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Boston Celtics – Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce Earn Late Rest
Resting Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett before the NBA playoffs begin seems to be a must for Doc Rivers, and by finally clinching the 7th spot in the Eastern conference, he ensured he can give them minimal time on the court for the final two games of the season, while hoping it doesn’t throw them too much out of rhythm.
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Los Angeles Lakers – Getting Help From the NBA to Make the Playoffs
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. The Los Angeles Lakers have been getting a lot of help from officials, or at least is seems that way, to make up for lost ground in the NBA playoff race, currently leaving the Utah Jazz behind for the 8th and final ticket. If the first conspiracy theory wasn’t enough, the proof, numbers and videos from wins keep on coming.
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Los Angeles Lakers – The Torn Achilles Complication
Getting off the floor with a win didn’t seem like such a happy occasion for the Los Angeles Lakers, who might have gotten a step closer to securing a spot in the NBA playoffs, but along the way lost Kobe Bryant, who is probably going to be out for a very long time with a probable Achilles tendon tear. Forget about the rest of the season and the playoffs – at his age, this could be something that ends a career.
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Houston Rockets – Jeremy Lin Loses Fourth Quarter Shots to James Harden
While going with your best scorer is usually a pretty good idea in crunch time, making the same obvious choice a defense is prepared for again and again, which in the case of the Houston Rockets means giving the ball to James Harden instead of Jeremy Lin, results in a terrible offensive performance and a loss that could have easily been avoided.
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Los Angeles Clippers – Same Two Guys Responsible for Everything
As the season winds down and the Los Angeles Clippers are trying to somehow improve their standing in the Western conference, it’s evident that a shift has been made in what matters and needs to happen in order for them to win – while most of the season it was about the bench unit being the difference, later on and entering the playoffs, it’s all about Chris Paul and Blake Griffin playing their best basketball all game long.
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New York Knicks – Carmelo Anthony & J.R. Smith Thrive Against Terrible Defenses
With their winning streak ending and confidence probably slightly hurt, the New York Knicks needed a terrible defense to make Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith feel good about their selfish way of playing basketball again, and luckily enough, the right team came along to do the trick.
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Miami Heat – LeBron James Back to Humiliating Rivals
While an 8 point win isn’t exactly a humiliation, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade weren’t about to ruin a chance to finally clinch a season series against their biggest rivals, getting a lot of help, or actually being helpful to Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, who surprisingly, or not, took a lot of load off the tired legs and shoulders of the Big Three.
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Hate or Love Him, Kobe Bryant is a Physical Freak
Even if your favorite sport in the world is doing some Kobe Bryant bashing, the recent runs of games without rest while putting up some incredible numbers which most likely will be able to carry the Los Angeles Lakers into playoffs is one of the most incredible feats one of the best players in NBA history has pulled off, even if it’s not going to end up with a title ring.
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Oklahoma City Thunder – What Need to Happen So They Finish First in the West
Getting a convincing win over the Golden State Warriors means that the Oklahoma City Thudner inched a bit closer towards securing the number one spot in the Western Conference, which means home court advantage until the NBA Finals, if they get that far, for the first time since leaving Seattle, although they still need a couple of things to happen first.
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Chicago Bulls, a Team No One Wants to Meet in the NBA Playoffs
If a seasonal sweep over the New York Knicks isn’t all the proof you need, I’m not sure what will be. The Chicago Bulls are unpleasant on the eyes, but they get the job done, despite all of the injuries. Carlos Boozer does a better job than most would like to admit. Luol Deng does a little bit of everything all night, every night, while Jimmy Butler is one of the more pleasant surprised to find out about this season. And then there’s Nate Robinson, who forgets sometimes that he isn’t supposed to play like the best player in the NBA.