I covered all the playoff series in my latest blog over here. It's pretty long but I'll still post it here.
The Uncommon One: Playoff Playout Part 1
1. Bulls vs 8.76ers- The complex of the series has changed in drastic fashion after Derrick Rose's injury. Rose is the game changing player that the 76ers don't have. Now without Rose, this becomes an open series with lots of transition basketball. With C.J Watson running the point, the Bulls may look to push the ball more in transition which could be a problem. The 76ers can play in transition with the best of them because they have so many athletes on their team. They showed that if they can get in transition and find easy baskets, they're tough to beat. In Game 2, you saw Jrue Holiday take advantage of the absence of Rose with a dominant game. Lou Williams and Evan Turner had great games as well which really pushed the 76ers over the top on that huge run in the 3rd quarter. The Bulls didn't exactly play bad but allowing fifty nine percent shooting will make you lose. They need to get Kyle Korver the ball more because he's proven that he can hit huge shots in critical moments like he did against the Heat. You can't give him only four shots a game because he has so much more value than that.
Future Of The Series- I'm going to be shocked if the Bulls don't make it out of this series regardless of how the 76ers play. Chicago has proven they can beat teams without Rose and have too much talent to drop out. Carlos Boozer needs to make more of an impact in this series and step up defensively because Elton Brand has been very efficient through out the series. The Bulls are one of the best defensive teams in the league and I'm aware that they'll look to limit the 76ers transition offense and counter attack by using their big men to find open shooters on the perimeter. The series will still be a struggle but the Bulls will close this series out in six. With Rose out, I'm expecting Luol Deng to be the guy to take over this series over Chicago. He's matched up with Andre Iguodala which is a tough match up but Deng is a proven player that can score anywhere on the court.
2. Heat vs 7. Knicks- It has the most bizarre series out of all the playoffs based on 4th quarter collapses, some Oscar winning acting, and guys losing their minds punching fire extinguishers. Through out all the drama and controversy, the Heat have owned the Knicks in the 4th quarter in the last two games to go 3-0 in the series. They have simply played more efficient than the Knicks and proving how strong their defense can be. They have swarmed the Knicks which leads to rushed jumpers, difficult three point attempts, and turnovers. Before the injury, Amarie Stoudmire was expected to step up and be the 2nd scorer they desperately needed. Instead he looked lost like he has for the most part this season and likely won't be seen again this season. The three point shot hasn't fallen for the Knicks in any of their games so far including last night with a 4 for 20 effort from down town. Carmelo Anthony has shot horrible in this series thanks to Shane Battier mostly playing defense on him. Battier has shot poorly in the series but he's done an excellent job defensively. The Knicks need their role players to step up but other than Jr. Smith and Baron Davis in spurts, it has limited. J.R Smith can hit some really tough shots and can light up the crowd with a huge dunk like we saw last night, but he's proven to be wildly inconsistent in this series. The Heat still continue to take care of business despite a horrible first half performance last night. Dwayne Wade has been the most consistent player in the series with solid games through out the series including being the catalyst for the Heat in Game 3 when they went on a huge run to close out the Knicks. LeBron James has obviously been the MVP of the series with his game changing ability but he played horrendous in the first three quarters last night. Somehow he scored 32 points but it was an ugly game for him which can happen from time to time. Miami has taken care of business so far despite the lack of consistent outside shooting from their role players but it must be very positive that the Heat have shut down a very hot Knicks team that was the best player in the month of April in Carmelo Anthony.
Future Of The Series- The Knicks may win Game 4 just because of pride and Mike Woodson wouldn't let his team lay down like this. They have too much pride after getting decimated in the 4th quarter just to lay down like this. That doesn't mean I think they're going to win Game 4 but it will be competitive. I'm pretty sure Jeremy Lin will remain out along with Stoudmire so it will be difficult. Carmelo Anthony may score over forty points here and have a huge breakout game but the Heat will look to get the job done to get rest for the 2nd round. After last night's awful first half performance, I'm sure Eric Spolestra will have his team playing hard ready to end this right away. I'm going with the sweep here for the Heat on Sunday but it will be a very close game. It will also lead to me posting a picture on my Twitter/Facebook of me in a Heat jersey with a broom sweeping away something that connects with the Knicks. I'm probably going to be so much heat for it, but my hatred for the Knicks is always high and I'm never scared of being a bad guy.
