Is there panic in OKC? There shouldn't be. I think they have Dallas and Memphis right where they want them. After blowing out Memphis in game 5, the Thunder stunk up the second half in game 6 in what was arguably Kevin Durant's worst game of his career. Definitely the playoffs.
Memphis rallied nicely from an early deficit and showed a lot of grit. It started with Shane Battier hitting a clutch 3 pointer at the end of the half. O.J. Mayo played some of his best minutes of the playoffs and Zach Randolph got hot and took over late like he has done in several other playoff games this season. There's no doubt Memphis has heart and I think you have to give head coach Lionel Hollins nearly all of the credit. As good as some of the Grizzlies have played, there is no way they should be competing at this level without Rudy Gay. Hollins seems to push all the right buttons and the Grizzlies have repeatedly played over their head.
All that considered, I still love OKC to win game 7 and advance to the next round. For some reason it feels like Durant and Russell Westbrook are still learning to play together. Westbrook is a shooter and needs to score for OKC to be successful, but he also needs to create more shots for Durant. Last night Durant never got in the flow of the offense and settled for taking quick 3 point shots. Even though Westbrook shot the ball well, it is the job of a point guard to distribute. Westbrook needs to do both. When Durant is hot there is no stopping him and subsequently no stopping the Thunder. These guys are far too talented to lose a game 7 on their home floor. Especially with the incredible fans of OKC who make their arena the loudest in the NBA. An emotional win could be exactly what OKC needs to push them over the hump.
While Memphis and OKC finish their battle, the much older and experienced Mavericks have been sitting around. A lay off is good for veteran teams, but how often do we see too long of a lay off disrupt a team's rhythm? OKC is young enough to stay fresh after a long series and could catch Dallas flat. I don't know I love their chances based on the way they have played against Memphis, but there is no questioning the talent and star power of the Thunder. The only question that remains is whether they are mature enough to handle the moment. Either way, Thunder fans should rest assured of a victory Sunday night.
Also on Sunday (because Oprah is bigger than the NBA), game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals starts in Chicago. The Heat have gone from inexplicable underdogs in the Eastern Semis to favorites to win the whole thing.
Since
The Decision I have not been able to figure out how any team could beat LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in a 7 game series and the Bulls playoff record doesn't give us an indication of what level they are capable of playing. The only thing we really know is Derrick Rose is unstoppable. As far as what you'll get out of the rest of the cast, that is a nightly mystery. Carlos Boozer hasn't had nearly the impact many expected when he signed with the Bulls. Without his help, Chicago doesn't stand much of a chance. The one thing the Bulls do have is home court advantage which might make for a great series. I think Chicago has to win game 1.
There has been some speculation that the Heat celebrated beating Boston a little too much and are ripe for a hangover against Chicago. I don't think that will happen. The Bulls swept the Heat in the regular season and Miami has not forgotten that. The infamous crying comments that Heat coach Eric Spoelstra made came after a one point loss to the Bulls where the Heat came up short in the final moments of the game. The other two losses came when Lebron was out and Chris Bosh had one of the worst shooting performances in NBA history going 1 for 18 from the floor. Either way, the Heat still have something to prove and I think they will play like it. The only time they are vulnerable is when they lose interest and coast. As we have seen these playoffs, when Miami plays hard, they win. I like Chicago to make it a fun series. I think they will put up one more win than Boston and take it to game 6 where the Heat will close it out in Miami. Both teams play excellent defense, but when you boil down the matchup it is basically two against one.
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