Famous : I wouldn't say that they got lucky. Memphis was a good team last year, and in the West, standings can be deceiving. Just because a team doesn't finish in the top 3 doesn't mean they're bad. Sure, not having Westbrook made it easier for the Grizzlies, but even if he was there, the Gruzzlies would've played well against the Thunder. Would they have won? Nobody knows, and noone ever will. But the Grizzlies could've won it with Westbrook there if they tried hard enough (I'm not saying that's what would've happened, but it's a possibility).

4th quarter right now and you were right about Memphis because it's 68-65. Just hoping Oklahoma City play through and win this!

Perkins just had the most clutch shot of his career, keeping the Thunder alive and sending the game to overtime. That was an amazing outback off a missed three by Westbrook. I bet people who didn't even know Perkins existed are praising him right now.

What a massacre out there. Clippers gave the Warriors a major beatdown by 40 points.

Yeah, that game became a snoozefest REAL quickly.

The Clippers are the better team, so I can't find that surprising.

The Warriors need a different person to bring the offense through than Stephen Curry. He can't be the only guy who can set up the offense.

And they also need to play better defense. I get that it's the Clippers, and their offense is good, but you can't win a series with them without playing higher level defense.

The Bulls and Wizards are in OT.

And I just don't know what to think about the Bulls right now.

When they are playing right, the Bulls are among the top 5 teams in the NBA. When they are playing right.

But right now, the Bulls are playing like crap. Offensively, they keep trying to go through the same players, and continue when something isn't working. Thibs keeps leaving players in too long. Defensively, they have largely been a train wreck.

If the Bulls don't win this game, they will not win the series.

The Wizards want this more. None of the Bulls players look like they want this.

I'm in shock right now. The Bulls, one of the best defensive teams in the league, just lost two games:

1) AT HOME - They had home court advantage. That's where you perform at the top of your game. You can't just let soneone come on your court and beat you like that.

2) OPPONENT SCORED 100+ - If you're a defensive team that struggles to score, you can't just let an opponent score 100 on you like that. Every point counts, and since Chicago isn't an offense oriented team, falling into a deficit late in the game isn't a good idea.

3) IN OVERTIME - Not only did they have the end of regulation to try and close it, but they also half an extra five minutes. There's no reason for this Bulls team to lose two overtime.

They're going to lose the series now. Wizards in 6 is probably how it will end.

megamanmaniac :

And all because Thibs can't go over his hard on for Hinrich.

The Bulls are the better team, but Thibs is proving he's not that great of a coach.

I have to say, I'm very impressed with the performance of the road teams this postseason. They have been pulling out amazing OT wins and have given the home teams a very tough time. Aside from Charlotte, every road team has one at least one game, and there could be a lot of upsets if the lower seeds continue to play at the good level they are playing at now.

WOW, the Mavericks just STOLE one from the Spurs, and now lead the series 2-1, on the most incredible shot by Vince Carter without basically any time on the clock.

Hard to believe we could be watching such a huge upset in the first round.

I love it, because the Spurs are my least favorite team in the playoffs.

Today's games have been incredible. Just hoping Heat/Bobcats becomes a series.

That was one of the most clutch shots I have seen so far this postseason.

Vince Carter definitely came up clutch, and Dallas now has a legitimate chance of winning the series.

play4fun : U mad bro?

megamanmaniac :

This post season?

Son, that was one of the most clutch shots hit in any post season.

This was a crucial game for a massive underdog at home, by a player who is seen as way past his prime.

If you look up clutch in the dictionary you should see a picture of that shot.

I've been watching the entire game and my heart probably died, resuscitated, and died again...and this is only round one. I'm upset, not because of Vince Carter's clutch 3 (Those plays you gotta give credit to them) but because of the Spurs bench who have been sleeping the past 3 games, when they are the reason why Spurs are No.1 seed in the first place. I see great performances in bits and pieces and not in whole. They NEED to play like they usually do in the season to get back to where they are. It's still a rivalry and it's expected to be tough, but it's doable if they actually do the same thing in the season

Only comforting thoughts is that it seems that the other Western Conference teams are dealing with such hard struggles as well (OKC and HOU are both down 1 game), so I'm trusting that as the best team in the NBA, they can adjust and win the rest. Most people are predicting Spurs in 6 (few say 7) so it's still there in reach.

play4fun :

The West, as a whole is ridiculously talented anyways. The 6 or 7 team in the west could go the distance with any team not named the Heat in the East, I feel.