3. Pacers vs 6. Magic- It might have taken until Game 2, but reality is starting to hit hard on this series. The Pacers have absolutely dominated the last two games. After a Game 1 hiccup, where the Pacers shot horrible and forgot that Jameer Nelson can actually still play. They have stepped up the intensity and haven't allowed Orlando to score more than 78 points in the last two games which is very impressive. One interesting change has been George Hill taking Darren Collison's starting role which doesn't surprise me. Collison has been a disappointment all season and George Hill has always seemed to make more game changing plays than Collison. Hill has been solid but it has been a team effort. Paul George and Hill were the main stars in Game 2 but last night, it was Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert. I'm surprised it took Hibbert this long to have a big game because without Dwight Howard, he should dominate this series. Hibbert needs more of a mean streak and command to take over the game because he has so much potential. Orlando looks finished after a shocking upset in Game 1 but they can't shoot well from the series and have trouble getting the three point shot going. Everyone knows they can shoot yet nobody has really shot well from there. Ryan Anderson hasn't stepped up this series after a great regular season. He was expected to take Howard's role as the big man scoring but that seems to be Glen Davis job now. I know that Anderson and Howard have different playing styles but Anderson was averaging fifteen points a game this season yet is struggling to muster much this series. Orlando's back court is getting out played this series in a big way which doesn't help the cause. Somebody needs to let Jason Richardson know that they didn't trade to get him for poor shooting percentages and not getting to the free throw line.
Future Of The Series- I predicted this series to be a sweep but Indiana simply couldn't score in Game 1. That being said, this series will still end in 5 because Orlando looks like a dead duck. Indiana realizes that Miami will be done with their series soon and they don't want Miami to get that much rest. I'm expecting more consistent play across the team with Granger leading the way. The only way Orlando gets back in this series is winning Game 4 but Indiana seems to be in complete control with Hill starting. If they can get Roy Hibbert to start taking more shots and dominating the paint, Indiana may find something that they can abuse the Heat with because Miami doesn't have a true center.
4. Celtics vs 5. Hawks- This series has been an absolute mess but why would you expect less? The Hawks- Celtics rivalry always has strange occurrences such as injuries, incidents, terrible shooting from star players, and players that take over. Both teams haven't clicked well offensively but you would expect that since both teams are missing star players like Al Horford and Ray Allen. I've been really impressed with Atlanta's defense because they aren't known as a great defensive team. I was positive that with Rondo missing Game 2 due to suspension that the Hawks would get a huge 2-0 advantage going into Boston. Instead Paul Pierce literally took Boston on his shoulders and shut the critics up with a thirty six point game. There has been some whispers that Pierce was becoming over the hill yet he showed that he can still come up with a 36 point explosion when the team needs him. Other than a decent game from Garnett and Avery Bradley playing smart basketball, the Celtics didn't have anyone that really stood out on the offensive side of the court. On defense, they played smothering defense that caused the Hawks to shoot just 35 percent from the field. Garnett frustrated Josh Smith a lot during the game which caused a horrendous 8-21 from Smith where he seemed to get tired of driving into the paint. Smith didn't get to the free throw line at all during the game which was the cause of taking too many jump shots which is a problem for Smith. With Rondo out, you would think that Jeff Teague would have a breakout game. Instead they put Avery Bradley on Teague which led to a 6-18 game from Teague. The Hawks had a great opportunity and executed poorly offensively which leads to the series being split headed into Boston.
Future Of The Series- I'm not expecting the Hawks to lay down in the series but they are in trouble. The Celtics get Rondo back and he's got to be frustrated after missing Game 2. With Rondo coming back, that just adds another element to the Celtics. With the huge home court advantage in Boston, I doubt the Hawks win any games there. Boston rarely loses at home in the playoffs and seem to be playing very well despite the Game 1 loss. With Pierce and Garnett playing at a high level and Bradley becoming one of the best on ball defenders in the league, Boston is going to be a tough out. The Hawks might stretch the series to six because they will have a home game for Game 5. Boston is known for poor shooting games at times so I'm expecting one more miscue. Once it hits Game 6 and the game is in Boston, the series ends at 6 with Atlanta not having enough scorers offensively to get the job done. I'm aware that I said the series ends in 5 but Ray Allen not playing in the series has me changing my mind for just one game. Boston's bench hasn't done much in the series and they seriously miss him. That could be a problem when games get longer and series stretch out longer for Boston with so many aging players on the team.
