Game 2 Recap

If you watched this game and were cheering for the Thunder, I'm sure you were comfortable after the first quarter with the score being 25-12 in favor of the Heat. At least I was, and so were the fans in Chesapeake Energy Arena. It was very, very loud when most crowds would be dead silent. It was as if every time the Heat scored, the crowd got louder, telling their home team "Hey, it's okay. They scored, now it's our turn." Durant and Westbrook got in early foul trouble so Harden was the main scorer in the lineup and did a pretty good job withstanding and countering the punches. It reminded me of the movie 300. And even when LeBron, Wade and Battier (again!) were on their fury of scoring throughout the game, I senses that there was no real threat. Westbrook and Durant would eventually come back, right?

Trying to fire up the crowd even when his team was down.

And that's what happened. The Thunder tried really really hard. They never gave up. In the final minute of the fourth, the Thunder put a full court press and stole the ball. Harden dribbled it down, passed it to Westbrook, and he smartly passed it out for an open three by Kevin Durant. The crowd went crazy, making it a 2 point game. This is OKC basketball. I have to give credit to Coach Scott Brooks for keeping #35 in there when he picked up his fifth foul with about 8 minutes still remaining in the final quarter.

KD telling the crowd to calm down after his a huge three pointer.
 Is there a more humble player in the league?

But the Heat were consistent tonight. LeBron had another excellent Finals game to put to his long list of achievements but what really stuck out to me was his free throw stats: 12-12. After Durant's final three ball, LeBron went to the line and calmly hit both to ensure the win. And he made some when they really mattered. No bricks. He finished with 32 points. Wade was hitting his fadeaways and mid-range jumpers and had 24 points. Battier was a key role player by hitting his open 3's, and even banked one from the center arc as the shot clock was expiring. The Heat bench scored only 8 points, but the starting five really chipped in (well, except Chalmers who had only 3 points). At the end of the game, there was a no-call by the referees as Durant rose up for a short jumper on the baseline which would have changed the whole outcome of the game.

"I got this, I got this." And he did.

On Fire.

Westbrook was 10-26 from the FG and had 27 points, but my general rule is that if the number of attempts is equal (or close) to the number of points, it's not a good shooting night. And so he did not shoot well. To his credit, he had 8 rebounds and 7 assists, on pace for another triple double. It's unfortunate that Nick Collison followed up his amazing game 1 performance with a no-show. I like him on the floor more than Perkins because he's a lot more mobile and quick on his feet. One play I remember was on a Heat's possession, Bosh set a screen for Wade and Perkins was way too slow to react as he was literally staring at Bosh's back while Wade scooped in an easy finger roll.
Game 3 coming up at American Airlines Arena. The Heat stole a home court advantage which is a must if they want to win. Now, the next three games are at in Miami. The Thunder have to steal at least one game, or the Heat can win the championship on their home floor. Which, by the way, I do not like the finals home court format. 2-3-2. Anyone else agree?

Heat OKC Game 1 Recap

Everyone was thinking about it and witnessing it at the same time. It's the fourth quarter, and OKC has been clawing back into the game after being down to as much as 13 points. Shane Battier was helping the Heat spread the floor by hitting 3 early three's and finishing with 17 points. He also made some successful drives to the baskets, going semi-retro back to his days with Duke. Chalmers chipped in 12 points along with 6 assists. Wade scored 19 points but only on 7-19 shooting thanks to Sefelosha's great one on one isolation defense.

LBJ presumably whining for yet another call

It was crunch time. Yes, Kevin Durant was catching on fire late in the game with 17 points in the fourth quarter alone and finishing with 36. Westbrook was smart with the basketball, finishing the game with almost a triple double. I don't mean to sound rude and discredit their efforts but all eyes wanted to see how LeBron would react in this moment. LeBron was  being himself as usual and despite his jumpshots not going in, he continued to be aggressive and driving in the lane throughout. However, the fourth quarter was his meltdown moments when people are wondering what he's thinking and why. Missing layups. Rimming out free throws. Out of rhythm mid-rangers. What and why? At least that's what I try to wrap my mind around.
In the game, there were moments when he was again being passive behind the three point line. In one play, D Wade was stuck near the right baseline, drove to the left being double teamed and kicked it out to LeBron who was behind the arc again. But this time, he drove in and got an and one. But that's the thing: that play was never developed for him. It was a bailout. And in a rare glimpse, it worked. He finished with 6 points in the fourth which isn't bad but compare that to Durant's 17 and you can see why why the Heat lost.

