this lockout shortened season.
The only other time the Oklahoma City Thunder players have had more than three successive days off was a five-game layoff over they All Star Break.
But their sweep of the Dallas Mavericks, the defending NBA champion, has given them the chance to put their feet up as they wait to find out who will be their opponents in the Western Conference semi-finals.
The rest will be welcomed by the centre Kendrick Perkins, who left the clinching Game 4 victory on Saturday night with a strained right hip.
"Perk is a big part of what we do," Durant said. "Just his leadership and toughness out on the floor was definitely missed in the second half, but his health is way more important to us. More than anything, we just wanted to get the win for him.
"Hopefully these next few days he gets some rest and can be ready for the next series."
Perkins missed only one game all season after missing most of last season recovering after he had knee surgery and then injured the knee again after his comeback.
"It's tough to see our big fellow go out, a guy that gives his all every single minute he's on the floor, gives his body for us," Durant said.
"Hopefully, he's all right."
The Thunder will not know until at least tonight and possibly not until Saturday, whether they will meet the Los Angeles Lakers or the Denver Nuggets in the semi-final. The Lakers took a 3-1 series lead by winning 92-88 in Denver.
The Thunder won the season series against both potential opponents 2-1, losing to both in the final week of the regular season with James Harden, their top reserve, out for the last part of the Lakers game and all of the Nuggets game after getting elbowed by LA's Metta World Peace.
Starting this year's play-offs against Dallas provided the Oklahoma City a chance to show how far they have come after losing to the Mavericks last year.
It did not take long for the Thunder to finish off that challenge.
The Thunder handed the Mavs their first four-game sweep in franchise history, blowing through two games in Dallas to return the favour for last year's post-season heartache when they were beaten 4-1 by the same opponents.
"It was a tough, tough series for us last year. Obviously we didn't get the outcome we wanted," said Russell Westbrook, the All-Star point guard, about last season.
"It taught us a lesson.
Oklahoma City were able to avoid the late-game struggles that allowed Dirk Nowitzki to guide Dallas to the series win last year.
"Since day one, since I got here, it's just all about building and growing and getting better every single day, and I think that's what we've done," Durant said.
"We're not satisfied. You've just got to keep pushing."
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