It’s only been a little more than a week, but it’s become obvious that this year’s edition of the NBA playoffs is a special one.
There is a chance the bottom four seeds in the West will win their series. There is a chance a team that won 38 of its first 48 games will lose in the first round against a team that won 38 games all season. And it seems like every night promises another down-to-the-wire game.
There have been many great playoff series; I had to rank my top three. Here’s my list:
3. Thunder vs. Grizzlies
If you didn’t watch a single minute of the regular season and then watched the first four games of this series, I doubt you could tell which team was the No. 2 seed and which was the No. 7 seed.
The series took a turn when Memphis stole game two on the Thunder’s home court in overtime, and the Grizzlies have not blinked since. If not for Reggie Jackson having the game of his life in game four — while Kevin Durant went 5-for-21 — second-seeded Oklahoma City would be one loss from a shocking first-round exit.
I don’t think Durant will play as badly as he did in game four again this series, and I expect the Thunder to take this series in seven. These two teams are equal in talent, but Memphis blew its chance in game four.
2. Clippers vs. Warriors
There are many things wrong with Donald Sterling’s infamous comments, and one of them is the shadow they have cast on what is turning out to be a great series.
It’s important to recognize the message the Clippers players sent during their warm-ups in game four, but to forget the actual game played would be a mistake. If Sterling gave us a reason to hate the league, then Stephen Curry gave us a reason to love it, making five 3-pointers in the first quarter and leading Golden State to an easy win.
Sterling’s comments should not be forgotten, but neither should the games being played. The series has too many great players for it to be remembered by the comments of a bigot.
Despite Curry’s recent heroics, I still think the Clippers have too much depth to lose this series. It might be a different story if Andrew Bogut were healthy, but without him I see the Clippers taking control of the frontcourt.
1. Rockets vs. Blazers
Four games played. Four games with both teams scoring more than 100 points. Three overtime games. I really had no other choice.
These two teams have been so evenly matched, home court has been almost meaningless, with the road team winning three times. It’s a shame these games usually start around 9 p.m. because the nation needs to recognize Lamarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Dwight Howard and others for playing every game as if their lives are on the line.
The Blazers has proven they can score as much as Houston, so unless the Rockets make defensive adjustments and James Harden starts taking batter shots, I don’t see them climbing out of a 3-1 hole.
The best part of all of this is that we are only halfway through the first round. Fifteen of the 16 teams in the playoffs still have a legitimate chance to go to the second round, and competition only gets better from there.
James Naismith, inventor of the game, said basketball was not an accident and was created to fill a need.
After last week’s games, I feel that need more than ever.