How can you not love this man?

The Heat cannot win like this. I can't blame LeBron for the loss though. He did his part throughout the game, but he definitely needs to be more aggressive in the fourth quarter and not lounge around behind the arc. Oh, and tell Chris Bosh to play as a forward please. He has a false sense of confidence after game 7 against the Celtics when he was 3-4 from the three point line. I could sense that LeBron was having flashback moments of his past against the Mavericks in the closing minutes. This was his moment. He said he learned from his past mistakes. But tonight didn't show it.
I want to give a lot of credit to Nick Collison. He finished with 8 points and 10 rebounds (5 clutch offensive boards) from the bench! Instead of Ibaka or Perkins finishing the game, the lone white player was a force to be reckoned with.

NBA Finals Preview

Pretty sweet stroke from the mid-range

Let's get this started right away. Representing the Western Conference, we have the Oklahoma City Thunder. This team, despite being considered a small-market team, has been embraced widely by the league and its fans. D-Wade recently stated that Westbrook is the "most athletic guy in the league." What's up with Wade saying this? Oh, and then telling the public that the leader of the Heat is his Batman, LeBron James when he's only been there for two seasons. This all makes sense now, because Wade was sponsored by T-Mobile and his phone was called the Sidekick! Get it? Anyway, I think the Thunder have a really good chance of winning this. Even though they're considered a team that relies too heavily on their perimeter game, their offense playbook has been working up until now. I love all of their shooting forms, even Perkins. Ibaka's jumper isn't looking too shabby either and it creates another threat for the Heat.

He is the Sidekick.

And representing the Eastern Conference, are the Heat. They've been here before last season and they blew it against the Mavericks. But now they understand (I think...I mean, they almost lost to a bunch of oldies and a young point guard that carried the team) the atmosphere, the pressure and the meaning of the Finals. Will LeBron finally win a ring? Would that even be enough for everyone to shut up? I don't think so, because he said he would win multiple rings for the franchise. If I remember correctly, I think he said he would win six with them. Skip Bayless isn't shutting up for a really long time. Chris Bosh couldn't have come at a better time, hitting his three's (?). D-Wade is solid, but needs to come out in the first half and play like he has in the 2006 Finals. What I like about the Heat is that they got two and a half guys that can score the basketball, dish it out, or put it on the floor while their role players are all shooters waiting for the open shot.

Can LeBron fulfill his promise?

A Review of This Season

What an awesome season this year has been for the league. The lockout cut 16 games and meshed 66 into a very tight schedule, increasing the prone to injury (Derrick Rose, Ray Allen, Al Horford, Stephen Curry, Amare, Jeremy Lin, Melo, Rubio, etc) and thus making tons of interesting and boring lineups that made some NBA fans turn their head and try to delve into the minds of the coaches and the front office of teams. The lockout helped some teams while being detrimental to others, or it had no effect at all (Spurs, Bobcats). There was plenty of debate whether it was beneficial or not, you can take your pick depending on which teams you root for.

And now, after a crazy regular season, there were even more headlines for the playoffs.

From the Western Conference:                                                                                                                                                             

The Spurs were again a #1 seed and easily made it into the Western Conference Finals but fell to the younger, more exciting Thunder. Did anyone else expect these guys to come back like this after being blown out by the Grizzlies last season? I didn't.

D-Fish and Kobe going at it, except this time it's not at practice.

The Lakers showed inconsistency and lack of teamwork when Kobe kept jacking up jumpshots while being triple-teamed. Despite not understanding the triangle offense to its fullest degree, I wish that came back. 

The Clippers ended their postseason drought in 6 years! Led by CP3 and Kia spokesman Blake Griffin.

