First round exits

The Atlanta Hawks have knocked off the Brooklyn Nets in six games, behind NBA Coach of the Year winner Mike Budenholzer who has effortlessly led these Hawks, who has heard of DeMarre Carroll and Mike Scott and Dennis Schroder, to a winning record. The Chicago Bulls have outlasted these feisty and long-armed Milwaukee Bucks with their size and half court offense with Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. The Bulls have gotten under the Bucks’ skin late in Game 6, and I would expect a rematch between these two teams in the future. The Golden State Warriors dispatch of the New Orleans Pelicans was no contest. The Warriors will host the Memphis Grizzlies who got rid of the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. The Clippers outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 as they win 111-109 and will face the Houston Rockets in the second round, Kevin McHale’s squad playing outstanding with the play of James Harden and Dwight Howard were too much for the older, aging Dirk Nowitzki and these Dallas Mavericks.

Lo and behold; Miami and San Antonio advance

Lebron James rules as the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-94. The Heat were down and out, until a comeback run occurred by Miami. They were not finished and knew they weren’t finished by the time the game was over. In the West, the San Antonio Spurs blew out Portland 104-84 to advance and there’s bedlam for the Blazers. What happened to the Portland team that played better basketball than the Houston Rockets in the first round? There will be questions surrounding Portland’s off-season and of course, the Spurs are a better basketball team than the Portland Trail Blazers are. 

Game 4s

The Miami Heat win Game 4, because of Lebron James’ 49 points. He was 16-of-24 from the field as he collected those three pointers and 2-pointers. The Portland Trail Blazers starved off elimination as they beat the San Antonio Spurs 103-92. Damien Lilliard was the reason and LaMarcus Aldridge helped out also. Is there any chance the Blazers can come back from a 3-1 series deficit? Rhetorically speaking.

Heat/Nets and Spurs/Trail Blazers

The Brooklyn Nets are turning their series into a competition. They turned it up in Brooklyn, New York as Joe Johnson and Brooklyn took it to Miami 104-90 and the San Antonio Spurs had no problem handling the Portland Trail Blazers. The Spurs win 118-103 in Game 3 and send Portland to play an elimination game for Game 4. The Spurs flat out just played better basketball than Portland did. How the Spurs executed their basketball plays was the nail in the coffin. Portland had no answer for them. 

Game 2s

The Miami Heat reign supreme. Behind Ray Allen’s 13 points on 3 of 5 three pointers, the Heat win Game 2, 94-82. Now it’s on to Brooklyn in New York where the Nets have a chance to win it on their home court for Games 3 and 4. The San Antonio Spurs don’t have it any harder because they won Game 2 114-97 on some fantastic basketball being played. This is vintage Spurs basketball. Tony Parker does his thing going for layups and Tim Duncan will score points near the basket.

More NBA Semifinals

The Miami Heat dominate the Brooklyn Nets in Miami. I emphasize. In Miami. Lebron James ran the show. No question about it. The Heat won 107-86. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 116-92 behind Tony Parker. The Trail Blazers came out flat in the first game. Hopefully they’ll shoot better in Game 2.

More Games 7s coming up

Brooklyn wins Game 7 barely, 104-103 on Paul Pierce’s blocked shot of Kyle Lowry’s layup going to the basket. This has been a terrific season for the Toronto Raptors, because they had a contract year for Lowry whose value performance came right on the moment and in a season where all was on the line. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks in a blow out in Game 7. The Spurs win 119-96 and the number one seed in the West will take on the fifth seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the second round. Do I smell confidence oozing out of the San Antonio Spurs? I expect the Portland Trail Blazers to give the Spurs their best effort in the West semifinals.

Game 7s coming up

Brooklyn and Toronto are going to a seventh game after the Nets beat the Raptors 97-83 here in Game 6. Also, another Game 7 is going to the books with San Antonio and Dallas, in which Dallas wins 113-111. What is going on? The Spurs don’t seem preoccupied with a series victory these days. They’re looking to put away Dallas in Game 7. Damien Lilliard’s game-winning three pointer sends Portland to the next round as the Blazers win, 99-98. Portland is for real also. They are looking to shock everyone with how they can play basketball.

Kyle Lowry puts Toronto on his back to win Game 5

Kyle Lowry is leading the Raptors to the second round. No? It’s only one game. The Brooklyn Nets have time to get there. The Nets need to win Game 6 to avoid elimination. In the Western Conference, the Spurs have Tony Parker to help them win 109-103. The Spurs are up 3 games to 2 with an elimination game coming up for their arch-nemesis the Dallas Mavericks. In another elimination game, the Rockets finally have some effort in handling a defense party, limiting Portland and LaMarcus Aldridge to points in the paint and winning 108-98.

First round playoff action

The Washington Wizards came to play and the Chicago Bulls were left behind. No one on the Bulls are blaming each other for this loss. Chicago can’t understand why they are down 3 games to 1. The Wizards have a commanding 3 games to 1 lead, because they win Game 4 98-89. The Warriors tie their first round series at 2 games apiece in Game 4, 118-97 while the Brooklyn Nets fall victim to the Toronto Raptors as the series is also tied 2-2 in which the Raps win 87-79. The Portland Trail Blazers win in overtime to take a 3 games to 1 lead, 123-120. LaMarcus Aldridge was the leading man for Portland, as the Blazers survive against the Houston Rockets. I really have to go with Portland on taking this series as I’ve said in my previous posts. They are too good to pass on, because of their coaching in Terry Stotts and talent on paper.