Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

San Antonio Spurs 93 Dallas Mavericks 89

After being shocked at the buzzer in game 3 by Vince Carter, the San Antonio Spurs were determined to get back to business, and they did that early on, jumping out to a huge lead in the second quarter thanks to Manu Ginobili, who scored 23 points for the game. The Spurs needed the bench production, as both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker struggled in this game, though in Parker's case it was due to a high ankle sprain. The Spurs would lead by as much as 20 points in the third quarter.

But Dallas would come storming back. They cut into the Spurs lead and even took the lead with just over three minutes remaining in the game. It was a tight back and forth contest from that point, and the game would not be decided until Boris Diaw hit a clutch 3-point shot with 32 seconds left to put San Antonio up for good. Dallas had a couple of chances to tie the game or take the lead, but they missed their shots, and the Spurs would pull away with free throws. Boris Diaw scored 17 points off the becnk while Patty Mills scored 10 points. Monta Ellis led the Mavs with 20 points while Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points.

Series tied at 2-2.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Washington Wizards 75 Chicago Bulls 69

The Washington Wizards were looking to close out this series after winning handily in game 4 and putting Chicago on the ropes. The Bulls were just hoping to play well in front of their home fans and extend this series another game. But like the four games before tonight, the Wizards would jump out to a sizable early lead thanks to their backcourt of Bradley Beal and John Wall, when they weren't scoring themselves were easily passing the ball to Nene and Trevor Ariza. Once again the Bulls struggled offensively, and it took them until the second quarter to get their footing and tie the game at the half.

But the second half was indicative of the struggle Chicago had during this series and throughout the season. They once again fell apart in the third quarter, and their offense was absoultely anemic. Part of that was due to Washington's defense, which kept the Bulls from going inside the paint and basically killed any chances of getting offensive rebounds. Meanwhile, the Bulls would draw to within three points with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, but in a show of strength that Washington had all series, they would grab four offensive rebounds on one drive that lasted until just under a minute remaining. The Bulls had a couple of opportunities to tie the game in the final minute but missed a couple of shots in point blank range which were recovered by the Wizards. John Wall led the Wizards with 24 points while Nene scored 20 points and Bradley Beal added 17 points. Kirk Hinrich and Jimmy Butler each led the Bulls with 16 points while Joakim Noah was limited to just six points though he did grab 18 rebounds. Taj Gibson scored 12 points for Chicago until he left the game with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Washington now awaits the winner of the Atlanta/Indiana series while Chicago ponders its future.

Washington wins series 4-1.

[Edited 4/29/14 19:54pm]

Go Wizzzaarrds! Now i need the Hawks to finish off the Pacers, and Toronto

to knock off Brooklyn and with the exception of Miami it would complete my

dream of having new blood advance in the playoffs.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Memphis Grizzlies 100 Oklahoma City Thunder 99 F/OT

At the end of last night's game, it appeared that the Oklahoma City Thunder had pulled a dramatic, come-from-behind victory at the buzzer when Kevin Durant missed a desperation 3-point attempt in the closing 2.9 seconds that was rebounded and tipped into the basket by Serge Ibaka.

Upon further review, however, it was determined it was released just after the buzzer, giving Memphis a 100-99 victory Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the series.

It was the fourth striaght overtime game in this series, and Memphis has won three of those games. Mike Miller led the Grizzlies with 21 points including going 5 for 8 from behind the 3-point line. Zach Randolph scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Marc Gasol scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Mike Conley added 17 points. Russell Westbrook had a triple double in a losing effort, scoring 30 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 13 assists. Kevin Duranst scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Serge Ibaka added 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Memphis can close out this series on Thursday night.

Memphis leads series 3-2.




Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Golden State Warriors 103 Los Angeles Clippers 113

In what had to be an extremely emotional and cathatric contest after the events of the past few days, the Los Angeles Clippers came back home in front of their fans after finding out their owner was banned for life from the NBA after revealing racist statements on tape. The Clippers came out strong in front of their supportive fans, but it wasn't long befpore people realized a chance for an NBA title was still up for grabs, as Golden State would make a run in the second quarter. The game would remain tight for much of the second half, but the Clippers would pull away in the fourth quarter for the victory thanks to DeAndre Jordan, who scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and Jamal Crawford, who scored 19 points off the bench. Chris Paul scored 20 points while dishing out seven assists, grabbing six rebounds, and making five steals. Blake Griffin would add 18 points. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 21 points while Andre Igoudala scored 18 points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out eight assists. David Lee added 18 points while Stephen Curry added 17 points in a losing effort for Golden State.

L.A. Clippers lead series 3-2.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Dallas Mavericks 103 San Antonio Spurs 109

After struggling to play a consistent game on all fronts that they had been doing all season, the San Antonio Spurs recaptured their mojo, rediscovering their aggressive defense, long-range shooting and fluid ball movement that fueled them to the league's best record. The Spurs jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter and would not be challenged until late in the game, when Vince Carter would hit a 3-point shot to bring the Mavs within four. But then Tony Parker would respond with his own 3-pointer that essentially sealed the victory for San Antonio. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 23 points, buit all of their key players had solid games, with Manu Ginobili scoring 19 points off the bench, Tiago Splitter scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, Tim Duncan scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard scoring 15 points. Vince Carter led Dallas with 28 points while Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Monta Ellis added 21 points.

San Antonio leads series 3-2.



Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Brooklyn Nets 113 Toronto Raptors 115

The Toronto Raptors would jump out to a huge lead in this game thnks to Kyle Lowry, who scored 36 points to lead all scorers. The Raptors led by as much as 26 points, but Brooklyn would come all the way back to tie the game after exploding in the fourth quarter. The game would go back and forth in the final three minutes, yet it wouldn't be decided until Lowry hit a key 3-point shot to put the Raptors up for good with about a minute remaining in the game. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points while Jonas Valancinuas scored 16 and Greivis Vasquez added 15 for the Raptors. Joe Johnson led the Nets with 30 points while Mirza Teletovoic scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Deron Williams added 13 points while dishing out nine assists.

Toronto leads series 3-2.

I am so stoked about the Raptors this year. They have impressed me and I'm so proud of them. Even if they don't make it out of this round (although I believe they will), I will still be proud. Toronto has the best fans in the world and it's been so exciting to watch this series.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 5

Portland Trail Blazers 98 Houston Rockets 108

The Houston Rockets found themselves facing early elimination, which is not what they expected to happen when this season and the playoffs began. They knew if they had any chance of extending this series, they would have to revive their "Clutch City" days. And early on they did that, getting production from Dwight Howard and even a little bit of "Linsanity" , as Jeremy Lin scored 18 of his 21 points in the first half. Houston would go up by mas much as 17 points in the thrid quarter, but Portland would come storming back due to Damian Lillard, who scored 26 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out seven assists, and made four steals. The Blazers would cut Houston's lead to just one point, but James Harden came alive, making a driving layup along the baseline with about four minutes remaining and hitting a clutch 3-point shot with a little over three minutes remaining to put the Rockets up for good. Harden would score 17 points for the game while Howard scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Chandler Parsons wouold add 20 points. Portland was actually led by Wesley Matthews, who scored 27 points while Robin Lopez added 17 points and Nicolas Batum added 15 points. But LaMarcus Aldridge struggled in this game for the Blazers, being limited to just eight points. The Rockets may have been clutch last night, but they face the daunting task of having to stay alive back in Rip City.

