Friday is my new day of recapping on everything that went down. Enjoy from my very own blog.
The Uncommon One: Playoff Playout Part 2
1. Spurs vs 8. Jazz- The series wasn't much of a contest like I expected. I'm not going to talk much about it because I did on Wednesday's edition how I'm really impressed with the Spurs even though the upset was something that I predicted. Utah has a poor back court and that was their downfall against the Spurs along with having a pretty weak bench. San Antonio is prime and ready for a major run after this series sweep where they played very discipline basketball and didn't lose focus. They learned their lesson from last year even though Memphis is a far better team from last year than this year's Jazz. Utah needs to get more permitted scorers to add to Milslap and Jefferson. Utah has a nice young core that works very hard but eventually they're going to need more talent for scoring. They struggled for long stretches against the Spurs which cost them in every game.
Star Of The Series- Tony Parker was the catalyst the entire series. Even though his numbers weren't astounding every game, the Spurs are so balanced that they don't need him to be the main scorer. He still made things run and was a huge play maker for the big men and three point specialists. He's the main reason why the Spurs are the 1st seed and continues his stellar play.
Letdown Of The Series- Gordon Hayward didn't provide the perimeter scoring that they needed in the series. He shot poorly throughout the series and failed to step up at any point. The major questions coming out of college was if Hayward could last in intense games and if he can handle the physical style. He didn't show that this series after Utah expected him to step up more in his 2nd year. It has to be very frustrating to see Utah take him in the top ten of a draft and to perform so poorly.
2. Thunder vs 7. Mavs- This is another series that I mainly covered on Wednesday but I'll discuss for a little bit. Dallas may have some serious rebuilding to do similar to what Miami did after getting swept in 2007 after winning the finals with a very old squad. I'm aware that Dallas is the favorites to land Deron Williams but they need more younger players around them. Jason Kidd and Vince Carter add little to nothing on the team anymore while Shawn Marion hangs on by a thread thanks to his defense. Dallas is in dire need of more youth because they were completely out matched in this series. Oklahoma City looked far more hungrier and showed it especially in Game 3. Dallas played them tough and they never laid down in the other games, but late in the game they looked fatigued and out of scoring weapons outside of Nowitzki and Terry. This may be the start of the rebuilding process for Dallas or they could be back into contention instantly with a strong draft and signing Deron Williams. Oklahoma City looks strong right now and have to be pleased with their performance. They are getting a nice break too while watching Denver and Los Angeles go down to the wire.
Star Of The Series- Russell Westrbrook wins it here mainly because he had three efficient games while Durant had two. Durant was only good on the road while Westbrook's only poor game was in Game 4. Russell Westbrook was incredible through out the series and may have made Jason Kidd to finally realize that he needs to retire. Westbrook couldn't be contained at times and was flying everywhere on the court to help the Thunder win nail biters in the first two games.
Letdown Of The Series- This may be a surprise but I'm picking Delonte West for this one. Delonte had his best individual season of his career when the Mavericks put trust in him to make plays and he did. In the playoffs, he simply didn't show up and struggled with his shot. He never seemed to get going which led to him not starting in Game 4. If Dallas was going to stretch the series to six or seven, they needed the production he was delivering to them in the regular season. That didn't happen which was one of the main reasons why Dallas got swept.
