NBA Playoffs 2012

A Collection of Feelings on Clippers/Grizzlies Game 6, or: The Thing That Killed The Clippers Was A Total Accident

The Grizzlies won and now the Clippers have to head out to Memphis to lose. That’s really the only way this ends, unless Paul can get more than 11 points (11 points!!!!!!!! I don’t care if he was injured, 11 points in a Game 6 from your star is unacceptable) and the Clippers can get into rhythm early, which is funny to even say, because it is the Clippers. This is coming from a Clippers fan, but, I mean, come on.

A TALE OF TWO FREE THROWS: Free throws are a crazy thing. They are the most unexciting thing that, more times than not, clinch games for teams. This is why close NBA games in their last minute become a start-and-stop frenzy. Free throws can work in so many ways: they can push a team over the top in the final seconds of a game and win the whole thing for them; they can do nothing but slow a game down and ensure the fouling team a possession; or they can be a total gamble, a last-ditch effort by a team to stop an opponent from scoring and hopefully have them choke at the line.

Blake Griffin was 5-6 free throws this game. 5-6!! This is fucking Griffin we’re talking about. He made big free throws when the Clippers needed them. They were huge. They made a Clippers win seem possible. But things started to go sour for them and then something so fucking frustrating happened that honestly is no Clippers’ fault.

Tony Allen was fouled and made neither. Missed both of them. 24 seconds left and the Clippers down 4, Randy Foye jumped up for the rebound and caught it… and then the thing that killed the Clippers was a total accident. Foye landed out of bounds. After the miracle of two missed free throws, the Clippers threw it away on total, complete accident. After a night where DeAndre Jordan and Reggie Evans made big free throws and Blake really stepped up his game, it was the other team missing free throws that killed the Clippers. Frustrating.

THE OTHER GASOL: Marc Gasol’s numbers say it all: 9-16 FG, 5-5 FT, 9 Rebounds.

TURN IT OVER: Despite a ridiculous 22 turnovers committed by the Grizz (compared to the Clips commendable 7), they still won. I don’t really know what the says, but it says something.

REGGIE EVANS: Big time plays and kept the Clips in there till the very end.

FLOP CITY VS. LOB CITY: We get it, Reggie Evans flops like a mad-man. We get it, Blake Griffin stares at the refs every time he releases the ball. We get it. People act like the whole Clippers team are flailing around the ground. It’s not the case. Plain and simple.

HIGH FIVE!: Worst. Technical. Ever.

IN THE END, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO WINS THIS ROUND: The Spurs are going to skewer whichever team is next.

OKC win, lead the series 2-0!

One caveat:

Westbrook needs to fucking move that ball. Ibaka is a good base-line shooter, Derek Fisher was on fire today… don’t know why Wetsbrook would keep taking contested jumpers when those two or Durant are open. OKC are great but sometimes don’t look like a “team” team, like the Clippers or Memphis or Bulls or other teams that really move the ball and find players. I don’t want Westbrook to become a Kobe or Melo or someone who just keeps taking contested shots with like 20 seconds left on the shot-clock or whatever. Dude has some learning to do but I’m glad OKC took this.

In Brief: Today’s Games So Far

ATLANTA HAWKS VS BOSTON CELTICS At the Half

Hawks: 49

Celtics: 35

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SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS UTAH JAZZ

Spurs: 106 (1)

Jazz: 91 (0)

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LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS DENVER NUGGETS

Lakers: 103 (1)

Nuggets: 88 (0)

*Bynum ties record of most blocked shots in an NBA playoff game.

THUNDER VS MAVERICKS, GAME 1, FINAL

Read the write-up for the first half HERE.

Thunder: 99 (1)

• Top Scorer: Russel Westbrook, 28 points

Mavericks: 98 (0)

• Top Scorer: Dirk Nowitzki, 25 points

Players of the Game: Serge Ibaka, with multiple insane dunks and consistent offense; Russel Westbrook, whose signature shot has no possible defensive answer; Jason Terry, who shot straight fire and helped keep the Mavs lead for most of the game.