Portland leads series 3-2.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 6

Indiana Pacers 95 Atlanta Hawks 88

The Indiana Pacers were on the precipice of having the most colossal collapse of any NBA team this season, and they desperately did not want to leave Atlanta with their season in tatters. They would get off to a shaky start, but they would make a run on Atlanta in the second quarter, leading by five at the half. But Atlanta would take the lead in the third quarter and led by as much as seven in the fourth quarter when Indiana made its final run. David West led the way for the Pacers, scoring 24 pints, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out six assists. More importantly, Indiana played stifiling defense, switching out Roy Hibbert for guards Ian Mahimni, C.J. Watson, and Chris Copeland, and they held Atlanta to just 9 for 35 shooting from behind the 3-point line. West seemed to make every big play down the stretch, scoring four straight points and forcing a huge turnover to begin the turnaround. He would hit two more baskets in the final minute to wrap things up for the Pacers. Paul George also scored 24 points for Indiana while also grabbing eight rebounds, and Lance Stephenson added 21 points and nine rebounds. Jeff Teague scored 29 points for the Hawks while Paul Milsap scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, but it would not be enough. The decisive game sveen now shifts to Indianapolis, and Atlanta has not won a game seven in its history.

Series tied at 3-3.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 6

Oklahoma City Thunder 104 Memphis Grizzlies 84

The Memphis Grizzlies jumped out to a 3-2 lead in this series by playing stifiling defense on both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but in this game OKC turned the tables on the Grizzlies. OKC stormed out of the gate thanks to Kevin Durant, who scored 36 points in the game and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook, who added 25 points. The Thunder woudl jump out to a 15 point lead at the half and never looked back. Marc Gasol led Memphis with 17 points while Zach Randolph added 16 points and James Johnson added 15 points off the bench. The decisive game seven now returns to Oklahoma City.

Series tied at 3-3.

Blazers move on to the next round thanks to an incredible shot by Lillard with 0.9 left. Wow!

Looks like the Grizzlies are toast. I heard on WFAN Zach Randolph is suspended for Game 7. Guess throwing a punch wasn't the smartest thing to do.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 6

Houston Rockets 98 Portland Trail Blazers 99

The Portland Trail Blazers were looking to close out this series and advance beyond the first round for the first time since 2000. But Houston would not mnake it easy for them. They would pull out to an early 10 point lead, but a foreshadowing of things to come happened at the end of the first quarter, when Damian Lillard hit a 3-point at the buzzer to bring the Blazers within a point of the Rockets.

Nevertheless, the Rockets were living up to their "Clutch City" moniker, with James Harden scoring 34 points while Dwight Howard scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds including some key shots and free throws down the stretch. The game would be tight in the final minutes, but Houston would take a two point lead after Chandler Parsons hit the go-ahead basket off a James Harden miss with just .9 seconds left. But in a moment that makes legends, Nicolas Batum tossed the inbound pass to Damian Lillard who turned from just behind the 3-point line to make the final shot and send Portland to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Lillard scored 26 points for the game including the game winning 3-point shot. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 30 points and 13 rebounds. The Blazrees now await the winner of the Dallas/SanAntonio series.

Portland wins series 4-2.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 6

San Antonio Spurs 111 Dallas Mavericks 113

The Dallas Maevricks were looking to keep their season alive, and it would be a former Spur who would assist them down the stretch. This game went back and forth all night, with the Spurs jumping out to an early lead only for Dallas to come back and lead themselves. But the Spurs would lead by four with about seven minutes remaining when the Mavs made their run. Monta Ellis was huge down the stretch, scoing 12 of his 29 points in the pivotal fourth quarter. DeJuan Blair, the former Spurs player who was suspended for game 5 after kicking Tiago Splitter in the head while lying on the court, would come up with four rebounds and two steals to keep the Mavs in the game. Blair got one of his steals from underneath the basket as San Antonio was attempting to tie the game with just seven seconds left, but Dallas nearly blew that when Monta Ellis, after attempting to dribble the clock out, threw the ball across the court and out of bounds with 1.3 seconds left. The Spurs would make one last shot attempt to tie the game but if fell short, thus letting the Mavs escape with the victory. Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points for the Mavs while Vince Carter added 13 points. Tony Parker scoreed 22 points for San Antonio whiule Tiago Splitter added 19 points and Tim Duncan added 16 points and nine rebounds. The seires now goes to a decisive game seven in the Alamo City.

