So we've all had a chance to witness the East and West Semi's by now and man has it been a shocker. To say the least how many people thought that all road teams besides the CELTICS, would win against their respective teams. The HAWKS beat the BULLS 103-95 to take game 1 in the best of 7, as did the GRIZZLIES to the THUNDER with a whopping 114-101 win, same with the MAVERICKS against the defending champs the LAKERS 96-94, except for BOSTON, who lost 90-99 to the HEAT.
The playoffs are on a whole different level and intensity. As seen in game 1 between the CELTICS and HEAT. BOSTON's one and only PAUL PIERCE was ejected after picking up two technical fouls, leaving their resurgent push to make a comeback to tie the game against the HEAT. PIERCE picked up his first T of an unsportsmanlike gesture bumping heads with the HEAT's JAMES JONES, over a contested shot. His second which I personally think that shouldn't have been was of a baseline pick, that WADE ran into with a little shove and PIERCE reacted to. The refs could have let it gone but didn't waste anytime and slapped on double technical fouls on both PIERCE and WADE, and with it being his second was immediately ejected and sent to the locker room. Later on twitter it was caught that PIERCE explained his actions through a tweet that read "@paulpierce34 I told Wade I will **** his mom how my man D.West did his mans. That's why I got ejected", those being said you know that this series is well over the point of boiling and matters are of personal intent. Just embrace yourself HEAT fans and CELTICS fans all over, we are in for another one of those classic series, and the creation of a new NBA RIVALRY!!! Game 2 is set in MIAMI tonight, tune in to your local listings, here in TORONTO, you can catch it on TSN2 @ 7pm et.
The GRIZZLIES of MEMPHIS are no joke! Just in case you were wondering how this "Cinderella team" is getting this far, its cause they aren't one. By far they are one of the most hardworking teams in the NBA and it can be seen in the way they approach the game and execute. I honestly for a second thought that WESTBROOK was the better of the two guards in their match up, but like many I'm probably as surprised to the basketball knowledge of one, MIKE CONLEY. His game has really developed since coming to the NBA. He makes the right decision and is very calm and cool when it comes to handling pressure. Big ups to my man CONLEY for running the point effectively and efficiently. The battle in the paint should just be labelled as "the dominance of Z-BO". This man is literally a grizzly in the paint. Always active hands and feet and is "scratching" and "clawing" for all scrap balls, offensive/ defensive rebounds, and second chance points. Also not to forget he has a J sweeter than molasses. Not to leave out PAU..oops I mean his lil' bro MARC. It's no mistake that MARC is starting to look like the PF that his older brother is. His jump shot looks better, his hands and post moves looks way better, and he's playing with an urgency, which I think is a great way to play ball being the underdogs. To get to the THUNDER, really its one thing, be consistent. OKC is a great squad, I know the season series would say otherwise, but with consistency and being effective OKC should prevail on top and get through to the conference finals. Right now where the THUNDER stand, it's really a 50/50 chance on who will make that next step forward, both teams are capable of exploding, its just a matter of who will execute through out the game and down the stretch. The GRIZZ take on OKC tonight @ 9:30pm et local on TSN1.
Last night what we saw from the DALLAS MAVERICKS squad was determination and the will to win. Being down 16pts and KOBE having one of those games (34pts), the MAVS fought through and came out with a 96-94 win against the LAKERS. Let's give credit where its due shall we? JASON KIDD, with that last 8sec steal he sealed the LAKERS fate in wining the game and most importantly taking the lead in the series. DIRK was his fabulous self pouring 28 shooting 11-22 and coming through when he was most needed, clutch! We witnessed a bunch of bizzare possessions closing out the half, with JASON TERRY picking up a foul at half court, putting LAMAR ODOM on the line shooting 3, and then NOWITZKI picking up a technical against RON ARTEST for throwing an elbow at him, of the second free-throw shot by ODOM. The LAKERS went into the half with a 14-2 run. The 3rd QTR was where the MAVS went guns blazing and brought their team back within 1. The LAKERS stopped playing d and the MAVS capitalized on that. However even being down 2 with 3seconds left, the LAKERS inbounded the ball to KOBE BRYANT who took a great 3pt shot attempt, which was on point, but had a "little too much mustard", and bounced of the back rim into play, where JASON TERRY swatted the ball towards half court. Game 2 goes down @ the STAPLES CENTER 10:30pm et, and I expect these LAKERS to not let up like the did in that 3rd QTR of game 1. Check local listings in your area.
QTR. However came alive in the second half. ROSE lead his BULLS with 24, but they couldn't get it done as they went down 103-95 to the HAWKS. *ALERT* PLEASE DO NOT COUNT ATL OUT, especially a guard by the name of JAMAL CRAWFORD and their leader and the most expensive contract man in the league, JOE JOHNSON game high 34pts. CRAWFORD pretty much sealed the deal with a step back three at the 1:05 mark pushing their lead up to 101-90 and the HAWKS didn't look back from that point on. Even though the HAWKS have the lead in the series I expect the CHICAGO BULLS to come to Game 2 with a much stronger effort in the paint and within their defensive core. On a side note, at the closing seconds of the game ROSE hobbled of the court spraining his ankle trying to get the ball from CRAWFORD. Hopefully everything is as serious as it looked and we'll see ROSE in Game 2. You can catch Game 2 in CHICAGO @ the UNITED CENTER 8pm et, check local listings.
Signing off the kid jumpman20, follow me on TWITTER @tkjumpman20 for live score updates, and stats!
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