NBA Update

With the Clippers' stirring victory over the Spurs, the First Round is now complete.  The Wizards and the Grizzlies were the only lower-seeded teams to advance:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Atlanta 4 - 2 Brooklyn (8)
(4) Toronto 0 - 4 Washington (5)
(3) Chicago 4 - 2 Milwaukee (6)
(2) Cleveland 4 - 0 Boston (7)

WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Golden State 4 - 0 New Orleans (8)
(4) Portland 1 - 4 Memphis (5)
(3) L.A. Clippers 4 - 3 San Antonio (6)
(2) Houston 4 - 1 Dallas (7)

This sets up the following quarter-finals, which will start tomorrow:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Atlanta v. Washington (5)
(2) Cleveland v. Chicago (3)

WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Golden State v. Memphis (5)
(2) Houston v. L.A. Clippers (3)

On paper, the best series is the Houston/Clippers series, which could turn into another epic.  Depending on how much the Cavaliers miss Kevin Love -- who's out for the rest of the year -- the Chicago/Cleveland series could also be worth watching.  Even the Atlanta/Washington series could be good -- if the Wizards can continue to shoot as well as they did against Toronto.  So while the NBA quarter-finals are usually pretty boring, this season could be very different.

Oh, one more point.  No team remaining in either conference has won the NBA title in this century.  Not counting the Bulls, no team remaining in either conference has won the NBA title since the 1970's.  It is amazing to get this far without the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Heat, or Pistons, but that's where we are.  Some lucky fan base is going to be extremely happy when this season is over.