Where it’s at: Nate, Steph and the ever stifling Heat
Cardiff-based former Cincinnati native Kurren Tatla brings you up to speed with where it’s at in the NBA right now.
For some, the playoffs are a mere formality (see Miami Heat), but for others it serves as a chance to see just how far their association has come since the pre-season acquisitions, team building activities and media hype over what’s in store. We can’t look at the standings and say we’re too surprised by what we saw as the regular season came to a close in the East. The Heat ran away with it, still searching for a team that can take them the distance. The Celtics made it through but were quickly dispatched by the younger, faster and simply more energetic New York Knicks.
The Western Conference, however, threw up some surprises, with the L.A Lakers scraping through into the first round before being methodically dismantled, piece by piece by the veteran led San Antonio Spurs, leaving Los Angeles in a state of complete disarray, although the Clippers couldn’t do much to give the Los Angeles faithful something to believe in this post-season either. Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors flew past the Denver Nuggets and booked their ticket in the second round (and have already stolen a game over San Antonio). This year, there are simply no ‘gimmes’ in the West. This much we know.
Highlight: For those of you that missed the Game 4 matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, what you will never come to appreciate is the sheer magnitude of Nate Robinson’s heroic performance that night. This was no ordinary win for the Bulls, and every single fan that attended the game that night was treated to one of the most memorable solo performances, and this coming in an arena that Michael Jordan once called home. The Nets seemed to have run away with what looked like a guaranteed victory (up by 14 with little time left in the 4th quarter), only to be on the wrong end of an inconceivable performance from the little man, who was on the cusp of breaking a record set by Michael Jordan himself. 23 points in the 4th quarter. That’s right. Nate Robinson lit up for 23 points, one shy of the Jordan record, and single handedly carried the Bulls through to a triple overtime win at the United Center in Chicago. The Bulls face up against the Head in round 2 of the playoffs.
Keep an eye out: With the Thunder still reeling from the loss of all-star point guard, and overall phenom Russell Westbrook, they are struggling to find a way to grind out games, and this doesn’t bode well when facing a team like the Memphis Grizzlies, especially on their home court. The Grizz will be playing their hard-fought, grinding brand of ball and it doesn’t appear that the Thunder can do anything about it. If you’re looking for an upset, head straight to the FedEx Forum as the Grizzlies look to take a commanding 3-1 league in the series before heading back to Oklahoma. Also worth mentioning is the torrid run of form the Warriors find themselves on as they host the San Antonio Spurs also tied at 1-1. In a matchup that pits the energetic youth against the wiley veterans, the sharp-shooters against the sharp-wit, the Spurs may also find themselves in trouble if they don’t find a way to cool off the hot-shot Curry who is making some of the most ridiculous jumpers you’ll ever see in the game. Defence may win championships…but some guys’ games are just unguardable. In which case, turn to ‘Plan b’, and fast.