 

Diaw moving to the Spurs. And there was much rejoicing.

OKC breezed by the Mavericks, struggled against the Clippers, and demolished the Lakers and Spurs. These guys beat the only three teams that have represented the western conference in the finals. What studs.

Memphis Grizzlies showed signs of positive progress as this was their second straight year in the playoffs, but could not close out against the Clippers. I would have loved to see a rematch of the Spurs and Grizzlies.

Hey, didn't Golden State head coach Marc Jackson promise his team that they would make the playoffs in his first year? But to be fair, his stellar, baby-faced, quick shooting Curry was injured. Oh yeah, and your team just trades away your star player, Monte Ellis.

Clippers looked amazing...at least on paper.

From the Eastern Conference:

Derrick Rose got injured against the Pacers, which allowed the Pacers to secure a second round fairly easily.

D-Rose still making millions with Adidas despite his injury.

Boston Celtics made noise in the playoffs despite their age and was one game away from clinching another berth into the NBA Finals.

The Big Four. What an amazing group of players.

The Heat played fairly well without Bosh as D-Wade and LeBron continued to carry the team without a consistent bench and constant critics calling James out. When Bosh came back, he was very effective.

Orlando Magic were out of sync with the drama surrounding coach Stan Van Gundy and their star center Dwight Howard and lost to the Pacers.

The Knicks were without Linsanity and won only one game against the Heat. Their playoff struggles continue for another year.

It's Over

The Big 3 (Fantastic Four) of the Celtics is coming to a close. It's making me cringe as I type that out. I want to believe that they have one more year together. Just like last year when all the critics said the C's were done. Make one more surprise run at the playoffs. Garnett played his heart out. Allen, despite his ankle surgery, was hitting his shots. The only one I'm really worried about is Pierce. He is the soul of the Celtics. He's been slow. Front-rimming his jumpers. Fouling early. He has one more year and a partial guarantee for the year after. But Ainge can't trade him, not like this. He's been with the franchise through the bad and the miraculous good that's come with the team coming together. You don't just abandon a soldier, he's not a mercenary. (No offense to free agent players). Rondo was fantastic again, but came up short and made some turnovers that turned into transition baskets for the Heat. Just work on your jumpers and you'll literally be unstoppable.

Probably the worst matchup of the night.

The Heat were phenomenal and despite my dislike for Bosh, he was money on his shots. Battier was clutch too helping the score stay even or giving them a slight cushion offensively. LeBron started slow but his inside game helps his outside. Wade was clutch in getting fouled and his usual slashing. It was a different Heat team tonight. They had this confidence that they could win. You could sense it from watching the game. Down 8 halftime? Not a problem.
I don't believe what Doc Rivers said in the post-game conference when he said his team gave everything they had. Yes, they were great. But being naive and/or hopeful, I believe that they could have pushed a run to make it a close game. Which is why I didn't stop watching the game until the buzzer. I thought of the utmost crazy game time situations to make the Celtics get back in it. But it's all in my head. I love Doc Rivers. He's a different coach from others in the league. He seems like a really likable guy the way he talks about his team. From a coaching style perspective, he brought a bunch of superstars to buy into his system. Anyone else doing that right now?
For the Celtics fans, let's not give up on the team. The future is bright. Rondo, Bass, Bradley, Green, Pierce, Pietrus. (Maybe sign KG?) We have the #20 pick in this year's draft. The Big 3 was a fantastic era but now we can only speculate and hope for the best. For the Heats fans, well congratulations.
Now, who's ready for an exciting final? I'm picking OKC. LeBron is not getting a ring for another year.

Heat vs. Celtics Game 6

On this closeout game for the Celtics, will they choke once again? Since the Big Three for the Celtics emerged, they are 3-10 in total closeout games. LeBron James is putting on an amazing performance, despite the fact that the Heat are 1-15 in the TD Garden, or also known as the Jungle with 30 points on very efficient shooting in the first half alone! (12-14 FG, 5-9 FT). Rondo, however, is also putting on a show with 19 points in the first half. Pierce is starting off very slowly, with only 2 points and 3 fouls. D-Wade is slow again, with 7 points on 1-6 shooting.
Updates soon to come.

