By Marcus Shockley

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (L) and James Harden celebrate against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Final basketball playoff in Dallas, Texas May 19, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

A lot has been made of the fact that the ‘old guard’ of the NBA has been eliminated from this year’s NBA playoffs. Unless, of course, you count the Dallas Mavericks. The push out of the last decade’s dominant players certainly looks like the chance for the NBA to usher in a new era, but the Mavericks might not be too keen on being put out to pasture just yet.

It’s probably not entirely accurate to put James, Wade and Bosh into the new guard, as they sort of straddle the existing dominant teams and the brand new powerhouses of the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. But at the very least, it does seem like a new era has arrived in the NBA.

Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose are the new faces of the NBA, and quite frankly, may be the best be for long term financial success for the league. Fans outside of Miami aren’t too keen on the Heat, but most basketball watchers think very highly of Durant and Rose. They not only sell tickets, they sell the league, much like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did years ago.