The Warriors Vs. The LeBrons: Part IV

May 29, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It was ALWAYS going to be this way.

For those who jumped on the Celtics/Rockets’ bandwagon (you know who you are)….please hang your heads in shame NOW. Both “favorites” stared down a 3-2 series lead, giving themselves two chances to win one game. But neither, had a chance.

LeBron

Call it scrappy. Call it ugly. Call it whatever you want, LeBron James willed his scrap heap of teammates to another NBA Finals. His 9th to be exact (8th in a row). Game 7 resembled a different time in the NBA. A time when there was no shot clock. Because nothing screams awesome like an 8-6 victory.

The Cleveland LeBrons beat the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron did what LeBron does: 35 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 blocks

One of those blocks (as pictured above) was ridiculous!! While Terry Rozier has serious hops for a little guy, he should have thought twice before trying to throw the hammer down on LeBron. When a picture doesn’t do it justice, we go to the video tape:

If we’re being honest, and we always are, that was a foul. The refs clearly didn’t have the balls to blow their whistle there. Either way, all I can picture is Terry Rozier in a dark video room ALL SUMMER. There may be crying. And there may be a half empty bottle of scotch….

While the Celtics will be watching the NBA Finals from home, they’ll be back. Their core is too young, and too talented, to be kept down for too long. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s primes are going to coincide with the (eventual) decline of LeBron James. That bodes well for Celtics’ faithful.

The Warriors’ Dynasty

Again, those who thought the Golden State Warriors were going to be denied their 4th consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, are silly.

I don’t want to hear about Chris Paul’s injury. That’s NOT why the Warriors are representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The Warriors are representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals because the Rockets shot 7-for-44 from three-point range in Game 7.

7-FOR-44!!!!

That’s impressively bad.

Trevor Ariza won’t soon forget his Game 7. Ariza went 0-for-9 from three (0-for-12 overall). Eric Gordon’s 3-for-12, and James Harden’s 3-for-13 didn’t help either.

The Warriors’ core-four did what they do, combining for 90 points, in a 101-92 victory.

And now, they’ll take on the one-man band people call the Cleveland Cavaliers. This series is not going to be entertaining, or close. Each Warriors’ victory will be by an average of 20 points. LeBron automatically buys his team one victory. If he goes INSANE, he’ll grab a second win on his way out the door. But the LeBrons LITERALLY have NO CHANCE here.

Does LeBron stand a chance?? How many games will he win?? Post your crazy predictions in the comment section below.

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Getting Out Of Your Own Way Is Harder Than It Looks

May 25, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

One does not simply beat the Golden State Warriors.

mordor

The Warriors….beat themselves.

The Warriors Backed Themselves Into A Corner

If I told you James Harden would go 0-for-11 from three-point range in Game 5, you’d tell me the Houston Rockets would lose by 20 points. Fear the beard in December, shave the beard in May.

By the way, it makes me happy that James Harden is the biggest choke artist in sports since Phil Mickelson….

phil mickelson So, I’m not sure what’s wrong with the Warriors. How, the best team the NBA has seen in 20 years, can beat their opponent by 41 points one night and lose to them twice over the next four days is beyond my brain power.

The Warriors’ depth has taken a slight hit with Andre Iguodala missing the past two games, but that shouldn’t keep the Warriors from beating the hapless Rockets. James Harden and Chris Paul shot a combined 11-for-40 Thursday night — and still won (98-94). That makes no sense.

For the 2nd consecutive game, the Warriors carried a lead into the 4th quarter. And for the 2nd consecutive game, they wilted down the stretch. Kevin Durant, the world’s 2nd best player (it’s not even that close), went 0-for-4 in the 4th quarter. Down 95-94, with under 50 seconds to play, the Warriors had, not one, but two chances to take the lead. Both failed. And then, with under 10 seconds left, Draymond Green fumbled away their last ditch effort.

Watch butterfingers:

That is the Warriors past two games in a nutshell. They’ll head home, down 3-2, looking to force a Game 7. LeBron James, and his band of misfits, will look to do the same.

Boston Celtics @ Cleveland LeBrons: Friday @ 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN.

Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors: Saturday @ 9:00 P.M. EST on TNT.

The Islanders Did Something Smart?!

lou_lamoriello_isles-681x383

The New York Islanders, despite their recent history, made a smart decision Tuesday. They hired the ‘GM of all GMs’; Lou Lamoriello. Lamoriello, best known for turning the bottom feeding New Jersey Devils into a perennial powerhouse, will take the reigns for the Islanders.

