Photo Credit: USATSI
Another round of NBA playoffs are over, finally. It feels like the playoffs are just as long as this year’s shortened NBA season. The final Western matchup is set to take place tonight pairing the high-flying Oklahoma City Thunder against the veteran San Antonio Spurs. Monday will bring the top two East teams together.
Boston Celtics-
This series felt like it was never going to end. One day it seemed that Boston was flexing their muscles and then in the next game, the Philadelphia Sixers came back and showed why they deserved to be considered contenders. Even in the games this topsy, turvy style was shown.
The Celtics would start off dominant and then fall asleep in the second and third quarter. If they expect to go to the Finals, there is no way that style of play will get them anywhere. They need Rondo to play as well as he did yesterday or else they can basically pick the island where they will be watching the NBA finals from. Rondo had a sluggish Game 6 picked up for Paul Pierce when he fouled out in the fourth ending the night with a triple double.
The Celtics will have to pick up for others including Ray Allen who could not get a shot to drop last night until the fourth quarter when he knocked down back to back threes. The Celtics got lucky that Philadelphia could not get a shot to go in either, but they should not expect that from the reigning MVP Lebron James and the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat-
The Heat vs. Pacers series was definitely way more exciting than most had expected. This was a dirty, gritty series where no one was playing fair. Half of Miami barely even needed to show up since no one was contributing except the two mega-stars, Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. The Big 3 was down to the Big 2 when Chris Bosh could not pay due to an abdominal strain. They sure could have used him in this series. Bosh looked more like the current MVP with Miami getting blown out in one of the games. It appears that Bosh will also be out in this series. That is a huge blow for this team who is all banged up. Luckily, they were able to get more rest than the Celtics which could make quite the difference in Game 1 to set the tone.
However, James and Wade will have to keep putting on a show for fans [or non fans alike to make up for the loss of Bosh and no productivity for anyone else. It almost makes you feel bad for the two superstars that it is all on them and that when Wade had the worst game of his career no one could step up to the plate. Isn’t that your job has a professional? How do you not at least to step up and be the hero? The only production they got was when both Haslem and Pittman received suspensions for their unnecessary hits to some of the Pacers players.
So who has the advantage on Game 1? Well I am inclined to say Miami because they have had more time to rest and they are playing at home. The Celtics are also banged up and are exhausted after a taxing series with the 76ers.
totally agree with the playoffs seeming like they last as long as the season.