Series tied at 3-3.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 6

Toronto Raptors 83 Brooklyn Nets 97

The Brooklyn Nets knew they had to win to keep their title hopes alive, and they did not waste any time do ing that. They jumped out to a huge early lead and never looked back, thanks to Deron Williams, who scored 23 points. However, a scary moment happened in the third quarter when Deron Williams sprained his ankle. He would leave the game temporarily but return to hit a key 3-pointer as Tornoto made a run in the fourth quarter. Joe Johnson scored 17 points for Brooklyn while Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce added 13 and 12 points respectively. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for the Raptors but Kyle Lowry was held to just 11 points. The series now heads north of the border for a decisive game sveen.

Series tied at 3-3.

cool it would have been more fun if Houston could hang on for 3 game 7s.

too bad by Sunday night only one Texas team will remain!

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 7

Atlanta Hawks 80 Indiana Pacers 92

The Indiana Pacers were able to stave off elimination in game 6, but they still faced having one of the biggest collapses in sports if they did not win this game. Fortunately for them, history has been kind to home teams in a game seven final, as the home team has won 80% of all game 7 finals. That would play itself out today, as the Pacers would make an 18-4 run in the second quarter and never look back. Part of that run was due to their defense on Atlanta's 3-point shooting, which they held to just 25% from behind the arc despite the Hawks taking a record 44 3-point attempts in this game. Atlanta would cut the Pacers' lead to eight points in the fourth quarter, but Indiana went on a 16-4 run to end the game, capped off by a Lance Stephenson dunk to stamp the Pacers' ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Paul George led the victorious Pacers with 30 points while Lance Stephenson added 19 points. Even Roy Hibbert had a productive game after being mostly MIA in this series, scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Kyle Korver led the Hawks with 19 points while Jeff Teague scored 16 points. Paul Milsap, though he scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, struggled in this game, making only six field goals on 21 attempts. The Pacers now move on to host the Washington Wizards in the conference semis.

Indiana wins series 4-3.

I will never, ever forget that Lillard shot. As a Blazer fan, it meant the end of 14 painful years of suffering. Remarkable. I was in tears, my wife was in tears, and my baby son and dog were a bit freaked out by their Daddy screaming in joy so loudly!

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 7

Memphis Grizzlies 109 Oklahoma City Thunder 120

OKC was looking to close out this series in front of their home fans, and they had the advantage of facing a couple of injured players in Mike Conley and Tony Allen, and not facing Zach Randolph, who was suspended for this game after punching Steven Adams in game 6. However, it was the Grizzlies who jumped out to an early lead and left the Thunder flat-footed. But OKC would make adjustment and begin its run in the second quarter, thanks to Kevin Durant, who brought the Thunder back in second quarter and took the lead at the half with a huge 3-point shot. Then they stormed out of the gate in the third quarter and never looked back. Durant would score 33 points in the game, and Russell Westbrook had a triple double, scoring 27 points, dishing out 16 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson and Caron Butler added 16 and 15 points respectively. Memphis' starters had a good game offensively, with Marc Gasol scoring 24 points Mike Cinley scoring 20 points, Courtney Lee scoirng 16 points and Tony Allen scoring 15 points, but the absence of Zach Randolph decimated their defense, which allowed OKC to score at will.

Oklahoma City wins series 4-3.




Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 7

Golden State Warriors 121 Los Angeles Clippers 126

In what was already a trying, exhausting series physically and emotionally for the Clippers, they also had to deal with a feisty Golden State Warriors team in order to move on to the next round. It was the Warriors who would jump out to an early lead, but the Clippers would claw their way back. The lead would go back and forth in this game, and neither team wanted to give up. Stephen Curry scored 33 pioints and dished out nine assists in this game while Draymond Green scored 24 points including hitting five of eight shots from behind the 3-point arc. Meanwhile, Jamal Crawford scored 22 points off the bench to keep the Clippers in the game. But it was Blake Griffin who took over down the stretch, hitting a couple of key lay-ups and throwing an alley oop to seal the victory for the Clippers, though Golden State had opportunities to tie the game but missed their jumpers. Griffin would finish with 24 points while Chris Paul scored 22 points and dished out 14 assists, J.J. Reddick scored 20 points, and DeAndre Jordan scored 15 points while grabbing 18 rebounds. Klay Thompson scored 15 points for the Warriors while Andre Iguodala added 14 points, but it would not be enough. The Clippers now go on to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

L.A. Clippers win series 4-3.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 7

Brooklyn Nets 104 Toronto Raptors 103

It's often said that defense win championships, and while it remains to be seen whether that will be the case for the Brooklyn Nets, it was definitely the case at the end of this game. The game was tight in the first quarter, but Brooklyn would jump out to a sizable lead in the second, much of it due to the defense they played on Raptors' players Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who failed to make much impact until later in the game. The Nets would lead by 10 with about six minutes left in the game, but Toronto would crawl its way back and make it exciting all the way to the end. It was a chess match for the final minute of the game, as both sides were managing the clock, but with Brooklyn up by just one point with eight seconds left, the inbound pass was tipped by Terrence Ross and deflected off of Paul Pierce to give the Raptors the final shot to win the game. But in the closing seconds, Kyle Lowry drove to the basket and had his desperation shot blocked by Pierce, thus securing the victory and series for Brooklyn. Joe Johnson led the Nets with 26 points while Marcus Thornton scored 17 points off the bench. Kevin Garnett scored 12 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. Kyle Lowry would finish with 28 points for Toronto while Amir Johnson scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter. DeMar DeRozan would finish with 18 points. Brooklyn now heads to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the rested Miami Heat.

Brooklyn wins series 4-3.




Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 7

Dallas Mavericks 96 San Antonio Spurs 119

While some of the game 7 finals kept fans glued to the edge of their seats to the very end, the San Antonio Spurs made this game 7 a laugher. Dallas would score the opening bucket to take the lead, but that was basically their highlight of the game. The Spurs jumped out to a double digit lead with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter and never looked back. In fact they led by as much as 31 before pulling most of their starters out early. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 32 points while Manu Ginobili scored 20 points, Danny Green scored 16 points, and Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard each added 15 points. Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points for the Mavs, but Monta Ellis was held to just 12 points on 3 for 11 shooting from the floor. The Spurs now go on to host the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference semifinals.

San Antonio wins series 4-3.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 1

Washington Wizards 102 Indiana Pacers 96

The Indiana Pacers came into this conference semifinal after going through an exhausting seven game series against the Atlanta Hawks while the Washington Wizards had nearly a week's worth of rest after having dispatched the Chicago Bulls in five games. So it was probably no surprise that the Pacers came out flat to start the game, as the Wizards jumped out to a 14 point lead in the first quarter. The Pacers would come back in the second quarter and lead 31-30, but the Wizards went on a 17-6 run propelled by Trevor Ariza, who scored 15 of his 22 points in that quarter on perfect 5 for 5 shooting from behind the 3-point line. The Wizards would never trail after that, but the Pacers would try to climb their way back, pulling to witihin seven with 7:41 left. But then they played stifiling defense, not allowing an Indiana field goal until 41 seconds was left in the game. Bradley Beal would seal the victory down the stretch, scoring 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out seven assists for the game. Nene would add 15 points for Washington while John Wall added 13 points and nine assists. Paul George and George Hill each scored 18 points for the Pacers, with Hill hitting three 3-point shots in the final minute to make the game interesting, but it was too late.

Washington leads series 1-0.