This is LeBron's shooting, in the first half! He finished with 45 points.

Update: This is very late, and my apologies. So LeBron had a game to remember, finishing with 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. The only other player to do that in a playoff game was Wilt Chamberlain. Dwayne Wade, though he only scored 18 points, made some very key shots to keep the Celtics from making a comeback. There were times when the C's cut the lead to 10, only to have LeBron make a ridiculous turnaround jumper...or have him miss from the free throw line. Can I remind people who don't know the rules about basketball that nobody is defending you while you are taking your free throws? James shot again poorly, going 5-9 in the line. But no matter. It was his night. LeBron gets scrutinized for every game whether he plays well or not. I'm sure somewhere in Skip Bayless' head he is critiquing James for not passing enough, or for missing one shot. And he shut everybody up from the Celtics roster to the crowd, to everyone watching TV, and hey maybe even Skip himself.

You know that when KG is looking like this, the C's are done for the night.

Pierce, who is known as "the" star for the Celtics, shot 4-18, including 0-6 behind the arc. He once again fouled early and never got going, even with some wide open looks. Rondo had a terrific start in the first half but then blew it. Side note: am I the only one that thinks the Celtics offense is stagnant? I keep hearing about how much Doc Rivers tweaks the plays, but I don't see much going on. KG had a decent game, but his numbers were flat compared to this postseason's averages.
Oh yeah, who can forget Marquis Daniel's dunk? In all honesty, it was a pretty nice jam...against the Heat bench. Both teams were playing pickup/YMCA basketball for the last half of the final quarter.

In hopes of game 7, it is a new game, with pressures being immense for both teams. For the Celtics, it's probably the final season with the core staying together. There are rumors starting again about a Rondo for Westbrook trade. Allen and KG are in their final year and I doubt Ainge is going to resign them. Though KG has been playing well, and there's never enough of Shuttlesworth. How about a one year veteran contract? If the Heat lose, there is again that sense that LeBron is not a champion, and will take a lot of time for him to win one. The Heat right now are pretty stacked (duh) and losing to the Celtics will be embarassing. Erik Spoelstra is on the hot seat, I wonder if Pat Riley could ever coach again. An underrated fact: D Wade is 30 years old!

Any Doubt?

The way the Thunder have been playing throughout the whole series, was there any doubt? When the Thunder were down 63-48 at halftime, I was admittedly afraid that game 7 was looming closer and closer.  But then I watched the Thunder tearing it up in the 3rd quarter as Kevin Durant was hitting three's and jumpshots, as well as Westbrook. Ibaka followed it up with and one call and a dunk from a sneaky pass by Kendrick Perkins. The Spurs made the crowd go quiet occasionally with Stephen Jackson's three point barrage and Tony Parker's fancy drive to the hole. Unfortunately, Parker only scored 8 points and had 2 assists in the second half when it really mattered. Duncan wasn't hitting his mid-range and banks off of the glass either in the second half and the Thunder were constantly putting their foot to the pedal in fastbreak transition. And when you have a bunch of young, hungry athletes that are all aged 24 or younger running down against the Spurs against guys who are well over 30, transition defense is not going to be easy for the Spurs.

Kevin Durant celebrating with his family as the game ends

Kevin Durant had a monstrous game with a double double, at 34 points and 14 rebounds. Westbrook had a solid night with 25 points. James Harden chipped in 16 on a solid shooting night. As a team, The Thunder were 50% in their field goals. The Spurs had 12 more possessions and were an an average at 44% FG.
I can't help but feel a little bad for the Spurs. They were riding a 20 game win streak that dates back from May 18th, cruising in the playoffs, and then lose four in a row. Sure, the first two may have been a little humbling, but for them to be practically swept is sad. An organization that prides itself on execution and fundamentals, and gets little national media attention was so close to telling the league that the Spurs are a consistent, well-coached team that can win without flashy moves. And very well, they already did by coming in the Western Conference finals. It just wasn't enough against the Thunder.