3. Lakers vs 6. Nuggets- The series has changed quickly and the Nuggets have proven me wrong. After saying that this series won't go past five, the series will be going to seven and I'm stoked to see what happens. After the Lakers didn't show up for Game 3 and let Ty Lawson run wild, the Lakers locked up defensively and won a critical Game 4 in Denver. The Lakers kept winning like they have been with out rebounding Denver by ten and getting productive bench play by players like Jordan Hill. Then Game 5 was supposed to be the closing out party for Denver, but they had other plans. With Bryant and Sessions struggling to find any rhythm, it was the bench that emerged for the Lakers. Javale McGee finally showed that potential that people rave about with his freakish athleticism and commanding presence. McGee scored 21 points on 9-12 shooting while Andre Miller stepped up for Ty Lawson who had an off game. Lawson has been terrific most of the series but whenever he needs help or a breather, Miller has been a great replacement. Miller scored 24 and was the catalyst in the Nuggets come back and shutting down the Lakers back court. Lakers were still favored to end this series last night but they never bothered to show up. It was nice to see Denver fans really get rowdy because this is a team that won't quit and will continue to fight even with no main star player. Danilo Gallinari has another year to develop before I'm going to call him a true star. The same can be said for Ty Lawson who couldn't be contained in Game 6. Lawson absolutely ripped the Lakers to shreds offensively to prove why he's one of the more under appreciated players in the league. Lawson continues to grow yet he consistently gets forgotten about when young point guards discussion comes up. He made plays for his teammates and scored at an alarming rate. We will be getting a Game 7 in the Staples Center and I'll sadly be missing it for the most part due to my brother's wedding. Another big story headed into Game 7 is that Metta World Power (that's his name to me) will make his epic return after laying the power elbow to James Harden. He will add more depth and defense to the team that they have been lacking with Devin Ebanks starting. The Lakers need to get back to playing physical and using their big men. They can't let Kenneth Faried get that many offensive rebounds and they need to start getting angry. Bynum has held back the past few games and Gasol seems to be lost again. The Lakers are in trouble and don't have momentum but they'll somehow manage to win this series. Kobe Bryant is exploding right now but I'm expecting a more efficient game where scoring over thirty is actually relevant. I don't think Denver can win in a rowdy Game 7 especially with an angry Lakers team that had title hopes. It will be close early on but with the return of World Power, I'm expecting a bad game from Gallinari. I'm not ruling out a Nuggets upset, but the Lakers seem too good to be eliminated in the first round.
Star Of The Series- I'm going to give it to Kobe Bryant but Ty Lawson is right up there. Bryant has put up huge numbers the entire series and most of the time he wins. Kobe has proven to be unstoppable the first two games of the series but seems to have lost his mojo a bit ever since then. He's taking more reckless shots and doesn't seem willing to drive with all the young and lanky defenders in the lane. He's still performing at a high level but Kobe needs to step it up if the Lakers have any chance of making a run because they're playing another outstanding athletic defense against the Thunder if they win Game 7. Ty Lawson deserves some love because he's the main catalyst to the Nuggets. It has been a team effort but similar to Tony Parker, the Nuggets run through Lawson.
Letdown Of The Series- Ramon Sessions is a pretty easy pick here because he was expected to be a huge upgrade. Instead he has fans shaking their head and possibly regretting letting the soon to be resident senior citizen Derek Fisher go so fast. Sessions had a strong end to the regular season after being traded but he's really hurt the Lakers in this series. His turnovers are starting to go up and he hasn't shot the ball well. He's never been a great shooter but the Lakers expect more productivity when he's considered the 4th option in the offense. He's supposed to get easy looks yet he's been hounded by a combination of Lawson and Miller. Sessions will need to step it up fast otherwise it will a one and done series for them. He's done far too much in the regular season for the fans to sit back and say that he can't be more productive.