Western Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 1

Los Angeles Clippers 122 Oklahoma City Thunder 105

Both OKC and the L.A. Clippers went through exhausting seven game series, and in the case of the Clippers, it was an emotional toll after the racist revelations of their owner. However, with that matter now seemingly behind them for the time being, the Clips can now focus on playing basketball. OKC got off to a fairly decent start, but then the Clippers wet on a tear thanks to Chris Paul, who scored 32 points on a career-high 12 for 14 field goal shooting including 8 for 9 on 3-pointers and dishing out 10 assists. The Thunder threw several different defenders and coverages at him, but nothing worked. He was unstoppable. The Clippers would lead by as much as 24 points in the second quarter and easily cruise to victory. Blake Griffin would add 23 points for Los Angeles while Jamal Crawford added 17 points off the bench. Russell Westbrook led OKC with 29 points while Kevin Durant scored 25 points.

L.A. Clippers lead series 1-0.




Meanwhile, Kevin Durant was announced as the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2013-2014 season. Durant won his fourth scoring title in five years, averaging 32 points per game and led OKC to a 59-23 regular season record. He received 119 out of 125 first-place votes. Miami's Lebron James, who had won the last two MVP awards and four of the previous five, finished second with six first-place votes, and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers was third. Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah and Houston Rockets guard James Harden rounded out the top five. Durant becomes the first player to win both the scoring title and the MVP award in the same season since Allen Iverson did it in 2000-01.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 1

Brooklyn Nets 86 Miami Heat 107

The Brooklyn Nets came into these conference semifinals after surviving an exhausting seven game series against the Toronto Raptors that was saved by a blocked shot in the final seconds while the Miami Heat spent the last week waiting for their next opponent after sweeping the Charlotte Bobcats. Nevertheless, the Nets looked okay in the first half, staying within three points at the half. However, Miami would go on a 24-9 run in the third quarter, sparked by Chris Bosh, who scored the first seven points of that run, and propelled by Ray Allen, who scored 19 points on 4 for 7 shooting from behind the 3-point line. Miami would cruise to an easy victory after that. Lebron James led the Heat with 22 points while Chris Bosh had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Dwayne Wade would add 14 points. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson led Brooklyn with 17 points apiece, but Kevin Garnett was held scoreless for the first time in his playoff history, playing only 16 minutes in this game.

Miami leads series 1-0.

Meanwhile, Mark Jackson was fired as coach of the Golden State Warriors today. Despite leading the Warriors to three consecutive playoff appearances after not having made the playoffs in over a decade, it was his apparent disagreements with the front office that led to his dismissal. Golden State is now looking at potential replacements in Steve Kerr, former Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, and former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.

I'm hangin' tough with Brooklyn.....but I can't see us making it outta this roiund. All of our main guys would have to play the series of their lives to win. But, you never know......After seeing Durant's MVP acceptance speech and his tribute to his Mom I'm routing for OKC to win it all (if BK can't of course!). He seems like a really cool and humble young man. Someone I'd love to talk to........Roy Hibbert.......i can't believe how bad he's been. I'm starting to think maybe he's being blackmailed into playing bad (as crazy as that sounds).........San Antonio still looks good, but they are an older team....so we'll see....For some reason I'm just realizing how good John Wall is.........

Western Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 1

Portland Trail Blazers 92 San Antonio Spurs 116

The San Antonio Spurs ended their last series by blowing out the Dallas Mavericks in an otherwise tough seven game series. They began this conference semifinals pretty much where they left off in the last game, leading from wire to wire, jumping off to a huge early lead, and easily cruisng to victory. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 33 points and nine assists, but the bigger story was their bench production and the crusing defense they played on Portland standouts LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. Though Aldridge and Lillard would finish with 32 points and 17 points respectively, they were held to a combined 17 points in the first half. Meanwhile, they got huge contributions from Marco Belinelli, who scored 19 points off the bench, and Aron Baynes and Patty Mills, who each scored 10 points off the bench. The Spurs led by 26 at the half and never tyrailed by less than 20 points afterward. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points for San Antonio while Tim Duncan added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

San Antonio leads series 1-0.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 2

Washington Wizards 82 Indiana Pacers 86

Roy Hibbert earned his All Star spot this season based on his inside play, particularly his rebound, defense, and shots from the paint. But since the All Star Game he has struggled mightily, and in these playoffs he has been virtually non-existent.

