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| Mike Conley guided the Grizzlies to a win in Game 2 which tied the series (Image from: AP Photo) |
#LetItFly #GritNGrind #KD #RW #OT
Game 2 of Grizzlies-Thunder almost beat out Blazers-Rockets as the best game of the playoffs so far. OKC trailed most of the game and almost lost in regulation but a miracle 4-point play from Kevin Durant (one of the best shots I've ever seen) combined with Mike Conley missing some free throws gave us a dramatic finish in the 4th quarter. Down by 2 with less than 5 seconds, Westbrook launched a contested three and missed. Game over right? Nope, because Kendrick Perkins grabbed the offensive rebound and made a shot just before the buzzer. That was his only made basket of the game. Unfortunately, the Thunder could not maintain their momentum in OT as Westbrook and Durant started missing shots while the Grizzlies passed the ball to each other to score on easy shots. While KD and RW dominated the scoring for OKC, Memphis had a balanced attack. Mike Miller torched OKC with 9 points on 3 threes and backup PG, Beno Udrih scored 14 points in 14 minutes. The Thunder will need more production from their role players if they wish to take charge of this series.
#blowout #NoContest #LobCity
The Warriors were probably happy to leave Staples Center with their win in Game 1 because they certainly did not show up in Game 2. The Clippers were hungrier and more desperate in Game 2. It was no contest at all as the Clippers were up by 11 at the end of the 1st and the Dubs never got closer than that. The final margin was a 40-point rout headed by Blake Griffin's 35 points and the Clippers' bench who scored 58 points. GSW was turning the ball over like there was no tomorrow (26 TOs) while the Clips only committed half of that. LA also dominated the number of threes converted 12 to 4 which just shows you how utterly lopsided this game was for the home team. The Clippers were relentless from the beginning and that translated to early foul troubles for Klay Thompson and Jermaine O'Neal. Excluding Steph Curry, the rest of the starters for GSW combined for 26 measly points. However, the Dubs now have home-court advantage and it's crucial for them to learn from their mistakes in Game 2 and play A LOT BETTER in Game 3.
#DPOY #Noah #Bulls
The Bulls had an above-average season even without Derrick Rose and Luol Deng because Joakim Noah elevated his game on both sides of the court. While he will never be known as a good scorer, Noah is an excellent passer (led all Centers in assists per game) and an even better defender. Chicago finished #1 in team defense and least points allowed and the biggest reason was Noah. He anchored their defense and he was a vocal leader on the floor. He competed every night and hustled his ass off every second he was on the floor. Noah is a very deserving player (I chose him 2nd after DeAndre Jordan) and you can argue that he is a Top 10 player in the Association. Noah finished 6th in rebounding, tied for 4th in double-doubles and tied for 2nd in triple-doubles. The Top 4 in DPOY voting: Noah, Hibbert, Jordan, Ibaka.
#fired #ToughJob #NBAcoach
Mike Woodson is now jobless (although still earning money due to coaches having guaranteed money) after Phil Jackson fired him and his entire coaching staff. This move was predictable given that the Knicks missed the playoffs after finishing 2nd in the East last season. The firing was also expected because Jackson wants to have his own people coaching the Knicks. Early reports have ex-Bulls, ex-GM Steve Kerr as the main replacement even though Kerr has no coaching experience. The point is, Phil wants someone he knows, someone who played for him or worked with him before. In other news, Rick Adelman decided to retire after being a coach for 23 years. His replacement will be crucial for the future of the T'wolves and Kevin Love. Their GM, Flip Saunders used to coach (a solid one too) and he may go back to coaching if he can't find a suitable coach that would also entice Love to stay with the organization. Lastly, Tyrone Corbin was not retained by the Utah Jazz after having a poor season with the Jazz. Corbin steered the Jazz to the playoffs last year but this year was lot different as they toiled near the bottom of the West for most of the year.
#Stats #News
- 138 points for the Clippers is the most they've scored in a playoff game
- LAC-GSW had 6 technical fouls and 1 flagrant foul
- Hedo Turkoglu and Danny Granger combined for 28 points and 6 threes
- KD and RW combined 23 of 56 from the field for 65 points
- Marc Gasol fouled out in OT
Blake Griffin (Clippers) - 35 points (playoffs career-high), 6 rebounds, 13-17 FG, 9-10 FT and +22
#Highlights of the Night
Falling Down 4-Point Play by KD!
DeAndre Jordan can fly!
#Tweets of the Night
KD on his absurd four-point play: "I don't know, man. We lost, so it really don't matter."
It’s over at Staples. Actually, it was over a long time ago, but now it’s official. Clip 138-98, their largest playoff margin of victory.
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