This is brilliant.

While Lamoriello will technically be called ‘President of Hockey Operations’, he’ll be the GM, the President, the CEO, the Mom, and the Dad, all at once. You don’t hire the best to ever do it, and then NOT turn over full control.

Lamoriello spent 27 years as the Devils’ GM. In their 1st season, they had a winning record. They made the playoffs in 22-of-27 seasons. And they won three Stanley Cups in five appearances.

Decent….

This hire is GREAT for a multitude of reasons. No Islanders’ fan should be upset, this week. But this hire was made for one reason; SIGN JOHN TAVARES!!

tavares

Apparently, Tavares is “pleased” with the hire — as he should be. The question, however, remains: Will Tavares sign on the dotted line for the Islanders????

Still have confidence in a Warriors/LeBrons rematch?? Is hiring Lou Lamoriello the best decision the Islanders have ever made?? Spill your guts in the comment section below.

“You Blew IT!!!!”

May 23, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

The NBA is stupid.

How can you win by 41 points on Sunday, and lose by 3 points on Tuesday?! The answer SHOULD be, you can’t.

Warriors Collapse

Game four of the Western Conference Finals was played Tuesday night. With a 2-1 lead, the Golden State Warriors, at home, were looking to secure a commanding series lead. After jumping out to a 12-0 lead nearly halfway through the 1st quarter, that looked like a certainty. If only the Warriors knew the NBA gods were about to stuff them into a locker.

Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson collectively went ice cold. They shot a combined 23-for-63 from the field. That’s 36.5%. That’s not good.

Despite their lackluster performance, they returned to Warrior form, if only for 12 minutes. They scored 34 points in the 3rd quarter. Like I told you Monday, the Warriors should ©, ®, or ™ the 3rd quarter. However, when you score 30 points in the 2nd and 4th quarters combined, you don’t often win basketball games. 95-92, not Golden State.

Game five will be played in Houston on Thursday @ 9:00 P.M. EST on TNT. Expect a bounce back performance from Golden State.

Matt Harvey Sucks A Little Bit Less Than He Used To

Matt Harvey landed in the win column Tuesday.

Allow me to repeat myself: Matt Harvey landed in the WIN column Tuesday!!

This is the part when Mets fans throw things at their wall. Now, I know it’s been just three games, but Matt Harvey, all of a sudden, resembles a Major League pitcher….

(Insert Mets’ Fan Screaming Sound Here).

In eight appearances with the Mets, Harvey surrendered 21 runs in 27 innings.

In three appearances with the Reds, 4 runs in 14 innings.

Hmmmmm, very interesting.

Don’t get me wrong, Harvey’s not going to turn back into an ace, but his e.r.a. has dropped from 7.00 to 5.49 in just three starts. I’m just sayin’….this is the METS’ WAY.

But hey, at least they signed Jose Bautista….

Christian Hackenberg

From the Mets’ way to the Jets’ way.

Christian Hackenberg was drafted in the 2nd round (51st overall pick) out of Penn State in 2016. The Jets hoped Hackenberg could turn into a future star at the QB position. However, he never saw the field. This draft pick is an epic failure in the long list of epic failures for the New York Jets.

And now, Hackenberg has been shipped off to Oakland to compete for the backup QB job with the Raiders. Only the Jets know how to turn a 2nd round draft pick into a 7th round draft pick in two years.

Don’t make fun. That’s not easy to do.

How many games will it take the Warriors to win this series?? Do the Mets care about winning — at all?! Spill your guts in the comment section below.

If You Were Looking For Close Games, You Came to The Wrong Place

May 21, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

It was only a matter of time.

Stephen Curry, with his three by his side, would not be held down forever.

LeBron James, and losing streaks, don’t often collide in the same sentence.

The Conference Finals are slowly, but surely, taking form. And soon (but not too soon), LeBrons Vs. Warriors Part IV will hit the big screen.

Well, that was close….

If you’re a Houston Rockets fan, and you turned off game three early, you didn’t miss much. There was no effort. No energy. No EPIC comeback. Instead, a 41-point drubbing.