Until tonight.

Tonight, it seemed as though the Pacers made a conscientious effort to get Hibbert involved with their offense, and he delivered big time, scoring 28 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking two shots. He also got help from his fellow starters, as George Hill added 14 points, Lance Stephenson added 12 points, and Paul George added 11 points.

But Washington would not go away in this game. After an initial burst by the Pacers, the Wizards would catch up and pretty much keep this game tight throughout. They were led by Marcin Gortat, who scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and they also got contributions from Bradley Beal, who scored 17 points, and Nene, who scored 14 points. In fact, the Wizards led by three with five minutes remaining in the game, but Indiana would go on a six point run that would put them up for good. Nevertheless, the Wizards had a chance to tie the game late, as Gortat tipped out an offensive rebound with just under 2:30 remaining to John Wall. However, instead of resetting the offense, Wall launched an ill-advised jumper from several feet behind the 3-point line that missed badly, which was one of the few but most costly errors the Wizards have made during the playoffs.

Series tied at 1-1.

Brooklyn.......oy.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 2

Brooklyn Nets 82 Miami Heat 94

The most notable stat coming into this game was the production of Ray Allen compared to his former Celtic championship teammates Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. It turns out Ray Allen has scored more points than Pierce and Garnett combined, and that would play itself out in this game. Brooklyn would hang in through the first three quarters, but Miami would pull away in the fourth thanks to Ray Allen, who would start a run with a 3 pointer. Lebron James scored 22 points, Chris Bosh added 18, Dwyane Wade had 14 and Ray Allen scored 13 points as the Heat pulled away late to beat the Nets 94-82. Miami tied a franchise record with their eighth straight playoff victory. Mirza Teletovic had a career night for Brooklyn, setting a Nets playoff record with six 3-pointers on his way to scoring 20 points off the bench. Shaun Livingston scored 15 points while Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson each added 13 more for the Nets. However, Deron Williams struggled in this game, as he went 0 for 9 from the field, the worst shooting night of his career.

Miami leads series 2-0.

Deron Williams isn't playing up to his contract, that's for sure. Dude is not a prime time player. Brooklyn wasn't winning this series, but I thought they'd win at least two games. They'll get swept if Williams continues to stink it up.

[Edited 5/10/14 13:55pm]

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 3

Indiana Pacers 85 Washington Wizards 63

Some would say that this game was a defensive struggle while others would say that the game was an offensive masterpiece, in that it was ugly, low scoing, and just plain offensive to fans of basketball. At any rate, both teams set a record low for points scored in NBA playoff game during the shot clock era (67 total).

But Indiana would show some offensive firepower in the third quarter and pull away for a relatively easy victory. Paul George led all scorers with 23 points while Roy Hibbert once again had a solid game, scoring 14 points. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 16 points while John Wall scored 15 points, but the frontcourt of Nene and Marcin Gortat were stymied by the Pacers defense, scoring a total of 12 points.

Indiana leads series 2-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 3

Oklahoma City Thunder 118 Los Angeles Clippers 112

What was notable about this game besides the fact that the stars for both OKC and the L.A. Clippers stepped up huge in this game was the fact that each team nearly scored as much in the first half as both Indiana and Washington scored combined. At any rate, this would be exciting throughout, as the Clippers led initially, with Blake Griffin scoring 34 points while Chris Paul added 21 points and 16 assists. However, the Thunder went to a smaller lineup, and the Clippers saw their four-point lead disappear for good early in the fourth quarter. OKC couldn't be stopped in the final 12 minutes and went on to victory to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Kevin Durant scored 36 points, Russell Westbrook added 23 points and 13 assists, and Serge Ibaka scored 20 points for the Thunder despite getting into early foul trouble in a game that neither team ever led by double digits. Caron Butler and Reggie Jackson each added 14 points for the Thunder while Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford added 20 points for the Clippers.

