The NBA Playoffs 66 year history is marked by a nominal plethora of thumbnails and snapshots, names and images, that resonate with basketball aficionados each and every post-season, collecting like dust that rises and rises each year.  Sometimes these images haunt, sometimes they dazzle, but all of them stick, as if an adhesive placed upon the cerebral cortex of each and every fan who witnesses the magnitude of each moment, of each second, of each game.  Go ahead and add Ray Allen to the list of images that will forever remain in Playoff infamy, a permanent blemish that’ll find itself on the hearts of each Spur, even if they win the deciding Game 7.  A game that looked lopsided in the 4^th, which might as well have had the Larry O’Brien packaged, engraved, and mailed to San Antonio, will now have to wait upon a final Game 7 to receive its destination-and the Spurs couldn’t be more disconsolate.  Instead of rambling, I will just list off my notes from the game:

1)   Poor Manu Ginobili.  The 10-year veteran had the worst game of his career in terms of turnovers (8).  This isn’t a throwaway statistic, it was THE WORST game of any that he’s played in either the regular-season or post, and he played to a plus-minus ration of -21.  Arguably the most important turnover of the entire series was made by the Argentinean, although it looked to be a clear foul on Ray Allen, with under 5 seconds to go in OT with the Spurs trailing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us9uVuW2yQc

2)   Tim Duncan didn’t show up for the 4^th quarter or OT for the first time in the 2013 Playoffs.  Duncan has been dominating OT, taking control in multiple games of both the Golden State and Memphis series,’ but was nowhere to be found Tuesday night.  Duncan started hot but ended evanesce, and it hurt the Spurs immensely.   To clarify, Duncan has had one of the worst shooting series in his playoff career in the 2013 NBA Finals, but he played like a man possessed Tuesday night.  Duncan scored 13 straight points during one run in the 2^nd quarter, ending with a huge 30pt 17reb performance, but was shut out after the 3^rd quarter. 

3)   Ray Allen has never really been known to be a clutch performer.  When the game’s on the line, Allen might be the fourth or fifth option for the Miami Heat when looking for a big time basket, but Tuesday night represented the crown jewel of Allen’s career, especially if the Heat can close out the series.  With mere seconds to play, Allen received a pass from Chris Bosh and drilled a corner three to tie the game, even with Parker playing neighboring defense.  I guess that’s what happens when the all-time 3-point leader in the history of professional basketball gets off a fairly clean look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26HANFrnozQ

4)   LeBron James played with poise, an element that critics have harped the King on since his inception in the league.  Starting 3-12 shooting in the first three quarters, King James scored 16 in the 4^th, sans trademark headband, and put up yet another triple double, finishing with 32pts, 1orebs, and 11asts (the first 30-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist game in the Finals since Charles Barkley in 1993).

Lebron James: Sans Headband

5)   Chris Bosh came to play.  Although Bosh only finished with 10 points, he came up huge on the boards late and had two key blocks in the OT period, including a block on Danny Green to end regulation.

6) San Antonio needs to start hitting their free throws if they want to have a chance in Game 7.  Kwahi Leonard missed a huge free throw down the stretch which would’ve extended the lead to 4, all but sealing the game for the Spurs.  Keep in mind that this kid is 21 years old, he can barely buy himself a drink and each game he’s played in has been the biggest in his life.  Time to step to the plate Kwahi, although he did put up some nice numbers aside from the missed free throw.  The Spurs shot 75% from the free throw line in Game 6 (21-28) but missed huge opportunities to seal it with under 2 minutes to play.

6)   Tony Parker is playing like a hero right now.  Hard to fathom that Parker still put the Spurs in a position to win the game and the title through the tumultuous pain he’s currently enduring, stating in an interview earlier this week that his right hamstring could tear “at any time now, but it’s the NBA Finals.  If it gets a tear, it’s life.”  What!?   Not only is Parkers biggest asset speed and maneuverability, but the pain he must be enduring has to be numbing.  Parker still did everything he could to bring the title back in the 4^th quarter, hitting a clutch three-pointer to tie and an acrobatic spin-jumper in the lane to give them the lead with under a minute to play, but it was not to be.

Parker was completely spent after Game 6

Well, it’s time for every basketball fan’s dream, Game 7 to decide the Championship.  Here’s what I’ll be looking for Thursday night in what looks to be an amazing finale to an outstanding season:

1)   How will the Spurs come out of the gate?  The Championship was sealed, stamped, and sent to San Antonio and yet Miami still found a way to extend the game and eventually force Game 7.  The Spurs looked as dejected as any team in recent memory following the loss, and that can often ware on the minds of the losing team’s players, especially those of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, who were utterly demoralized as the final seconds ticked away.