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Tony Parker in the paint! Who didn't see that one coming?
1. Spurs vs 8. Jazz- This series has been no contest so far like I expected. The Jazz haven't really been competitive so far in this series even though people feel like the Jazz might steal one. Right now nobody is playing better than the Spurs with their great depth. They have a really strong and deep rotation with role players stepping up at different times. Boris Diaw has been a nice pickup and Kawhi Leonard has continued his impressive rookie season. Tony Parker has been the main star in this series with his play making ability and controlling the pace of the game. With the Jazz usual playing in a half court offense set, Parker always tries to push the ball and make plays. He's been highly successful getting easy buckets by simply driving to the hope. Devin Harris and Jamal Tinsley have been blown away much like the entire Jazz team in the series. The Jazz have shot poorly for the most part of the series and haven't been able to stop the Spurs from scoring in the paint. They are getting beat at their own game which is to pound the ball in the paint with Jefferson and Millsap. Both guys had solid games in Game 1 but both struggled in Game 2 taking poor shots. The Jazz are in severe trouble with their lack of depth and having their stars struggle. They need to learn how to react to the pick and roll much better and to get physical with Tony Parker. Right now Parker is breaking free and is getting to wherever he wants on the court. He's the guy that makes the Spurs go and makes players like Gary Neal and DeJuan Blair valuable.
Future Of The Series- The Spurs are a very disciplined team so it wouldn't surprise me if they complete the sweep. Despite the new youth of talent, the main stars are veterans and they would enjoy the rest while seeing the Grizzlies and Clippers battle it out. The Jazz seem too limited in the back court to stay in games trying to defend guys like Parker and Manu Ginobili. They may take a game if the Spurs start shooting poorly, but the Jazz aren't a great scoring team so that may not even be enough. This is a really tough match up for them with too many flaws to beat a team that is very hot at the moment with loads of depth. I predicted a sweep and it will end as a sweep.
2. Thunder vs 7. Mavericks- I've been raving about how much fun the series during Wednesday's edition. It has been the Russell Westbrook series with Shawn Marion playing lock down defense on Kevin Durant. A few other components with Dirk Nowitzki bound to break out was the plan for Game 3. Instead it has been a completely one sided game with the Thunder being in complete control of the game. Durant has been highly efficient shooting at a high percentage along with getting some nice looks with Russell Westbrook garnering so much attention. Westbrook still has played well and it may be time to Jason Kidd to retire after this series because he looks completely worn out. He's shot poor all series and is on the back end of Westbrook whenever Russell makes a move. Shawn Marion has played poorly through out the game on both ends of the court. He's looked lost offensively and has started to lose track of Durant around the court. The supporting cast of Dallas has been poor with Jason Terry struggling to shoot and Dirk commanding double teams whenever he gets the ball. Dallas has met its match and could possibly become the first team since the 2007 Heat to be swept in the first round of the playoffs after winning the NBA title. Dallas seems just too old and lethargic at times to pose a threat to the Thunder even when the games have been close mainly because Durant has shot so poorly. With an efficient Durant and terrific defensive play allowing just 34 percent scoring, the Thunder look primed for revenge after losing in the Western conference finals last year to the Mavericks.
Future Of The Series- This reminds me of the Heat-Knicks series so much even though the games have been far more competitive than the Knicks vs Heat games. Dallas just seems old and doesn't seem all that interested. I also don't see them having much pride left especially after playing this poorly at home. I'm more confident in the Thunder sweeping the Mavericks than the Heat sweeping the Knicks. I just don't see Dallas garnering enough after winning the Finals last year. Oklahoma City is hungry and prime to continue playing well to win the Finals. I think Dallas may play well early on but Oklahoma City will stay on course and eventually pull away from Dallas to finish the sweep. I'm expecting a big game out of James Harden who has been quiet this series. He hasn't been called upon to do much but he's been quiet far too long to not explode for a twenty point game.