4. Grizzles vs 5.Clippers- The series has been back and forth for the most part with a few classic games. In a first round that seems to be lacking, this has been a good one. The Clippers have narrowly escaped on their home court twice. I mentioned on Wednesday how much of an impact Chris Paul brings to a team and how his teams rarely lose in the first round. He has been terrific all series especially in Game 4 with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Paul is everywhere along with Blake Griffin who has stepped up in the playoffs. The Clippers could use more rebounding from Griffin who has barley averaged six rebounds a game in this series. That is a massive drop off from the regular season but Blake has been efficient through out the series until last night. The reason Memphis couldn't win a road game was because they forgot about Marc Gasol. In two losses against the Clippers on the road, Gasol has combined to shoot a meager nine shots. That's not going to cut it for a guy who's considered a top five center in the league. With Memphis horrendous outside shooting along with Rudy Gay and O.J Mayo struggling with their shot, it was time to punish the Clippers inside. They finally did with Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for 43 points. Randolph had a double double that he's been looking for a while now while Gasol had 23 points which must have felt good. It didn't matter if it was Reggie Evans or DeAndre Jordan, he was a force to be reckon with. The other reason Memphis stayed away from elimination was forcing the Clippers to shoot 37 percent with Mo Williams and Caron Butler really struggling with their shot. The Clippers really need their role players like Butler, Williams, and Randy Foye to start playing consistent if they want to wrap this series up and be a threat against the Spurs. I've read reports that Griffin and Paul are both hurt, but I seriously doubt they're going to be out tonight's game. Both players are tough and realize that the team depends on them. Memphis may have found their niche and could be tough to stop tonight. Everyone knows the Clippers need to win tonight because Game 7 in Memphis is a tough place to win. I had the Clippers winning in seven and I'm going to say they win in six because momentum will take a huge shift if they lose tonight. I'm expecting the Clippers to put more attention in stopping Marc Gasol because other than Mike Conley, Gasol makes things flow offensively when he can start scoring at will.
Star Of The Series- It has been no contest so far in this category for this series since no one has come close to Chris Paul. Other than a quiet Game 5, Paul has been sensational for the Clippers. His play making ability and overall leadership have made the Clippers a threat regardless of the lack of support he's getting. He's doing it all and doesn't have a problem with it. I'm expecting a huge Game 6 tonight from him and to wrap this series as the undisputed best point guard in the league.
Letdown Of The Series- O.J Mayo is my pick so far in the series. I'm aware that things will change if the Grizzles win the series. They are facing elimination right now and Mayo hasn't done much to help it. Mayo has shot poorly for most of the series and hasn't made the same impact he made in the regular season. He was playing well in the regular season but he's really struggled to find his shot against the Clippers tough perimeter defense. He's expected to be the main guy to hit three pointers in this series and so far it hasn't been the case. Mayo will be needed tonight and Sunday if the Grizzles want to complete the comeback.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Only the strongest will survive
1. Bulls vs 8. 76ers- It has been a roller coaster for the entire series with the 76ers pulling off the upset. They took care of business at home and simply deserved it over a team that played pretty well without Derrick Rose when he was out. In my playoff preview, I said the 76ers had talent and were going to take a game from the Bulls but nobody saw this coming along with the Rose getting injured. The series showed that the 76ers are a threat with their balanced team and the Bulls can't get their offense going without Rose. The offense struggled through the entire series with Boozer putting up decent numbers but he's not a number one option. Boozer doesn't do much on the court other than score and rebound. He didn't do anything last night by shooting 1-11. The role players particularly Kyle Korver and C.J Watson were awful in this series. They couldn't get their outside shooting and it was clear that Jokiam Noah was clearly missed. Omir Asik was called upon for far too many things that he simply doesn't have the talent to do. The only consistent player in the series was Luol Deng who always has a knack to contribute anywhere on the court. The 76ers won this series with terrific defense forcing the Bulls to shoot less than forty percent and have breakout performances from the likes of Jrue Holiday and Spencer Hawes. Even though they shot horrible the last two games, they got the job done in Game 6 led by their captain. Andre Iguodala rose to the occasion with a solid twenty point game but also scored the game clinching free throws. Iguodala hasn't put up quite the numbers he has put up from the past, but that meant that his team was winning more and he was more than happy to share the load. This is the 2nd straight year for an 8th seed to win and regardless the circumstances, you have to be impressed by the 76ers.
Star Of The Series- A few people are in the running here but I can't help but pick Spencer Hawes. Hawes was off to a good start in the season but was injured through most of the season. Hawes wasn't known to be a consistent scorer but he delivered in the series was multiple games scoring over twenty points. He also developed an outside shot and has proven that he can score from the three point line which is huge for Philadelphia. He also brings toughness in the inside with his rebounding and shot blocking ability. Jrue Holiday was close here but without Hawes, I'm not sure if the 76ers win in this series. He's more valuable than you think with his commanding presence.