2)   Will LBJ rock the headband?  What a silly question that the media clung to like porcelain following the Miami win, but it’ll be interesting to see if King James shows off that receding hairline for a full 48-minutes on Thursday night, it looked like it worked for him in Game 6.

3)   Will Danny Green find a way to get open shots.  Bosh noted before Game 6 that Green would have trouble hitting the 3-pointers he’s grown accustomed to if Miami swarmed him with defense, and Green only had 3pts on 1-7 shooting (1-5 from deep).  The Spurs not only need Green to be more active offensively, but to play better defense as well (aside from his swipe of LeBron, Green gave up countless baskets in the paint in Game 6).

4)   What’ll Spoelstra do with his lineup?  In the blowout loss that was Game 5, Spoelstra sat Chris Andersen, choosing to go with the more experienced yet crumbling Udonis Haslem, but switched entirely for Game 6 as Andersen played 14 minutes to Haslem’s 0.  Norris Cole also didn’t play in Game 6, so it’ll be interesting to see if Spoelstra chooses the lineup that kept the Spurs away from a title for at least another game, or the lineup that has won him countless matchups this post-season.

Whether you’re for Miami or San Antonio, at this point we’re all fans of basketball.  Come Thursday night we’ll again experience the magic that can only be found in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to decide the best team, literally, in the world.  Don’t blink, you’re not going to want to miss this. 

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The post 2013 NBA Finals Game 6 Recap/Game 7 Outlook appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

The Big 3 Looked Dismal Last Night

As an avid Chicago Bulls fan, I know full well what every San Antonio diehard is currently attempting to appear apathetic over.  I’ve watched LeBron James oust the Bulls in debilitating fashion 3 of the past 4 seasons and let me tell you, it is the world’s worst feeling to watch the transcendent-being of the past decade tear your team apart, appearing completely indifferent about it to add salt to the wound.  At times it can even be horrifying what this man and this team’s capable of.  While LeBron can’t take entire credit for Sunday night’s Game 2, him and the Miami Heat looked poised to run San Antonio out of the city before Spoelstra called his wolves off early in the 4th.  That being said, LeBron did have this block…which was absolutely insane:

Mario Chalmers bounced back from a horrific Game 1, leading the Heat in scoring with 19pts on 50% shooting.  I will admit that beforehand, I felt that Norris Cole was the better option, based on how well he’s been playing in the postseason, but Chalmers showed up Sunday night and not only scored, but helped contain the streaking Tony Parker via a great team pick-and-roll defense which held the Spurs to 37.8 shooting inside the 3-point arc.  Big contributions from Wade, Bosh, and Mike Miller provided supplemental support for a team that looked as relentless as any team in recent memory.  This, combined with stifling defense over the last 4 minutes of the 3^rd and throughout the 4^th turned a game that at one-point in the 3^rd had the Spurs with the lead.

Super Mario Returned On Sunday

The true stat of this game was turnovers.  Only having four in game 1, San Antonio had 17 Sunday, which Miami turned into 19 points.  Ball pressure crushed San Antonio, who displayed lackadaisical ball movement and unbalanced offense for possibly the first time all post-season.  Tim Duncan described his performance as “awful,” which wasn’t far from the truth.  The always dependable Duncan had just 9pts on 3-13 shooting, the worst shooting game of his 27 finals games all-time.   Tony Parker took a night to maintain humanity, finishing with just 13pts on 5-14 shooting, a far cry from his 22.3ppg playoff average.  Look for Popovich to draw up some new plays involving silver lining Danny Green, who had 17pts on a perfect 6-6 shooting, and the Spurs’ defense to not appear as malleable as it was in Game 2.

Game 3 shifts the momentum back to the Miami Heat as the Spurs will have a home game on Tuesday, hopefully they battle back to make this more of a series than was evident Sunday night.

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The post 2013 NBA Finals Game 2 Recap appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

James couldn’t get it done.