Those Last Few Moments: Pure intensity.

Time-Out, Time-Out, Time-Out: Rick Carlisle needs to not take a time-out after every 4-0 run. That dude is paranoid.

How Loud I Screamed When That Shot (You Know the One) Went In: Very.

Vince Carter: Completely under-appreciated and one of the best players in the NBA.

James Harden: What concussion?

And the day caps off with a true, unadulterated playoff game after three strange, energy-deflating games. This will be the best series of the first round, easy.

Expect a write-up of all of today’s activities later tonight.

THUNDER VS MAVERICKS, GAME 1, AT THE HALF

Thunder: 48

• Top Scorer: Russel Westbrook, 13 points

Mavericks: 51

• Top Scorers: Jason Terry, 14 points

Thunder Atmosphere: Nothing else like it.

Pure Excitement and Adrenaline: At full capacity.

Jason Terry: Has always been and continues to be a near-perfect player.

Kevin Durant: Amazing block on Kidd.

Which is Goofier?: Joakim Noah’s free throw form or Shawn Marion’s three-point form?

Dirt Nowitzki: Started to heat up there at the end, but needs to start doing a lot more.

Serge Ibaka: Was literally one of three for three point attemprt for the entirety of the season — yet takes the quarter ending three and makes it. Too ill.

Derrick Rose: Did you hear he has a torn ACL? Because he has one of those. Derrick Rose.

(Source: nbaplayoffs2012)

PACERS VS MAGIC, GAME 1, FINAL

Magic: 81 (1)

• Top Scorer: Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson, 17 points

Pacers: 77 (0)

• Top Scorer: David West, 19 points

The Darkhorse That Became A Favorite is Now a Darkhorse Again… Or Something: Going into this, there was a lot of talk about how the Magic have no pop to them without Howard, and that the Pacers, who were 3rd in the East, were set to win. Yet, the Magic fought hard in this game which was decided in its final moments. This will be a great series.

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(Source: nbaplayoffs2012)

PACERS VS MAGIC, GAME 1, AT THE HALF

Magic: 51

• Top Scorer: Jameer Nelson, 11 Points

Pacers: 44

• Top Scorer: David West, 13 points

Who Would Have Thought?: This game is the most exciting one of the day thus far… until OKC vs. Dallas, of course.

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(Source: nbaplayoffs2012)

HEAT VS KNICKS, GAME 1, FINAL

Read the write-up for the first half HERE.

Heat: 100 (1)

• Top Scorer: LeBron James, 32 points

Knicks: 67 (0)

• Top Scorer: J.R. Smith, 17 points

Heat’s Defense: Impenetrable and vicious.

Turnovers: Heat with 14… and Knicks with 24. Ouch.

J.R. Smith: Most erratic player who thinks he is always in the zone in the NBA.

Referees: Ludicrous calls on both sides of the court.

Iman Shumpert: The Knicks could feel real pain if they are without their star rookie. Here’s to hoping he’ll be back next game.

Mike Bibby defending LeBron: One of the most head-scratchingly weird mismatches I’ve ever seen.

Carmelo Anthony: Where were you, exactly?

Four Technical Fouls: Yup, it’s the playoffs.

Man, what happened? I didn’t think the Knicks had a chance walking into this series but this is not the sort of performance you want to see in a Game 1. The problem is that I don’t think it was anything the Knicks really did, per se: It was the Heat’s vicious defense and LeBron’s sharp-shooting, laser accuracy offense. The Knicks need to re-evaluate their offense rotations and also go harder on the defense, which will be tough considering one of their best defensive player’s, Iman Shumpert, condition is undetermined.

If Wade can continue with the speed, LeBron with the impeccable offense, and Battier as the X factor, then the Heat will win in 4 as opposed to my prediction of heat in 5.

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