Letdown Of The Series- Even though he wasn't expected to come in and be a superstar, C.J Watson was a poor replacement for Derrick Rose. Watson proved to be a complete cancer with a horrible shot selection and not being able to run the offense well. When Derrick Rose went down, their wasn't one game where Chicago had an efficient offensive game. Even in their Game 5 victory, they were shooting a low percentage but were aided by even worse shooting by Philadelphia. The Bulls may need to find a new backup point guard after this debacle because it's inexcusable to lose to an 8th seed. He was a solid back up through out the season but couldn't handle the playoff pressure and it cost his team at the most critical position in basketball.
2. Heat vs 7. Knicks- The series ended faster than I predicted which was a bit of a surprise. I know the Knicks had some injuries along the way which impacted the series but the Heat were dominant for most of the series. They simply had too much defense for the Knicks to over come. The Heat would make the Knicks just beat them with Carmelo and challenge the rest of the Knicks to beat them. That concept won them four games out of five which shows how smart Eric Spolestra is. J.R Smith may have shot himself out of New York in this series while Steve Novak was a non factor thanks to tremendous rotating defense by Miami. Tyson Chandler couldn't get many second half opportunities while Amarie Stoudmire was either punching fire extinguishers or being lost on offense most of the series. It was a complete disaster for the Knicks offensively and they couldn't keep up with the Heat's talent. The ball movement of Miami was smooth in Game 5 and they seemed to be in control the entire game. I gave Carmelo his due about Game 4 but he simply couldn't do it alone. Knicks have a bright future with Shumpert and Lin coming back but they still have issues all around with their bench. I'm happy with the Heat performance for the most part even though they could improve on outside shooting. It was great to see threes finally being hit after some awful shooting games by Miami. Mike Miller and Shane Battier will need to hit big shots if the Heat want to beat the best and they did in Game 5. The stars did what they were expected to do in the series and played efficient for most of the series.
Star Of The Series- Dwayne Wade had some excellent games but LeBron James wins this award. Other than Game 2 and the first three quarters of Game 3 was he out shined by Wade. LeBron was a force in Game 1 and Game 5, while played a decent game to his standards in Game 4. LeBron couldn't be contained for most of the series because of the Knicks lack of enforcers other than Chandler. Knicks have no big man rotation to speak of and that's never good when you're playing against a team with James and Wade. Tyson Chandler was in foul trouble half the time so he wasn't very effective in stopping LeBron. The only thing that stopped LeBron was turnovers and moving too fast for his teammates. Other than that, he was terrific in this series and set the tone.
Letdown Of The Series- Two big names come to mind but I'm going to give Amarie Stoudmire a break here. That may seem ridiculous but his brother's death along with numerous injuries in the regular season really affected him. He's had a rough season all together so I'm not going to pick him. The pick here has to be J.R Smith who literally shot the Knicks out of a few games. He was horrific this entire series with terrible shot selection and nonchalant fouls. He didn't seem focused at any point and only seemed to be effective in small spurts. Smith was counted out to be the 3rd scorer then even 2nd scorer with Amarie out but he never stepped up. He would take fifteen to eighteen shots and he would hit three to five of them. His defense was poor through out the series and it showed how much the Knicks miss Iman Shumpert. If the Knicks were smart, they wouldn't re sign him after this pitiful performance. They could look into getting a more productive six man in free agency possibly Jamal Crawford.
3. Pacers vs 6. Magic- Other than a Game 1 hiccup that ruined my sweep prediction, the Pacers were in command of this series. Game 4 was a bit of a scare thanks to Jason Richardson re discovering his form from four years ago but this series went like most expected. Orlando isn't a threat without Dwight Howard and they looked completely depleted. I'm still shocked that Ryan Anderson won Most Improved Player Of The Year and didn't impact the series in any single way. He wasn't much of a factor with the Pacers making him the focal point to stop. Orlando has loads of questions that need to be answered since they are starting to become an old team and Howard still is a question mark going forward. Indiana continues to grow as a team and took care of business even if they seem to be a bit too young. They played sound defense and play team basketball with their balanced defense. George Hill has been a success and should be starting for the foreseeable future since he's a massive upgrade over Darren Collison. I'm aware that Collison was terrific in Game 5 but Orlando was a dead team especially after that Game 4 heart breaker. Hill was still solid in Game 5 with fifteen points on 5-11 shooting so he should be starting against Miami in the next series.