With the exception of the 4^th quarter, the Miami Heat played a solid game, with LeBron obviously making his mark early in the series.  LeBron went off.  Picking up his second straight NBA Finals triple-double, the king had 18pts, 18rbs, and 10asts for a Heat team that looked as hesitant in the 4^th as any team in recent memory.  Wade had another respectable performance adding 17pts and some great defense on Ginobili throughout.  It is interesting to note that Miami throughout much of the 4^th without a true point guard on the floor, adopting a bigger lineup that proved lackluster in (obviously) setting up plays, leading to some errant shots from Bosh and Chalmers late.  Chris Bosh did have a more productive night but it came at a cost, shooting just 6-16 from the field (yeah LeBron only shot 7-16, but he also had a TRIPLE-DOUBLE) for 13pts, and missed a wide open three that could’ve cut the deficit to 2 late in the 4^th.  I was expecting more out of Norris Cole in terms of minutes, as he only had 17 to Chalmers’ 27, and that may be something Miami looks into when adjusting for Game 2.  Also, MIKE MILLER.  Miller, played a great game Friday night, with 5pts and 4asts in just 20 minutes of playing time, look for him to be a bigger factor throughout this series, possibly replacing Battier in a majority of Miami’s lineups.  Overall, Miami did win the rebounding battle (46-37) but stumbled down the stretch, looking hesitant on offense and taken out of sync by the relentless San Antonio defense.

Parker, after the most clutch shot of his career.

How about the Spurs!?  Tony Parker continued his Playoff MVP candidacy Thursday night, hitting the most absurd game-sort-of-winning-shot in a long time:

Not only is Parker unfazed by LeBron guarding him (second in DPOY voting), but he works the clock down entirely like a champion knows how to do, nearly falls over, keeps his balance and dribble, pivots, and hits the most clutch shot of his career-it was beautiful.  If you haven’t been watching the NBA for the past decade and a half, you’ll want to know who Tim Duncan is.  The 37-year-old, playing in his 23^rd Finals game of an illustrious career, had 20pts and 14rbs after a nightmare 1^st quarter.  Duncan and Splitter both played great games, controlling the paint when necessary and overcoming a night that, by stats, should’ve belonged to Miami.  Did I mention that the Spurs are well coached?  Good lord, they had 4 turnovers all night!  Miami had 5 in the 4^th!  Look for Popovich to preach the rebounding game, as well as possibly use Blair (who didn’t play a single minute in Game 1) down low to counteract the Spurs smaller lineup that comes in when Duncan is off the floor.  Blair has provided some great minutes for San Antonio this year and plays a more physical game than Boris Diaw who, frankly, looked comical in a matchup with LeBron.  Danny Green will need to replicate his numbers from Game 1 as well, and how about Kawhi Leonard!  That kid is 21 years old!  Leonard provided some great defensive minutes for San Antonio and didn’t look fazed in the slightest to be playing in a Finals game during his rookie season.  Props, Kawhi.

Game 2 isn’t until Sunday.  Let’s see what Miami draws up to counteract the Spurs resounding Game 1 victory, because they’ll be damned if they’re going to lose home court.  For those preaching “Dallas in 2011 all over again,” I’m highly doubting that the Spurs have anyone (with the exception of Parker) who can manage the 27.7ppg Nowitzki put down in that series, meaning, that this series is far from over.

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The post 2013 NBA Finals: Game 1 Recap appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

The Ares and Athena of the NBA will face of in the NBA finals

Let’s start with Athena.   The Spurs are governed by the best coach they’ve had since the team’s inception in 1967.  Gregg Popovich is a coaching demigod, who is now looking for his 5^th title in the last 14 years.  Before him they didn’t have a conference title, now they have five.  The reemergence of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili in the top tier of “big three” tandems in the NBA has reenergized and sparked San Antonio to its first Finals appearance since 2007.  And has it been fun to watch.  Tony Parker is playing like a man possessed right now: 23.0ppg, 7.2apg, and 48%fgp.  This, combined with the leadership and authority of Tim Duncan, the “Big Fundamental,” who has shut down overtime games throughout the playoff with his notorious 20ft jumper and ability to bang in the low blocks with the likes of the leagues best at the age of 37, has truly been remarkable to witness.  This team, for the most part, has been together for a while.  Parker has been alongside Tim Duncan since 2001, Ginobili had been with them since 2005, –and all of them have bought into Popovich’s system.  We’re even seeing Danny Green excel (43% from downtown) and Kawhi Leonard step into himself.  The Spurs must believe in their coach’s strategy, the same way they have all year, with Parker and Ginobili looking to penetrate and get Duncan, Splitter, Leonard, Green, and even Bonner the looks they need to knock down shots.  The glass will be crucial this series, I can’t reiterate that enough.  Miami has been astoundingly good this year on the boards, a true testament to the accusation of Birdman and Haslem’s resurgence over the past series.  Popovich deserves an incredible amount of respect for what he’s done this season all through discipline, San Antonio is the least foul-prone team in the NBA this postseason (average 2 fouls and turnovers less per game than Miami).  If San Antonio can be the wiser team, if they can exploit Miami’s lacking experience in close 4^th quarter games, and if they can control the machine that is LeBron James, they have a chance.

