Day 13 of the NBA Playoffs was rather nondescript, all told.
Sure, any time you've got win-or-go-home games, there's excitement. But there wasn't really the palpable excitement you can feel like electricity through your veins...until the last couple of minutes of the last game.
Still, with three Game 7's coming up, I'd say that not all is lost. In fact, I look at these as opportunities for the drama to ramp up and reach that all-important crescendo that grabs people by the throat and says "LOOK AT ME"!
First up, Indiana vs. Atlanta.
A disappointing result after a fairly disappointing 4th quarter for the Hawks. It seemed like they were in control for much of the game that I saw. Sure, they were down by 3-5 for a few minutes at a time, but it didn't look like anything they couldn't handle.
And then something happened in the 4th quarter. The Pacers stopped screwing around long enough to figure out "hey, this might be a good time to pull away". And that's what they did.
Of course, this might all mean squat when Game 7 comes around.
Or maybe Indiana will reach down deep and find what the rest of us think has been long lost.
I'm rooting for the Hawks to win, personally. Historic things are fun. And a #8 seed beating the #1 seed is always historic. And always fun.
The series is tied 3-3. Game 7 is Saturday.
Next, Oklahoma City vs. Memphis.
Going down 15 at halftime, not the best way to create drama.
This one was never really in doubt. Even when it looked like Memphis might start trying to come back in the 4th, OKC squashed that idea just as easily as Steven Adams blocked all the junk coming his way.
I'm not sure what took so long for him to make his mark in the series. But it's a good thing he did. Memphis has size in spades, so having Adams out there to spell Perkins/Ibaka could be quite useful.
But this speaks to Brooks' coaching acumen. Specifically, I don't think he has much. Sure, he gets credit when it's due. He wins a lot and has great players doing great things.
But then you look closer, especially in a series like this one, and he almost seems outmatched by a guy on the other side who's a rookie head coach. That's not to diminish Dave Joerger's work prior to this season. But let's face it, 2013-2014 is the guy's first rodeo as a head coach, and he took a 3-2 lead over a team that should have knocked him out in five games.
#2 seeds should advance with little fanfare and less trouble. Brooks couldn't figure out how to make that happen and he still can't get Russell Westbrook to be playing the kind of ball that will lead to wins consistently.
And now the pressure's on in Game 7.
The series is tied 3-3. Game 7 is Saturday.
Finally, Los Angeles vs. Golden State.
And yes, this is where the drama was. No surprise, right?
Much of the talk in and around the game is related to Warriors head coach Mark Jackson and his seeming inability to keep his job. I find it hard to believe that a guy could be undergoing so much scrutiny after winning more than 50 games and taking what used to a perennial doormat to the playoffs in consecutive years.
Then again, I've read some reports that say various unflattering things.
Everybody hits a bump in the road occasionally. I don't know...maybe this isn't the best fit and we're going to hear something about it after the series is over if the Warriors don't pull it out in LA.
Late in the game, after Andre Iguodala hit a three-pointer for the Warriors, there was a rather ugly possession wherein the ball was batted around and it looked more like volleyball than basketball. The Clippers ended up getting three points out of it, but alas, there was only 0.4 remaining on the clock.
And that's how the game ended up 100-99.
The series is tied 3-3. Game 7 is Saturday.
Later today, Game 6 in Brooklyn, Dallas, and Portland. Toronto, San Antonio, and Portland can move on if they win.
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