Oklahoma City leads series 2-1.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 3

Miami Heat 90 Brooklyn Nets 104

The Nets returned home to Brooklyn down 2-0 and was under intense scrutiny after their stars struggled in the first two games. It didn't help matters much when Lebron James got off to a solid start in the first half, scoring 16 of his 28 points in the game in the first quarter. But Brooklyn would hang tough in the first half thanks to Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Joe Johnson, who led the Nets with 19 points, and they led by two at the half.

But it was in the second half that the Nets exploded, mostly due to the production of their bench players and particularly from behind the 3-point line. Mirza Teletovic would hit four 3-pointers, and Shaun Livingston scored 12 points mostly in the paint. They also had huge production from Andray Blatche, who scored 15 points. Though Lebron James scored 28 points for Miami and Dwyane Wade scored 20 points, the team struggled in the second half, with James only making two field goals.

Miami leads series 2-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 3

San Antonio Spurs 118 Portland Trail Blazers 103

The San Antonio Spurs jumped out to a 2-0 series lead by dominating the Portland Trail Blazers, particluarly at the point guard position. Tony Parker has been the catalyst for the Spurs, scoring at will and schooling Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. The Blazers were hoping a return to Rip City would reverse their misfortunes and fire up their team.

Instead, it was more of the same. Tony Parker once again had a dominant game, scoring 29 points and dishing out six assists. The Spurs again jumped out to a huge early lead and never looked back. They led by as much as 23, though Portland would cut the lead to eight before the Spurs went on another run and closed the game out for good. Tim Duncan scored 19 points for San Antonio while Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili added 16 and 14 points respectively. Four of the five starters for the Blazers (LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum, and Wesley Matthews) each scored at least 20 points or more, but their bench was almost completely MIA, scoring a total of six points. The Spurs now look to close out this series.

San Antonio leads series 3-0.

Western Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 4

Oklahoma City Thunder 99 Los Angeles Clippers 101

OKC came out of the gate blazing hot, jumping out to a 22 point lead in the first quarter thanks to the explosive play of Kevin Durant, who scored 40 points in the game. But the L.A. Clippers would claw and scratch their way back into this game due to the play of Blake Griffin, who scored 25 points including making nine of 11 free throws, and Jamal Crawford, who scored 18 points off the bench. But it was the play of Darren Collison that would lead the Clippers to victory. Collison scored eight of his 18 points in the final 2:58, rallying the Clippers past the Thunder and evening the semifinal series at 2-2. Chris Paul scored 23 points for the Clippers while dishing out 10 assists, and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 14 rebounds. Russell Westbrook scored 27 points for the Thunder.

Series tied at 2-2.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Conference Semifinals

Game 4

Indiana Pacers 95 Washington Wizards 92

The Washington Wizards came out flat in game 3 but were determined to bounce back in front of their home crowd. And initially they did that, jumping out to a 19 point lead early in the third quarter and putting the Pacers on their heels. But Indiana would claw its way back into the game, thanks to a huge performance by Paul George, who led all scorers with 39 points while also grabbing 12 rebounds. George scored 28 of his 39 points in the second half, which included six 3-pointers. Roy Hibbert was strong once again, scoring 17 points. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 20 points, but despite John Wall scoring 12 points, he struggled down the stretch, turning the ball over five times. The frontcourt of Nene and Marcin Gortat were stymied yet again by the Pacers defense, scoring a total of 12 points. And to top it off, the Wizards turned the ball over on an inbound pass with six secoinds remaining in the game as they were looking for the tie. The Pacers now go home looking to close out this series.

Indiana leads series 3-1.