Ares the god of war can represent the brawn and relentless brutality that is the Miami Heat.  Miami isn’t playing games this post-season, you can feel how badly they want another title, to quiet the critics pestering them all season, to give Haslem a title to retire on, to set-up a potential three-peat next season.  Consequently, it would also be interesting to consider what LeBron James would look like in a primitive setting, with a sword and shield, chances are he’d probably be the best warrior.  LeBron took over the Indiana series, logging 32pts, 4asts, and 8rbs, in the onslaught of the Pacers in Game 7 on Monday night.  Boy did it look easy.  The rebounding performance of Dwayne Wade was critical for the Heat, as bickering over the 31-year-old’s health raged in the media beforehand.  Wade did exactly what the Heat needs him to replicate Thursday night, to attack.  There was a streak in Monday’s game where Wade either scored or assisted on 7 straight plays late in the third, Miami needs this to continue.  I see the matchup of LeBron on Danny Green being an easily exploitable facet of the game so I’m going to focus on the big men.  Chris Bosh needs to come back in a big way, only averaging 11.0ppg, 4.3rpg in the Conference Finals.  This man is 6’11, and he’s being outrebounded right now by a man 7 inches shorter than him (Wade is averaging 4.9rbg throughout the playoffs)!  I realize that a majority of Bosh’s game comes from his uncanny 20ft jumper, but Miami simply cannot rely on Haslem, Andersen, and James for rebounding support.  I was truly impressed with the effort Mike Miller put in the minimal minutes played throughout the Conference Finals.  Mike Miller is the man, it’s truly odd that nobody knows about him (Former Rookie of the Year, Former 6^th Man of the Year, etc..).  I’d like to see Miller come in to guard Danny Green, yes he lacks defensively but he can still guard Green, freeing up LeBron to either play down in the post.  Every single time Miami puts LeBron in the post, good things happen, take note Spoelstra.  LeBron is now at a point where his physicality rivals anyone in the NBA, they could put him on Duncan and he could limit his production for god’s sakes.  Norris Cole will be an important name in this series, faced with the horrifyingly daunting task of guarding Parker while running Miami’s offense, sort of.

Mike Miller wants to play!

Look for mythology to decide the 2013 NBA Finals starting Friday night.  Will it be strategy or physicality?  Only time will tell.

…but honestly, for the love of god can we get Tracy McGrady a basket or a dunk for old time’s sake?

Who gets to hold the trophy?

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The post 2013 NBA Finals Miami Heat versus San Antonio SpursOutlook appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

Memphis is in a must-win situation

Memphis started hot on the defensive end, holding San Antonio to a 21.1% shooting percentage on 4-19 FG and an uncharacteristic 8 turnovers, with Memphis leading by as many as 18 in the first quarter of play.  But the rest of the game proved to be a different Spurs bunch, after Popovich benched the starting five, calling Game 3 “one of the worst starts I’ve ever seen.”  But the rest of the way it was San Antonio getting to the cup one step faster than Memphis, shooting 58.7% the rest of the way with only 9 turnovers.  Tony Parker who, like the Spurs, had a slow start, lead the charge with 26pts and 5asts on 11-22 shooting, continuing his playoff MVP tare.  The Spurs pick n roll game was on point Saturday night, with Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan reaping the benefits.  Manu Ginobili had a great bounce back game with 19pts on 5-9 shooting, hitting a key 3-pointer down the stretch in the fourth quarter.  Let’s give it up for Tim Duncan, though.  Faced with an obvious psychological disadvantage throughout the game due to the recent news (yesterday) of his wife requesting a divorce after 12 years, Tim Duncan looked entirely unfazed and dominated the overtime period yet again, scoring the first 5pts of OT and making a blowout of an OT game.

Memphis just couldn’t punch back.  Once the domination that was the first 20 minutes of the game settled, San Antonio’s relentless attack on both ends proved too much for a team whose backbone, the home court, was broken Saturday night.  Mike Conley had another nice game with 20pts to go along with 5stls, although missing a tough look that could’ve ended it at the buzzer.  Zach Randolph overcame another atrocious shooting effort with 14pts 15rebs on 5-14 shooting but is far from his OKC numbers that Memphis needs in order to have a chance during this series.  Quincey Pondexter looked unconscious from the field for a while, finishing with 15pts, but missed a huge point blank layup that could’ve edged the game in Memphis’ favor.  If you’re Memphis, how do you respond!?  Dear lord, they were in dominant shape throughout much of the 1^st half!  Check the first half highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-rWqkDbuOI

Memphis.  You’re down 3-0 against a team who has been the juggernaut of the Western Conference for the past 15 years.  Chances look grim.  Look for a big game from TayShaun Prince (who knows!) who is looking to earn the respect of a relentless city who will be seeing more of his lackluster numbers for the next three years if he isn’t traded at season’s end or cut altogether, and Randolph to hopefully break free from his shooting slump to give Memphis a win at home in Game 4.