Steph Curry led the way with 35 points, hitting 5-of-12 three pointers. After combining for 34 points, on 3-of-12 from three in games one and two, Curry found himself. His 18-point, 3rd quarter outburst reminded the world the Warriors have ownership rights over the 3rd quarter. If they were smart, they’d ©,®, or ™ the 3rd quarter.

Speaking of numbers:

41, 20, 16, 2

The Warriors, 41-point victory, 126-85, marked the largest playoff victory in Warriors’ franchise history.

Kevin Durant dropped 25 points Sunday, bringing his consecutive 20-point playoff game streak to 20.

Sunday’s victory was the Warriors’ 16th consecutive home, playoff win, breaking the Chicago Bulls (’90-’91) record.

And 2. The Warriors are just 2 victories away from their 4th consecutive NBA Finals.

Remember when you thought the Rockets had a chance in this series?! Silly you….

LeBron Brings Fanatics Down From The Ledge

LeBron James doesn’t lose three games in a row very often — especially in the Conference Finals.

Game three of the Eastern Conference Finals was played Saturday, after an inexplicable three consecutive days off. This was one of the more predictable outcomes in NBA Playoffs history. Anyone who thought the Boston Celtics were going to march into LeBron’s house, after three days off, and back LeBron into a corner, were sorely mistaken. Or they were really high on drugs. Either way.

The Cleveland LeBron’s handled their business, putting a 30-point whoopin’ on the Celtics, 116-86. There was a LeBron teammate sighting (extremely rare), as five other LeBrons put up double digits.

If only LeBron’s teammates were consistent. Think of the possibilities.

LeBron’s work isn’t done. Tuesday night he’ll even up the series at two. Somewhere in the 2nd half the momentum will shift, and the young Celtics will realize taking down LeBron isn’t as easy as it seemed.

How many games will it take for LeBron to win this series?? Will the Rockets win another game?? Post your predictions in the comment section below.

You Can’t Fix Stupid!!

May 18, 2018May 18, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

There’s a lot of STUPID running around.

It’s a good thing it’s not contagious….

Or is it?!

NBA Playoffs Schedule

This one makes my brain hurt.

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing. The Boston Celtics lead the Cleveland LeBrons 2-0, while the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are tied 1-1. While both series’ required a travel day after game two, Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, I didn’t realize they needed THREE TRAVEL DAYS!!!!

What are they doing, walking from Cleveland and Boston?!?!

That’s right, game two of the Celtics/LeBrons’ series was Tuesday. Game three is Saturday. The Warriors/Rockets’ series will follow suit, turning Wednesday into Sunday. Listen, I get it. The NBA Finals is a pre-determined date, so they want to spread out their off days rather than get stuck with a full week of radio silence. This also begs the question: Why MUST the NBA Finals be a pre-determined date??

If only there were simple solutions to simple problems….

Mets 9th Inning Delay

Common sense is rare nowadays.

The New York Mets hosted the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday afternoon despite steady rainfall — all game. MLB and the Umpire’s crew determined the conditions were playable.

This game shouldn’t have been played.

If player safety was an actual concern, MLB would have postponed this game along with the 1,900 other games that have been affected by weather conditions this season.

Fast forward to the 3rd inning. Zach Wheeler’s bat slipped out of his hands, traveling a healthy distance toward 1st base. The umpires then asked the grounds crew to spread a drying agent on the field, causing a 15-minute delay.

Hit the fast forward button again. We arrive at the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs, and the Mets trailing 12-0. The umpires decide this was the RIGHT time for the grounds crew to spread more drying agent on the field!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! In a 12-run game, and one out to go, why would anyone in their right mind think a 5-minute delay, to keep the players “safe”, is a good idea?!

You can’t make this stuff up.

Cleveland Browns Being Featured On Hard Knocks

The Cleveland Browns are the epitome of failure. They didn’t win a single game this past season. And only won one game the season before. Free agents don’t want to play for the Browns. Coaches don’t want to coach the Browns. And fans don’t want to watch the Browns. So, who was the genius who thought featuring the Cleveland Browns on HBO’s Hard Knocks would be a good idea?!?! I thought HBO was in the money making business….

I am NOT tuning in to HBO to watch the Cleveland Browns’ training camp. Yeah, maybe 15 people will tune in to watch Baker Mayfield, but the other 327,875,985 people in the United States will opt for a Netflix show, or golf, or watching paint dry. Because anything is better, for entertainment value, and your health, than watching the Cleveland Browns “play” football.

