NBA 2nd Round Playoffs Review

 

The second round of the NBA playoffs is underway. The Western Conference semifinals teams have each just played one game each were both resulted in blowouts wins for the Los Angeles Clippers over the Denver Nuggets; also, the Houston Rockets over the Los Angeles Lakers. With the each of the first western conference games being blowouts means that the losing teams must adjust defensively and bring more energy to the games. The Eastern Conference semifinal teams have each played 3 games. The Boston Celtics are up 2-1 on the Toronto Raptors thanks to a buzzer beating 3 point shot by the Raptors Forward OG Anunoby. This makes the series winnable for the Raptors because if they went down 3-0 to the Celtics their chances would have been slim. No team has ever come back from being down 3-0 in a best of 7 series in NBA history.  

 The Milwaukee Bucks will have to be the first team to do so in NBA history if they are to go to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks are the number 1 seed in the East and have the Defensive player of the year, and likely league MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks have been out played by the Miami Heat this entire series, especially in the fourth quarter thanks to the leadership of Heat Forward Jimmy Butler. The Heat have outscored the Bucks in the 4^th quarter 89 to 59 in the first 3 games. This includes having a 12 point lead going into the game 3 Friday night. The Bucks biggest issue is when the game does not involve fast break opportunities, they struggle in a half court set. The Heat are using the same strategy the Toronto Raptors used last year which is build a wall so Giannis cannot just run downhill and get to the basket. If the Bucks lose this series, it will be a great disappointment as they were favorites to make it out of the East by many. Losing will be disappointing but if the Bucks are swept 4-0 the vitriol that will come Giannis direction will be relentless. The Heat are proving that Jimmy Butler was not the problem at his other teams it was just that him and his teammates were not on the same page, when it came to their attitudes about wanting to win.

My predictions are the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers will see each other in the Western Conference Finals. The Miami Heat will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Next week we will preview the Conference Finals if they are set or preview game 5 Western Conference semi finals games.