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The post Game Recap: San Antonio Spurs defeat Memphis Grizzlies 104-93 in OT, Go Up 3-0 appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

I’m guessing Tony Parker slept pretty well last night.  Although the San Antonio point guard has been dealing with a troublesome left calf, set to be evaluated on Thursday, he showed no signs of hesitation Tuesday night.  Parker had 15 points and a career-best 18 assists in San Antonio’s 93-89 Game 2 win against Memphis in the Western Conference Finals.  A game that went to overtime via a Mike Conley and Jerryd Bayless inspired 15-2 run over the final 8 minutes of regulation, the Spurs showed signs of deceleration down the stretch.  Signs, that were far from present throughout the first three quarters.

-Back to Parker.  Good god did that man have it going on Tuesday night.  For a while there it felt as though if Parker wasn’t draining an off-balance jump shot, he was setting up another Spur, flying across the court for all of his 42 minutes on the court.  A well balanced offense and cohesive defense in overtime were key for the Spurs as they took an important 2-0 lead on Memphis, who must now win both games at home to keep this from being a series decided on the road.  Tim Duncan looked as young as ever in overtime, coming up with 1 of his 4 blocks in the deciding quarter and scoring the Spurs first 6 points of OT, taking apart Zach Randolph’s exhausted attempts at defense.  It appears he has some gas left in the tank, and San Antonio fed off it Tuesday night.

Possibly the first smile of Tim Duncan’s career

On the Memphis side of things, it was the same story different tune for Zach Randolph.  Stats wise, ZBO had a pretty decent game with 15 points on 6-18 shooting along with 18 rebounds and 2 blocks, most of which came in the 3^rd and 4^th quarters.  However, what isn’t present in his stat column is how much he hurt the Grizzles down the stretch Tuesday night.  Clearly gassed from 45 minutes of play, Randolph was slow and taxing throughout overtime, hurting Memphis defensively (he guarded Tim Duncan most of the quarter, and Duncan went off) and taking off-balanced shots, which couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net.  Mike Conley had the game that he needed (18pts, 4 dimes), bringing the Grizzlies back in the closing minutes, but he’s going to need offensive help come Game 3.  While Jarryd Bayless also had a great night (18pts on 7-18 shooting), the last two shots of overtime were downright abysmal.  Down three with 14.6 seconds left, Bayless hoisted an off-balance three that drew a horrified and disappointed expression from Lionel Hollins.  Clearly, Bayless was hyped after his great night and thought he could be the hero Tuesday, but that shot has to go to your leader, Conley.  Even dumping it into Gasol or a cutting Tony Allen would’ve been a better decision, but hey, Bayless is 24-years-old.  It’ll be interesting to note whether Tayshaun Prince chooses to show up in Game 3, as he continued his poor play Tuesday night with just 2pts and 2rebs.

One thing’s for certain, if Memphis wants this series, they’re going to have to do much more than make a later run in the 4^th, because the Greg Popovich that I know, won’t allow San Antonio to make those same mistakes again.

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The post San Antonio Spurs Win Game 2 93-89 Over the Memphis Grizzlies: Recap appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

In case you hadn’t heard, the San Antonio Spurs are pretty good.  They’ve been good for quite a while actually.  This greatness was in jeopardy this past offseason, but Tim Duncan, being the demigod that he is, agreed to halve his salary in order to keep the team intact.  He’s now the 4^th highest Spur on the team although he has 14 All-Star appearances, four championships, 3 NBA Finals MVP’s, and an obvious place in the HOF upon retirement –but back to the Spurs.  All they were told all season long was how age would catch up to them.  San Antonio had the best record in the Western Conference this year.  And they just went up 1-0 on the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals.  The first game wasn’t close.

There’s a reason why we love the Playoffs, the stories that they provide, which are then recounted and burned into our basketball-allotted-memories for the rest of time.  Pick a storyline and I guarantee you can find a version of it covered in this series.  Can youth trump experience?  Can a team who hasn’t been there defeat the Goliath of its conference?  Can a city earn its first trip to the NBA Finals in team history?  Can a coach whose legacy has been torn apart, spit on, and re-amended by the city he once played for, finally find a signature win?  Where the hell did Tracy McGrady go?  Everything can be found in this series.