Dez Bryant Saying No To Money

Dez Bryant is an idiot.

After being cut by the Dallas Cowboys for sucking, Dez Bryant is unemployed. Bryant, once one of the most promising young wide receivers in the NFL, has wildly underperformed over the past three seasons. At just 29 years old, a one-year, single-digit contract would seem to be in his near future. However, he’s not smart enough to understand that.

I wonder what it’s like to look in the mirror and see platinum and gold, when reality is showing you sterling silver.

The only team to offer Bryant a contract is the Baltimore Ravens. The details of the offer haven’t been publicized, however, Bryant turned it down. Seeing as Bryant is known for his poor attitude, and his play has greatly diminished, his thought process is baffling.

NFL teams will put up with bad attitudes, and off the field troubles, IF the production on the field is there, but without the latter, Bryant may remain unemployed longer than expected.

Post something stupid in the comment section below.

Doing The Same Thing Every Single Year Is Not Boring In Any Way, Shape, Or Form

May 11, 2018May 11, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

The time has come!!

Not just for Mother’s Day, and my wife’s birthday (May 14th), and my birthday (May 14th), and my dad’s birthday (May 14th)….but for the NBA’s Conference Finals.

It’s an exciting time to be alive!!

The question, we already know the answer to, is who will advance to the NBA Finals??

East – (4) Cleveland LeBrons (Cavaliers) vs. (2) Boston Celtics

West – (2) Golden State Warriors vs. (1) Houston Rockets

LeBron

Sunday, at 3:30 P.M. EST, the Eastern Conference Finals will tip-off with the Cleveland LeBrons taking on the Boston Celtics. No need to rack your brain, this is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. The LeBrons are currently heavy favorites to win the series (-285), and one-point favorites in Game One, on the road.

Listen, the Celtics young core is playing GREAT. But, as long as LeBron is playing at this level (no matter how bad his supporting cast is), he’ll continue to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Like him, love him, or hate him, you have to respect his game and understand he’s the best basketball player the world has seen since Michael Jordan.

The Dynasty

The Golden State Warriors aren’t just the best team in the NBA right now, they’re the best team the NBA has seen in 20 years:

Late 90’s Bulls

Early 90’s Bulls

Showtime Lakers

Bird’s Celtics

Bill Russell’s Celtics

In no order, that’s the level we’re talking about.

This Warriors team is four victories away from playing in their fourth consecutive finals. And they’re just eight victories away from their third championship in four years. Since Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, they’ve lost just three playoff games. Don’t expect many more anytime soon.

James Harden has had a great season. He led the NBA in scoring (30.4 ppg), led his team to the best record in the league (65-17), and is about to win the MVP Award, however, allllll those accomplishments will be for naught. The only thing that matters, besides $$$$, is winning. Without a championship, regular season accolades are meaningless.

The Toronto Raptors know what I’m talking about….

Chris Paul, enjoy your first Conference Finals, for it won’t last long.

Series Prediction: Warriors in 6

Post your predictions in the comment section below.

Playoffs, Playoffs, And More Playoffs!!

May 23, 2017May 23, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

predators

Monday was a busy night for the record books. What’s Playoff Season without making a little history, right?? And what’s better than Playoff Season?!

“What do you like better, Christmas or Wedding Season?”

“Mr. Grey?”

“Yes. The answer would be, um, Wedding season?”

Yes. I like Playoff Season better than Christmas. Don’t judge me. From the hardwood to the ice, last night was a channel flippin’ kind of night. I’m surprised the ‘last’ button on my television remote didn’t fall off. Where shall we start first? NHL or NBA? Competitive or ahem..non-competitive? Nail-biting finishes or ummmm..beat the traffic? I guess I shouldn’t beat up the NBA too badly if I want you to read about it….

But first, lace up those skates because we’re heading to the rink.

NHL Playoffs

How many times have you seen the Nashville Predators play hockey this year? Or ever? Well, you should start because they are a lot of fun to watch. And talk about an exciting venue. Bridgestone Arena was absolutely rockin’ last night. The Predators ousted the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals (by the score of 6-3). The Predators are heading to their 1st Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history. They await the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals (Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators). The Penguins lead 3 games to 2 and Game 6 will be played tonight on NBC Sports @ 8:00 P.M. Sydney Crosby is good at hockey. Anyway….

