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LeBron James is Handling a Dirty Chicago Bulls Team the Best Way Possible
If you think LeBron James is a flopper, you’re wrong. He might be selling it in order to make the best of a situation in which the Chicago Bulls have decided the only way they’re getting something out of their series with the Miami Heat is by playing anti-basketball and the hell with everything else, but there’s not much else he can do.
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San Antonio Spurs – Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker Messed Up in the Clutch
It’s usually about the San Antonio Spurs being better than everyone when their big three are playing together, especially when they’re all healthy and ready to go. But in game 4 of the Western conference semifinals, the intensity and physicality of the game seemed to be a bit too much for Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, all disappointing as the team collapsed in the final 10 minutes of a game they had in their hands.
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Golden State Warriors – Stephen Curry Has Andrew Bogut to Thank For
So many heroes in a huge playoff win for the Golden State Warriors, you don’t know where to begin. Stephen Curry is the obvious choice, playing on his problematic ankle and having a huge second half. Andrew Bogut, making life a living hell for Tim Duncan when it mattered the most. Jarrett Jack who simply has no fear coming off the bench. And Harrison Barnes, who probably tried a little bit too much, but enjoyed one of his biggest games in his short NBA career.
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New York Knicks – Mike Woodson & Carmelo Anthony Need to Come Up With Answers and Fast
Aside from an impressive run in the second game of the series, it keeps looking like the New York Knicks are being outplayed and bullied around in almost every moment of their conference semifinal series, with Mike Woodson doing too much tinkering when it comes to his lineups, while Carmelo Anthony is falling into all the categories his critics keep putting him in over the years, and in short simply playing terrible, selfish and failing basketball.
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Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant Needs More From Serge Ibaka & Kevin Martin
It’s hard to point a finger on the one reason the Oklahoma City Thunder have been looking so bad on the court, regardless of who is missing. Reggie Jackson is doing a good job in the place of Russell Westbrook, but Kevin Durant needs more from what worked during the regular season – Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin, who have been disappointing, to say the least, the Western Conference Semifinals so far.
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Indiana Pacers – Roy Hibbert Destroying Tyson Chandler in the Paint
In the most un-watchable playoff series in a very long time, seeing Roy Hibbert and in general the Indiana Pacers look so dominant physically is probably the only thing that keeps a lot of people going, but there’s no doubt that through all the ugliness it’s impressive to see a team so confident and so superior in almost every physical battle, getting a lot from Paul George and George Hill when it doesn’t come to offense.
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Memphis Grizzlies – On Marc Gasol Being Clutch, MVP’ish and DPOY all at Once
The Memphis Grizzlies don’t have a scorer as good as Kevin Durant is, but Marc Gasol is good enough to lead the way and take the lead in the Western Conference Semifinals, getting it done on both ends of the floor while getting just enough offensive help from Mike Conley and Tony Allen to remain unbeaten at home in the 2013 playoffs.
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Chicago Bulls – Fighting the Wrong Battle
I still haven’t understood if the Chicago Bulls are out to prove they’re the tougher team or actually win the series. It’s as if they were so surprised by their game 1 win in Miami, that they forgot to win three more in order to knock out the Heat and the “soft” LeBron James from the playoffs.
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San Antonio Spurs – Tony Parker Shines, Stephen Curry Declines
Figuring out two things – how to slow down Stephen Curry, and getting Tony Parker going stands in the basis of the San Antonio Spurs efforts to turn the Western Conference Semifinals series back to their side. In game 3, helped by more minutes from Tiago Splitter and a big game from Tim Duncan, it seemed to be working.
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Miami Heat – Chris Bosh Makes Life Easy for LeBron James
It’s true that almost nothing good ever happens for the Miami Heat without LeBron James being involved, but there’s more to this team than just the MVP. Chris Bosh usually takes less of what he used to in the offensive game, but when he does make the most of the opportunities and take the chances that are given to him, the Heat are much better for it.