Back to the first game.  This was a dominant effort by San Antonio.  Before the game I felt that the key factor in this series would be the boards, San Antonio ended up losing that battle by two, and still won by 22 (105-83).  Turns out if you shoot 52.6% from the field it doesn’t matter who wins the glass.  We all know the Spurs start fast, leading after the first quarter in all but two games this postseason, but Sunday felt different.  The only time Memphis had a shred of hope was after they won the opening tip.  The Spurs went on to take the first quarter to the tune of 31-14, dismantling the Grizzlies offensive game plan with stifling defense.  Tiago Splitter gave some great defensive minutes, and some awful offensive ones, and showed Lionel Hollins that him and Duncan refused to forfeit the paint.  Matt Bonner, Danny Green, and Kawhi Leonard played great supplemental offensive minutes to the big three and San Antonio never looked back.  Basic pick n roll offense spread Memphis’ defense, allowing for a variety of breakdowns and missed assignments throughout the second half.  San Antonio’s shooting couldn’t have been purer.  And then shots like this went down.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, TRACY MCGRADY IS STILL AROUND!  I used to buy this guy’s shoes!  A tired and out-of-shape McGrady hasn’t scored this post season but damn it if he wasn’t going to try Sunday, attempting two three-pointers in the closing minutes.  Neither went in.  Damnit. He did however, hilariously wave off a screen and try to score in isolation against Richard Jefferson in the Warriors season, which was hilarious.

As my fellow work-associate Davis Mattek commented, if Mike Conley can play his matchup with Tony Parker to a draw, the Grizzlies have a chance.  He didn’t.  Tony Parker demonstrated vintage form, with 20 points & 9 assists, commanding his team to a victory over the inexperienced Conley.  It was evident early on that Popovich and Duncan want that fifth ring.  Tim Duncan’s offensive game was hindered by Marc Gasol (reigning Defensive POY) but was still able to grab 10 boards and make Zach Randolph’s trip to San Antonio one to forget.  Randolph, the leading scorer for the Grizzlies, ended with 2 points on 1-8 shooting, a far cry from his 28pt, 14reb performance to seal Oklahoma City’s fate.

Randolph must find his form if the Grizz want too compete.

For the first time in a series or two, Mike Conley was human.  He made mistakes in the half court, missed open shots, turned the ball over, and lost command of his team.  However, the Grizzlies are nothing without the 25-year-old and will look to him for guidance and to have him deliver OKC-series-numbers in the games to come.  If Memphis has a chance to win this series, it’s on the glass.  It’s going to come down to Randolph, Gasol, Darrell Arthur and possibly Ed Davispushing San Antonio around offensively and defensively, and Hollins most assuredly won’t allow for the defensive breakdowns in Game 1.  Yes, Memphis technically won the rebounding battle and still lost the game handedly, but when you consider that neither Randolph nor Gasol made their presence known in the paint during Game 1, this can be a lopsided statistic that the Grizzlies need.  Rebounding is an opportunity.  Rebounding will slow down the game, allow for Gasol and Randolph to find an offensive rhythm, and supply lanes for Conley, Bayless, Prince, and Allen to run through.  In total, Memphis must rise to the occasion, for although they have never been here before, to approach this series with a tourist mentality will mean imminent doom for a team that so badly wants to experience what San Antonio has relished in over the past 15 seasons.  As of now, Memphis doesn’t have a jersey number retired yet (only been around since 1995), but whoever can bring them back in this series will most assuredly be on their way to those rafters.

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The post Western Conference Finals Outlook: San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies appeared first on Sports Wunderkind.

The moment that will define the 2013 NBA Playoffs

Again. It’s happened again. Another superstar has fallen to injury at a crucial time in the year. Westbrook joins the ranks of Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, and Kobe Bryant in a group that no one wants to be in. The unfortunate timing of how important they are to their teams makes the actual injury even worse. It’s different when a Danilo Gallinari, or a David Lee get hurt, because while they are vital to their teams in their own unique ways, they simply can not have the sort of impact one of these special players can.

I really hate writing this article. This particular NBA season has been held under an extremely high-powered microscope. While there are the main, headlining stories we saw week in and week out (Lakers’ struggles, Heat dominance, Spurs agelessness) the number of smaller plots seen throughout this season were one of the greatest parts about it. Melo taking over New York, Denver’s run and gun, Steph Curry out-shooting everyone, how Chicago played without Rose, ect. While many of these stories have been compelling and worthy of media attention, Westbrook going down makes this a predictable season even more predictable.

