Western Conference Finals: Spurs lead 2-1
Game 1: Spurs won 101-98
Basically, the best chance for the Thunder to steal a game in SA, slipped away in the closing quarter as the Spurs outscored the Thunder 39-27 in the 4th quarter. Spurs were lead by 26 points (off the bench) from Manu Ginobili and got a stellar performance from Tony Parker (18 pts.) and Tim Duncan (16 pts.) to run their win streak to 19 straight games and winners of their first nine postseason games. The Thunder will probably look back at this game and think, "we let this one slip away". The Thunder were lead by Kevin Durant (27 pts.) and James Harden (19 pts.). It was a good 1st game to this series that must people are predicting will go the distance.
Game 2: Spurs won 120-111
Unlike Game 1, this game was controlled by the Spurs from the opening tip. Up 11 at halftime (55-44), the well-oiled machine that has been the Spurs all postseason took a 2-0 series lead, as they ran their streak to 20 straight W's and 10-0 in the postseason, winning Game 2 (120 to 111). Spurs were lead by Tony Parker who put on a great performance in front of the home fans (40 mins., 34 pts., 8 asst., and just 2 TO's). Ginobili chipped in 20 pts. off the bench as the Spurs knocked down 11 of 26 3 pt. attempts (42 %). Even, Tim Duncan had a thunderous dunk that made us all turn back time a few years. The Thunder got a stellar performance from their Big Three (Durant 31, Harden 30, and Russell Westbrook 27), but it wasn't enough as they traveled back to OK City down 2 games to none in the best of 7 series.
Game 3: Thunder won 102-82
My Oh My. What a difference a change of scenery and familiar faces will do for a team. With their backs against the wall down 2-0 in the series the Thunder jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, only to be down at the end of the 1st quarter vs. the Spurs 24-22. However, the rest of the night belonged to the young and athletic Thunder of OKC, as they rolled to a 20 point W, thus snapping the Spurs 20-game win streak. Ironically, the Thunder run their home record in the playoffs to 6-0, as they were lead by Kevin Durant's 22 points and received a much better performance from their starting lineup, most notability, Thabo Sefolosha scoring 19 points and coming up with 6 steals. The Thunder on the night forced the Spurs into 21 TO's and looked rejuvenated in front of their college-like atmosphere crowd. The Spurs were lead by Tony Parker and Stephen Jackson with 16 points a piece. Tim Duncan (11 pts.) and Mano Ginobili (8 pts.) combined to just shoot 6 for 20 from the field. Thunder look to even the series tonight in OKC (8:30 TNT).
Game 4: Tonight 8:30 TNT
Game 5: Monday 9:00 TNT
Game 6: Wednesday 9:00 TNT *if needed*
Game 7: Friday 9:00 TNT *if needed*
Eastern Conference Finals: Heat lead 2-1
Game 1: Heat won 93-79
With the Heat having a day or two of extra rest and home-court, they took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals down in South Beach, by 14. After a first quarter in which they only had 11 POINTS!, the Celtics regrouped to outscore the Heat in the 2nd quarter 35 to 25, and the two teams headed into the locker room tied at 46 all. However, the C's did not care the momentum over into the 2nd half and ran out of gas after just 48 hours before playing in a Game 7 vs. the 76ers in the Conference Semifinals. The Heat were again lead by the dynamic duo of LeBron James and D. Wade with 32 and 22 points, respectively. Its really hard to stop either or both of these guys when they start rolling and get out in the open court...Case In Point. The Celtics got 23 points and 10 rebounds from Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo chipped in 16 points. On the night, the C's were called for three T's, thats one....two....three Technical Fouls.
Game 2: Heat won 115-111 F/OT
A thrilling game to watch, gave us one of the greatest performance by a player in postseason history, Rajon Rondo's 53 minute, 44 point, 10 assist, and 8 rebound "Beast Mode" game. However, even after LeBron missing another GW shot, the Heat were about to survive in OT and pull out the 115-111 Game 2 victory to take a 2-0 series lead vs. a very game/old Celtics squad. The Celtics were in control for most of the game until late in the 3rd quarter, and just ran out of gas down the stretch. Both teams shot a number of FT's as the Heat were 31-47, while the Celtics were 26-29 from the charity line. The Heat got 34 from LeBron and 23 from D. Wade, with Mario Chalmers chipping in 22 points and 6 assists. Along with Rondo's 44 point performance, Paul Pierce had 21, Garnett 18 and Ray Allen 13, with a cold blooded 3 pointer near the end of regulation to tie the game up. The Celtics headed back up to Beantown down 2-0 in the series and faced a must win in Game 3 last night.
Game 3: Celtics won 101-91
And they got just that. A 10-point win after leading all night the Celtics got a scare late from the Heat in the fourth, the Celtics were able to hang on and get their first win of the ECF. Outstanding performance from Garnett 24 points, Pierce 23 points and Rondo's 21 and 10 assist, the Celtics got some much needed extra energy playing in front of the home fans, and need a repeat performance Sunday Night, to knot this series up at 2-2. The Celtics received 19 bench points and shot 20-26 from the free throw line, the Heat only got to the charity line 20 times making half of their freebies. Down 22 (85 to 63) heading into the 4th quarter, the Heat trimmed Boston's lead all the way down to 8 points (95 to 87) with 2:40 left, but did not get any closer as the Celtics closed out the game. The Heat were lead again by LeBron with 34, but did not get the same performances from D. Wade (18 points) and Chalmers (14 points) as the previous two games down in Miami. Game 4 is back in Boston Sunday Night on ESPN at 8:30.
Game 4: Sunday 8:30 ESPN
Game 5: Tuesday 8:30 ESPN
Game 6: Thursday 8:30 ESPN *if needed*
Game 7: Saturday (June 9th) 8:30 ESPN *if needed*
