Slooooooow Dooooooown: Western Conference

Before everyone starts going crazy about this weekend’s games in the NBA playoffs, let’s identify a couple of golden rules:

• One Game does not a winner make
• Playoff seeding does matter at the pro level 
• It is always easier to win game 1 in the NBA playoffs on the road

With those rules being understood let me briefly identify who is fine and who has some explaining to do.

  

Spurs/Grizzles- I knew this game would be difficult with Manu not playing and when Time was going off, DUNKING the ball about 6 straight times, I thought they would dominate. When that wasn’t happening and the Grizzles were hanging in there, scrapping, playing smart, and just showing a lot of heart, I thought “this could get interesting until the 4thy quarter and the Spurs will pull away as they have done all season”. When that didn’t happen I tweeted, “Grizzles have no closer to win close games, so the Spurs will have to lose the game for them to win”…and the Spurs did exactly that. A missed three from Mr. Disappearing Acts, Richard Jefferson, wide open no less was then end of the game. I knew the Grizz would beat the Spurs up, but if the Spurs don’t get a healthy Manu back for the 4^th quarter close…we could be seeing Memphis win their first playoff series. SPURS: YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!

Lakers/Hornets- Is anyone surprised that the Lakers lost game 1. I mean really. If you have been watching the Laker team these last few years there are certain things you just know. They can be extremely inconsistent, Kobe is going to take a lot of shots (especially when everyone else is standing around) and the often play down to their competition; they have a turn it on, turn it off mentality. Now for any other team this is a recipe for disaster, but because this roster is so talented, they should have no problem winning this series…of course that assumes that they won’t wait too late to flip the switch. Gasol plays to his normal 18 and 11 self and they win by double digits. Oh, and I did see CP3…beasty…keep him out the paint and make him beat you with jumpers…that will help. LAKERS: YOU WILL BE FINE…IF YOU WANT TO BE.

Dallas/Trailblazers- Dallas won a close game, but did you see how much energy they did to do it? Look, I’m not going to take anything away from Dallas, they won on their home floor as the higher seed, but I would not be shocked at all if they got blown out in game 2 at home. I just don’t like the Mavs because they don’t have anybody on their team that I feel like should be feared…and I think you need that in the playoffs…especially late in games. DALLAS: YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!

Thunder/Nuggets: Before this game started I said this match up might be the best playoff series of the first round and they did not disappoint. 41 from Durant, 34 from Westbrook, a questionable goal tending NON Call and Denver was still there at the end says a lot about both teams. It’s a shame that one of these teams has to lose, but there was nothing in yesterday’s game that says that it will be the Thunder. THUNDER: YOU WILL BE FINE!