People were attracted to these smaller plots because the idea of another Thunder-Heat Finals in which Miami likely wins isn’t attractive to the average NBA fan. So the Denver’s, the Golden State’s, the Houston’s got more attention than they otherwise would have. The focus strayed away from the probably-going-to-happen to the exciting unknown.

With Westbrook’s injury, the outcome of the season becomes even more clear. It’s what makes Russ’s injury all the more worse for the average NBA fan, as it appears the extremely likely is getting closer and closer to the inevitable. Obviously, I’m referring to the Miami Heat and their reign of dominance. LeBron has lost one game since January. His PER has reached insane (even for James) levels in the past few weeks (over 37 the last 10 games of the season). LeBron is reinventing the game before our very eyes. This is how the league of extraordinary white guys must have felt when Chamberlain and Russell started dunking all over them. Know it is no foregone conclusion that the Miami Heat will win their second straight championship (I’m looking at you, boiling hot KD, Steph Curry, and Dwigh- … oops. Too soon, Lakers fans? I say never soon enough.) It’s going to be incredibly difficult to predict WHO will make the Finals out of the West for the likely matchup with the Heat, especially due to the Clippers struggles, but when that matchup does come, does any team have a real chance against the Heat? This was a legitimate question that was being asked before Russ’s injury, who was the Thunder’s answer to Dwyane Wade. No disrespect to Reggie Jackson, who has played well in Westbrook’s absence, but does Houston win game 4 if number 0 plays? Probably not. He gives the Thunder a rare, incredibly vital dimension- a player who can get to the hoop at will. There are very few players in the league with that capability. Having that instant penetrator makes it so much easier to space the floor for a team’s 3-point shooters, which is what makes LeBron so successful in Miami.

So with all this being said, losing a player as big as Russ on a team as great as the Thunder means that it’s time to re-evaluate the Western Conference and see who has the best chance at making the finals. The Rockets are down three games to one so they aren’t included in this piece, but all other Western Conference teams have been reseeded by their probability of winning courtside seats to watch the Heat hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June. Often times the funniest jokes are the ones with the most truth to them.

6. San Antonio Spurs

Ever since two of their big three went past their prime, I just haven’t trusted the Spurs. Either Gregg Popovich is a wizard or the best active coach in the league. My guess? He’s all three. Davis, this is where you should photoshop a picture of Doc with a wizard hat on into the article. Needs to happen. Any team playing Matt Bonner 25 minutes a night in the playoffs has to be up to some sort of witchcraft. Either that, or the team they played in the first round just sucks. Anyway, no matter who the Spurs play in the 2nd round, it’s a nightmare matchup for them. Both the Nuggets and Warriors out match them in terms of style of play and physically. They will, however, be remembered as the team that finally put down this terrible Lakers’ season, and for that, we thank the Spurs.

5. Denver Nuggets

The only reason why the Nuggets are behind the Grizzlies and even the Clippers are because they are down to Golden State 3-1, and it’s unlikely for them to win the series. This isn’t from lack of good basketball being played, it’s pretty much because Stephen Curry is playing like what little hair he has is on fire. If the Nuggets win tonight and shut the crowd up at the Oracle in Game 6, game 7 in Denver would set up nicely for the home team. They would then outrun the Spurs in round 2 and be faced with either the Thunder or the winner of the confusing-as-hell Clips/Griz series. While Denver’s success comes from their incredible team effort and chemistry, one specific player is worth noting as making a big leap in performance. Some people were skeptical about the 4 year, $48 million extension that Ty Lawson signed this summer, but he’s but those doubters to rest with a productive regular season and breakout postseason. Ty’s put up 23 points and 8 assists on an efficient 48% shooting in the first four games of the playoffs, as well as having multiple moments where you don’t realized that he’s scored until he’s halfway down back down the court for defense. Lawson is just so absurdly fast. Like, roadrunner fast.