The Predators jumped out to an early 2-0 lead just 8:47 into the 1st period. After going up 3-1 early in the 3rd period, enter the “most dangerous lead in hockey”. This of course is the myth that having a 2-goal lead is a bad thing. Well, Monday night, it almost was. The Predators surrendered 2 goals in the span of 3 minutes and 52 seconds. Just like that, the game was tied at 3. The Predators, as they have throughout the playoffs, showed their resiliency. With 6 minutes to play, Colton Sissons completed his hat trick, putting the Predators up 4-3. They would add 2 empty-net goals, after the Ducks pulled their goalie inexplicably early (2:30 left to play!). Apparently, that is new school hockey. Where’s Steve Yzerman when you need him??

Did I mention the Nashville Predators are the #8 seed in the Western Conference?? Oh yeah. It is only the 3rd time a #8 seed has reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Immediately following the game, Michael Bosnack of Floral Park, an NHL enthusiast, said, “Nashville may be famous for their country music, but the Predators are slowly becoming the hidden gem down in the Music City. The pulse of the city runs through Bridgestone Arena these days.”

Predators coach, Peter Laviolette, became just the 4th coach to bring 3 different teams to the Stanley Cup Finals. That is an exceptional honor, but Laviolette made light of it by saying, “That probably means I’ve been fired a lot.” Laviolette should be proud of his team. They have only lost once at home in the playoffs. For now, they celebrate!!

NBA Playoffs

The Golden State Warriors Won aga…….

Man, I sound like a broken record. I can picture the millennials now: What’s a record? Can I swipe it to the left?? Can I post about it right now???

NO. You can’t. Just show up for work on time.

Anyway, the Golden State Warriors won again by double digits (129-115), sweeping the San Antonio Spurs. This not only completed the sweep of the Western Conference Finals but of the entire playoffs!! This hasn’t happened since the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers swept their way to the NBA Finals. The Lakers accomplished this in 11 games because the 1st round was previously a best-of-five series. The Warriors became the 1st team to win 12 consecutive games to start the playoffs and to also sweep three 7-game series in one playoffs. And now, they will wait for Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to quit messin’ around and dispose of the Boston Celtics already.

While the Warriors were busy steamrolling the Spurs, fans seemed more preoccupied with paying homage to Manu Ginobili. The soon to be 40 year-old most likely put on his Spurs’ jersey for the last time. Ginobili was the 57th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. That’s the 2nd to last pick in the draft for those of you keeping score at home. Ginobili played internationally for a few years before entering the league in 2002. And the rest, as they say, is history. 15 NBA seasons and 4 NBA Championships later, Ginobili will more than likely be ‘hangin’ it up’. He will go down as one of the best international players to ever play in the NBA. His high energy and pesky style of play made him a staple as the 6th man on the Spurs’ dynasty of the past decade and a half. Thanks for the good times Manu.

What were you watching last night? The NBA Playoffs, the NHL Playoffs, or something weird I’ve never heard of before? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

The English Language Doesn’t Have A Word For What The Spurs Did To The Rockets Thursday Night

May 12, 2017May 12, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 5 Comments

WOW!! Let me say that again. WOW!!!! Was that awesome or what?? I’ve never enjoyed watching an absolute blowout so much in my life. In case you turned the game off at halftime, it only got worse (for the Rockets). The San Antonio Spurs crushed, destroyed, demolished, routed, embarrassed, beat down, annihilated, obliterated, and most importantly eliminated the Houston Rockets on Thursday night (114-75). Yes, you read that score right. 114-75.

Game 6 started with the Spurs winning the tip-off. Lamarcus Aldridge received the ball in the low post, made a quick spin move toward the left baseline, and scored an easy basket. Just 23 seconds into the game, the tenor was set for the rest of the evening. Aldridge channeled his days as a Portland Trailblazer (where he averaged nearly 20 points and 9 rebounds per game), finishing with 34 points and 12 rebounds. He was unstoppable, and the rest of the spurs, sans Kawhi Leonard, followed suit. Before we get to the Spurs’ impressive performance, let us attempt to understand what happened to James Harden and the Rockets….

I’ve never seen such a pathetic performance from an MVP candidate, on his home floor, in an elimination game in my life. James Harden looked about as interested in last night’s game as this kid from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

Harden attempted just 2 shots in the 1st half. 2 shots!! Momentum is often thought of in a positive light, but I guess the awful momentum of Harden’s disastrous play at the end of Game 5 spilled over to Game 6. Harden finished with a season low 10 points on 2-11 shooting, and added a stellar 6 turnovers. His performance was inexplicable, but if Harden wasn’t making such a ridiculous salary, I’d be calling for a point-shaving investigation. It was that bad! But anyway, back to the Spurs….

