Drama Building in the NBA Playoffs
Added on May 03, 2013 by Scott in
No Comments
Five opening round NBA playoff series are still in progress and each of them is up for grabs. Both the Knicks and Thunder are looking to avoid collapse after racing out to 3-0 series leads, while the Bulls are staring at a win-or-go-home Game 7 after holding a 3-1 advantage over the Nets. Meanwhile, the Pacers-Hawks and Grizzlies-Clippers have been trading blows since the beginning. How will each series play out? Let’s take a look.
Brooklyn vs. Chicago – Since winning the Game 4 triple-overtime thriller last weekend, the Bulls have lost their mojo. Back to back losses have left them reeling. The Nets should benefit from the homecourt crowd Saturday night, especially if they win on the fast break and from the free-throw line, as they have the last two games. Chicago must contain Deron Williams, who has gotten better in each game. The availability of Luol Deng (illness) will be vital for the Bulls’ efforts.
New York vs. Boston – The Knicks blew two chances to eliminate the feisty Celtics. Now they must deal with a veteran team gaining confidence. Carmelo Anthony is 0-12 from beyond the arc in the two defeats, and Kenyon Martin has been a non factor on the glass. Kevin Garnett’s rebounding and Jason Terry’s bench scoring has fueled the Celts surge. Unless the Knicks counter the veteran duo they could be facing a Game 7 back at MSG.
Indiana vs. Atlanta – A weird series to say the least. Every game has been decided by double-digits. The Pacers appear to be better across the board, and yet they have looked awful in two losses. If David West dominates as he did in Game 5, the series should be over tonight. However, consistency has been lacking thus far, so a Game 7 wouldn’t be at all surprising.
Oklahoma City vs. Houston – Life without Russell Westbrook has suddenly become problematic for the Thunder. Not having his scoring punch in the lineup has clearly hindered them in two straight defeats. Kevin Martin needs to look for and find his shot sooner than later, because three points on 1-10 shooting isn’t playoff caliber. Omar Asik and Chandler Parsons are playing like All-Stars. The Thunder need someone besides Kevin Durant to do the same in order to advance.
Memphis vs. LA Clippers – Blake Grffin’s injury aside, the Grizz are the better team. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol might be the best power forward-center combo in the postseason. The Clippers have had no answers for either and with Griffin hobbled, survival seems unlikely. Basically, Chris Paul has to carry the team to victory. He’s good, but not that good.