4. Memphis Grizzlies
3. Los Angeles Clippers

Someone has to win this Memphis-LA series, right? Is that how the NBA works? The only close match was Paul’s pretty winner over Tony Allen in game 2, and every other game has been at least a 20 point blow out by the home team. Both teams have really struggled from beyond the arc, shooting a combined 37 of 129 (28.6%). The Clippers dominated the boards in games 1 and 2 and vice versa for 3 and 4. Not a single player for either team has played consistenly within what is expected of them, so honestly, anything could happen in this series. I give the slight edge to the Clips because of Chris Paul, but even the best point guard in the league hasn’t been his usual self. For his career he’s averaged over 10 assists a game in the playoffs but hasn’t eclipsed that figure once in the first four games. With Paul not playing his usual clutch playoff basketball, and Russ out, you can make a strong argument that the next team has the best remaining point guard in the playoffs…

2. Golden State Warriors

You hear that? That’s the sound of me riding on the Warriors’ playoff bandwagon. I’ve always loved watching this team, mostly because of their diehard fans and super loud arena, but this GS-DEN series has taken it to an entirely different level. Stephen freaking Curry, people. You want numbers? Oh, I’ve got numbers. Let me throw some playoff Stephen Curry numbers at you- 27.3 points, 10 assists(to only 2.8 turnovers), 2.8 steals (almost double his season average), 47% shooting from 3 (I honestly would have guessed higher, it seems like he hasn’t missed yet this series) for an outstanding true shooting rate of 66%, an insane offensive rating of 133, and lastly, a PER of, wait for it… 29.9. A full 8 points above his season average. One of the biggest questions when Steph came out of Davidson was whether or not he was a true point guard, but those doubts have been silenced by his outstanding assist percentage (38%) and assist to turnover ratio. It appears that the NBA game has really begun to slow down for Steph, as his overall playmaking ability has steadily gotten better each year, and has culminated with a sweet highlight video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0ot69_XTmE). The question is if he can sustain the incredible shooting rates, and if the supporting cast minus David Lee can provide enough help. Through the first four games this certainly has been the case. Curry (18 of 38), Klay Thompson (9 of 21), Harrison Barnes (7 of 16), and that’s right, even Draymond Green (4 of 8) are all shooting over 40% from beyond the arc (Jarrett Jack shot +40% during the regular season and is sure to pick it up from his meager 25% in the playoffs). Curry, Jack, Green, and Carl Landry have PERs north of 20 (29.9, 21.6, 21.8 and 21.2 respectively) and Andrew Bogut isn’t far behind at 17.4. Curry, Jack, Barnes, Bogut, Green, Thompson, and Festus Ezeli all havin true shooting rates over 60% (considered elite). It’s also worth noting that despite the fact that most of their players are not known for their defensive prowess, the Warriors play solid team thanks to assistant coach Mike Malone, one of the top defensive minds in the game who likely won’t be an assistant much longer. Golden State seem unstoppable at home, and if they can steal game 2 from the Nuggets (38-3 at home in the regular season) then they can probably beat anyone at home. It’s all about getting hot at the right time, and it appears that the Golden State Warriors appear to have done just that. (Steph’s 3rd quarter from game 4 is right here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbk7BlCShsE, it has 500,000+ views in two days)

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Just kidding. Couldn’t resist myself.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Following Westbrook’s injury, I was all ready to pencil in the Clippers. They dominated the first two games against Memphis, CP3 was snapping into otherworldly-playoff-monster-Chris-mode, and their biggest competition is A. hurt (Thunder) B. old as balls (Spurs) C. just had their home game winning streak snapped by a team with Andris Biedrins on it (Nuggets [and P.S., Biedrins is making $9 million a year and averaged 9 minutes a game this year, almost all in garbage time. He made a million dollars for every minute he averaged walking his goofy self up and down the court in blowouts. Life isn’t fair, friends]). But LAC has struggled the last two games, leaving the series tied up at 2-2, while the Thunder still have the best player in the conference. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong. And it’s not just Durantula; Ibaka is playing some of the best ball of his career. He has a 23.2 PER, is getting better at interior defense while still being an elite shot blocker (10% block percentage) and is turning into a legitimate three point shooter, which as I stated in the intro is super important in terms of stretching the floor and opening things up for number 35. Kevin Martin, Reggie Jackson, and Derek Fisher are all shooting lights out from three, and Nick Collison, Hasheem Thabeet, and Thabo Sefolosha have all been providing their typical productive minutes. (worth noting, Kendrick Perkins has one of the lowest positive PERs I’ve ever seen through the first four playoff games, .7). Along with his supporting cast, Kevin Durant will simply not allow Oklahoma City to bow out of these playoffs. I fully expect him to average 35-8-6 at the very least for the remainder of these playoffs. And if there is one thing that the NBA has taught is, especially in the last few years, it is that most of the time (note, I say MOST of the time) the team with the best player is victorious.

About Dan Cutter

Full-time University of Nebraska-Omaha student, hotel front desk worker, speech and music nerd, overall swell guy. Add me on facebook or follow me on twitter @KidCutskey

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