Star Of The Series- Danny Granger was the main guy for the Pacers even though they got great performances from several players. George Hill and David West played well through out the series but Granger was the main guy. Granger was the main guy in the routs for Game 3 and 5 scoring over twenty in both games with high percentages. He could get quiet at times but Granger has a high IQ offensively and is becoming one of the premier scorers in the league. That being said along with the entire Pacers team, Granger is going to have to step it up even more if they have any shot of upsetting the Heat.
Letdown Of The Series- Ryan Anderson has to be the pick because he didn't lead the Magic in any game of scoring and that's what he mostly known for. He's added to his arsenal by scoring inside because we always knew he can hit three pointers. Indiana was ready for him by using tough defenders like David West and Tyler Hansbrough on him. Orlando realized that Anderson is nothing more than a complimentary player that can't be called upon to be the main scorer even though I'm sure most people already knew that based on how he plays. It still has to annoy people that the most improved player of the year didn't have much of an impact in a series where his team got mostly blown out.
4. Celtics vs 5. Hawks- I'm always wondering why does my pick always have to go one game extra longer? If only Rajon Rondo dribbled less at times but the Celtics still managed to pull through. I haven't really covered this series since Game 2 because of all the crazy story lines and incidents going on in the playoffs. This series has been pretty quiet despite some epic games recently other than Game 4. The biggest story was Al Horford shockingly returning in Game 4. The rumors seemed to die down about Horford not returning in the first round but he shockingly came out of nowhere to come back. His return didn't go to plan with the Hawks getting decimated by the Celtics with Rondo scoring and doing whatever he wanted on the court with Pierce and Garnett getting whatever they want. You would think the Hawks would be pumped to see their 3rd best player and center back on the team, but they failed to show up. Atlanta deserves praise for not laying down and winning an exciting Game 5 with an emotional Al Horford scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds. He was outstanding in that game. The issue with the Hawks is that they couldn't get a complete game out of everywhere. It always seemed like if Josh Smith was playing good then Joe Johnson would struggle or vice versa. The Hawks never found that consistency and that's why they were eliminated last night. Horford and Smith were playing well but they couldn't get much support. It was a really tough game with both teams struggling to score but the difference was Kevin Garnett. Garnett scored 28 points and 14 rebounds to continue his hot streak of looking like he's 28 again. He was huge in that game along with Rajon Rondo who continues to show why he's a top five point guard in the league. It was a mostly incident free series other than Rondo bumping into the referee so it was nice to see a Hawks vs Celtics series not end up in a fight.
Star Of The Series- Kevin Garnett showed up to play in every game. He has continued his hot streak of playing terrific basketball and really not taking plays off. He's scoring at a higher rate and taking the responsibility of doing that since Boston looks a bit limited this year. Garnett realizes that he was going to relied on to put up major scoring numbers and he did just that. It has been remarkable that Garnett continues to play at a high level like this especially with how last year ended in the Miami series. This was a no brainer pick even though Pierce had some big moments.
Letdown Of The Series- It has been a common theme for Hawk fans and it still hasn't changed. Joe Johnson is the pick here even though he had some big scoring games. The issue is that Johnson's contributions didn't lead to any wins other than Game 1. Johnson struggled in this series with his shot at times and really fell in love with the three too much. Boston is one of the best perimeter teams defensively and they made life difficult for him during the entire series. Avery Bradley continues to work his excellence defensively by not letting Johnson get many good looks. It has been another lackluster playoff performance by the Hawks and Johnson will always be the center of the attention.