And the competition will only get tighter and tighter.

No matter who comes out of the West though, I think the Heat will win the title. They've got such an easy road in comparison, and can rest their players more than any team in the West can.

Really hope the East gets stronger soon, so that the Finals are more competitive.

legacyme3 : I find it very ironic that the West is always so much more dominant than the East in almost every aspect of the game, yet they end up struggling a lot more than they should.

I can see four or five upsets as of right now. At most, there will be seven, but four will more likely than not happen (Wizards, Nets, Blazers, Mavericks)

megamanmaniac :

I'd hold off on the Wizards upset.

The Bulls won a crucial game three and Nene is suspended from game four. If the Bulls can win that game, they'll steal home court back, and the series will basically be a best of three.

The Wizards needed to finish them last night. They didn't. The Bulls are a physical, tough team. Their strength is in their tenacity.

The Bulls-Wizards series is still in the Wizards favor... for now. But the Bulls aren't dead yet.

legacyme3 : Nene is suspended for game 4? I didn't know that. If he's not playing, then the Wizards will have lost a crucial big man and the Bulls have the potential to get back into the series. I'll recant my Wizards upset until I know the outcome of game 4.

But about the Bobcats...are they really the only lower seed that stands no chance against their opponent. I feel kind of bad for them. The only other time they made it to the playoffs, they faced the 2 seeded Orlando Magic (who went on to lose in the finals to the Lakers) and was swept by them. I am hoping that they can make it an interesting series, but they might have to focus on rebuilding a but more. If they can acquire good late round picks and make smart free agency moves and trades, they can probably become a legitimate playoffs contender (not championship contender. I think they're a long way away from that) and maybe get to the conference finals in a couple of years or so.

megamanmaniac :

Yep. Nene is out for Game Four.

The Bobcats don't have any chance, and it saddens me, because the Bobcats aren't the worst team in the playoffs. (I honestly believe the Hawks are, the Pacers have made them look way better than they are)

This series is going to be a sweep. This was the must win. And they've been outshined by the dominant 2014 NBA Champion Miami Heat.

legacyme3 : Isn't it too early to acclaim the Heat as the 2014 NBA Champions? They may win the East (easily I might add), but that doesn't guarantee an NBA championship. There are many tough western teams, and most of them are capable of beating Mismi, especially teams with big men that Miami can't defend (like the Blazers or Clippers). I think it's too early to call them champions just yet, especially if they go on to face Brooklyn in the next round (who will definitely give the Heat a tighter matchup than Toronto).

megamanmaniac :

I mean, think of it like this.

Sure, it's too early to say they've won it already, but they have an easier road to the finals than any Western team. Upon winning this series, they will face either the Raptors or the Nets (likely the latter) coming off a hard fought (likely 6 game) series. This gives the Heat a lot of time to rest. They won't be tired, and have home field advantage.

The Nets are probably the only team in the East that has a chance to stop them. But even that's going to be an uphill battle. I'll be surprised if that series goes beyond 6 games honestly.

If (when) they win there, they get to face the Wizards/Bulls or Pacers/Hawks. The Wizards and Bulls could make them work, but the Heat win in 5 against either, likely. The Heat are too athletic for the Wizards, and the Bulls are too injured to keep up. The Pacers and Hawks are not a threat. Not with how either team is playing right now.

The West on the other hand have to go through 3 tough opponents JUST to get to the Heat though. The team that probably has the best chance to beat the Heat in a 7 game series, the Thunder, would have to go through the Grizzlies, (probably) the Clippers, and one of the Spurs/Mavs/Blazers/Rockets.

The Thunder (or whoever makes it out of the West) will be too exhausted to keep up with the Heat.

We've been saying this for years, that you can't crown them champs, but they've won the past two years in similar fashion. Easier road leads to more rest, leads to domination in the Finals.

So you'll forgive me if I think the Heat have already won this year.