3. Lakers vs 6. Nuggets- The first quarter hasn't been friendly to the Nuggets. The Nuggets have been outscored by twenty points combined from the first two games. The other three quarters have been tight which makes the 2-0 lead a bit inflated. I'm not confident about this series going to six games though based on seeing Game 2. The Lakers clearly don't miss Metta World Power (his name is Power to me!) with Danilo Gallinari shooting 5-18 from the field and really hurting the Nuggets from the field. The main reason why the Lakers are in control of the series is mainly because of how the size difference. I knew the Nuggets didn't have much quality big men but I didn't expect it to be that much of a disadvantage. Kenneth Faried has done a nice job but the Nuggets clearly miss Nene. They have got nothing out of Koufos, Mogzov, and McGree while matching them up against the likes of Gasol and Bynum. Bynum absolutely dominated the paint in Game 2 with the Nuggets having no answer defensively. The Nuggets stayed close in Game 2 based on the balance of scoring led by Ty Lawson. Ramon Sessions was a nice pickup for the Lakers but he was getting out played by Lawson and couldn't contain him. Lawson is becoming a star and the catalyst to the Nuggets but the problem with the Nuggets have been three point shooting. One of the biggest reasons for the success of the Nuggets has been three point shooting this season but they've been shooting poorly against a Lakers team that isn't a great perimeter defense to begin with. They need to start hitting threes otherwise they won't stand a chance of making this series competitive. They showed promise but until they start hitting threes and trying to contain the paint, they won't win a game this series because those two components are huge. It also would help if Kobe Bryant wasn't that efficient, but that's a tough task. I'm shocked that it took this long to bring up Kobe, but he's dominated this series. Corey Brewer and Aaron Afflalo haven't given Kobe much problems so far. They need to force him into tougher jump shots and more turnovers.
Future Of The Series- The Lakers always seem to lose focus at the wrong times. That will happen once this series along with a break out game from Danilo Gallinari when he scores over thirty points and people praise him as the new Carmelo Anthony of Denver. Then he'll shoot 6-23 from the field and Denver will lose by four points in a heart breaker. This series will go five instead of six like I predicted because I didn't think McGee was such a bust. I always felt JaVale McGree was overrated but I thought he had some value since they traded a player like Nene. McGee looks lethargic this series and may want to hit the gym this off season to add more muscle to bang with the likes of Bynum. The Lakers will win in five because the Nuggets can't win on the road and can't break through against a Lakers team that seems to be motivated ever since the Metta World Power incident happened.
4. Grizzles vs 5. Nuggets- The series has been controlled by the Grizzles for seven quarters. The Clippers comeback in Game 1 has made this series close but I've not been impressed with the Clippers. Other than the entire bench stepping up in Game 1, nobody other than the two main stars played well in Game 2. Chris Paul was brilliant as usual and Blake Griffin had a decent game but even shooting a high percentage didn't save them. The Clippers shot 56 percent but it was mostly negated by 20 turnovers and allowing 16 offensive rebounds. to the Grizzles. Those are two huge factors that can lead to a loss. The Grizzles poor outside shooting continues but they are scoring in the paint which really helps and scoring off of turnovers. The issue with the Clippers is that they are so sloppy and can get so frustrated easily that plays into the Grizzles method especially with their front court. Marc Gasol mostly makes plays off offensive rebounds and broken plays which is why he's having a solid series. Mike Conley has been better than I expected even if he is matching up with Chris Paul. He's picking his spots and shooting at a high percentage. I'm really confused with this series though and I think Game 3 will set the tone for the series. Caron Butler really needs to step up because with Bullips out, he needs to step up as the third main scorer.
Future Of The Series- I'm really lost with this series because so many things can break down. What is going to leave a bigger impact the Grizzles outside shooting or the Clippers sloppy play. I'm not really sure what to expect but I'm going to stick with my series in Clippers in 7. I'm expecting Butler to step up and the Clippers bench like Bledsoe and Young to have some big games. I'm not convinced that the Grizzles can have all their stars connecting on all cylinders. Zach Randolph has looked lost so far and can't co-existed that well this series. Anything can happen in this series which makes this series so awesome. The Grizzles could easily prove me wrong but I'm expecting the Clippers star power to shine through. They didn't bring in all this new talent to go one and one in the playoffs.
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