So after their triple-overtime thriller in Game 4, the Thunder and the Grizzlies played out their series with three really boring games, each of which was won by the home team. OKC won Game Five 99-72, Memphis took Game Six 95-83, and today OKC wrapped up the series with an easy 105-90 win. That series was effectively decided in Game 4.
Anyway, now we move on to the Conference Finals. The three old champions -- the Spurs ('07), the Lakers ('09, '10) and the Celtics ('08) -- have been eliminated, leaving us with the following matchups:
EAST:
Bulls - Heat
WEST:
Mavericks - Thunder
The Mavs, which feature Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, are a pretty old team -- everyone else is vying to be the choice of a new generation.
By the way, now that we've reached the Conference Finals, it's time to pull out this clip for Eric.
At halftime of Game 1 between the Bulls and the Heat, the score is tied at 48.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Kentucky angle to this series. Keith Bogans is playing for Chicago, while Jamaal Magloire is playing for Miami.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Miami also has Dwayne Wade, who destroyed Kentucky in the 2003 Elite Eight.
ReplyDeleteChicago 55 - 54 Miami (9:15 left in 3d quarter)
ReplyDeleteMiami:
Chris Bosh: 21 pts, 7 rebs
Wade: 14 pts
LeBron: 10 pts, 4 rebs, 3 assists
Chicago:
Derrick Rose: 15 pts
Carlos Boozer: 12 pts, 8 rebs
Luol Deng: 11 pts
Of course, the Bulls have Joakim Noah, who absolutely tormented UK when he played for Florida.
ReplyDeleteThe Bulls have the home court advantage in this series, by the way, because they went 62-20, while the Heat went 58-24.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it, Keith Bogans (who now plays for the Bulls) was on that 2003 Kentucky team that lost to Dwayne Wade. Bogans, who was injured in the previous round against the thugs from Wisconsin, scored 15 points on 4-11 shooting in only 24 minutes. Wade had one of the greatest games I've ever seen against Kentucky: 29 points on 11-16 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
ReplyDeleteI choose to believe that Bogans has been waiting all these years for revenge.
Chicago 65 - 58 Miami (5:15 left in 3d quarter)
ReplyDeleteBogans hit a 3 to contribute to a little run that has given Chicago its biggest lead. He now has 3 points, 1 assist, and 2 fouls.
Wait a minute: The Heat also have Mike Bibby, who beat us in the 1997 finals -- and, in my opinion, led to Pitino leaving for Boston. (I don't think Pitino would have left if he were going for three titles in a row.) I hate that guy.
ReplyDeleteHere is a true statistic from the 1997 finals, which UK lost 84-79 in overtime. We scored 30 field goals to 22 field goals for Arizona.
Here is another true statistic from that game. We were 9-17 from the free throw line. Arizona was 34-41 from the line.
Chicago 72 - 63 Miami (end of 3d quarter)
ReplyDeleteYou know who's really good? Joakim Noah. He's easy to hate because his dad was really rich and he's kind of a jerk on the court, but he is excellent. In this game, he has 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Meanwhile, Derrick Rose -- who is only the MVP of the whole league -- has 22 points through 3 quarters.
OK, now the Heat have a big decision to make. They're down nine points with 12 minutes to go. Do they go all out to try to get back into this game, or do they pack it in and wait for game 2.
ReplyDeleteThe Heat definitely want to win at least one of the first two games in Chicago, but they probably don't care which one it is.
Now the Bulls have put in Ronnie Brewer, who used to play for Arkansas. He has six points. Between him, Noah, and Bogans, it's like SEC old-home week.
ReplyDeleteChicago 80 - 66 Miami (8:59 left in 4th quarter)
ReplyDeleteIt's starting to look as though the Heat have decided to hold their fire for Game 2.
Chicago 90 - 76 Miami (5:35 left in 4th quarter)
ReplyDeleteLeBron has only 15 points so far, which is in and of itself a sign that the Heat are on cruise control. He'll probably have 15 points in the first half of Game 2.
Oh, my goodness: the Heat have Juwan Howard! I didn't even know he was still in the league.
ReplyDeleteI would love someone to interview Juwan Howard and ask him to compare Chris Webber to LeBron James.
ReplyDeleteChicago 103 - 82 Miami (Final)
ReplyDeleteThe press will spend the next few days going on and on about how the Bulls pounded Miami by 21 points, but that margin is literally meaningless. Once the Heat got down 10 or so early in the 4th quarter, they pretty much packed it in.
Chicago will not win Game 2 by 21 points. That game will be a war.