Six Spurs scored in double figures. Jonathan Simmons, who started in place of Leonard, contributed 18 points on 8-12 shooting and played the best defense I’ve seen since the ’85 Bears (“Da Bears“). Rookie point guard, Dejounte Murray, played a fantastic game posting a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block). Someone tell me how this kid fell to 29th in the draft?! This kid is going to be a very good point guard for a very long time. Pau Gasol, Danny Green, and Patty Mills had solid games, all scoring in double figures as well.

The Spurs have been typecast with playing a “boring” brand of basketball. I am sick of hearing that. If putting the ball in the basket efficiently, playing relentless defense, and winning is “boring”, then sign me up for some boring. And I’ll take a side of fundamentals with my boring please. In the age of hey everybody look at me, it is refreshing to see a franchise run like the Spurs. Sure, they have a superstar in Kawhi Leonard, but do you see him showboating? Complaining? Flailing his arms about looking for an imaginary foul? Flopping around like a fish out of water? The answer, to all, is an emphatic NO!

The Spurs, once again, proved why they are the cream of the crop in the NBA. They are heading to their 10th Western Conference Finals under Gregg Popovich (the coach since ’96-’97). I know, I know, this sounds a lot like the New England Patriots. Well, it’s because they are run very similarly. They don’t hand out contracts based on what you’ve done, rather for what you are going to do. They turn late round draft picks into stars. They don’t tolerate individual egos. And they are run with only one thing in mind; WINNING.

The question is, will they win against the contrasting style of the Golden State Warriors? Assuming Kawhi Leonard’s health, and as much as I don’t want to eat my words for doubting the Spurs, I still can’t envision the Spurs beating the Warriors 4 times in 7 tries. Can you?

Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Eastern Conference Finals Recap: Game 1

May 19, 2014May 19, 2014 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Well, who saw that coming? Who expected an offensive explosion from the often anemic Indiana Pacers offense? I know I didn’t. The Pacers starting five averaged just shy of 38 minutes each and all scored in double digits (yes, even Roy Hibbert scored in double digits). This helped lead The Pacers to a 107-96 win Sunday afternoon over The Miami Heat. History usually dictates that when Dwyane Wade plays well, the Heat win, however, it appears that just Lebron James and Dwyane Wade isn’t enough to beat a Pacers team when firing on all cylinders. With that being said, let us talk about what The Pacers accomplished in Game 1.

The Pacers managed an astounding 42.1% shooting from 3-point range. Their regular season average from downtown was only 38.2%. They also only averaged 92.5 points per game during the regular season, so the 107 points they put up in Game 1 was also somewhat of an anomaly. The entire Pacers roster played well, and they do have the size to counteract The Miami Heat’s smaller, more athletic lineup, however, I don’t foresee The Pacers sustaining this level of offensive efficiency. I also don’t believe that Chris Bosh will score only 9 points per game and continue to go 0 for the century from downtown (he went 0-5 from 3-point range in Game 1). The Heat also have a very solid track record when losing the 1st game of a playoff series. In the 2013 playoffs, they lost the 1st game in 2 out of their 3 series (against The Chicago Bulls and The San Antonio Spurs). The Heat went on to sweep the rest of The Bulls series and they went on to beat The Spurs as well to capture their 2nd straight NBA Championship.

Today, most people will be overreacting to The Miami Heat’s Game 1 loss, but I, as I’m sure you have already figured out, will not be. As much as I would enjoy The Heat losing in The Eastern Conference Finals, not only for my own personal enjoyment but for the mass hysteria that would cause, I just don’t see it happening. I believe Lebron James (aka the best player on the planet) will put his team on his shoulders, and on Wednesday morning, everyone will be seated (with arms and legs inside the vehicle) securely BACK on The Miami Heat bandwagon. You can catch Game 2 of The Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night @ 8:30 P.M. on ESPN. Can’t wait to watch more basketball until then? Then tune into TNT tonight @ 9:00 P.M. to catch The Oklahoma City Thunder take on The San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of The Western Conference Finals. That should be a highly competitive, fun series to watch as well. Enjoy!

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

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