Thus far in the NBA Conference Semi-Final series, the home teams have combined for ONE home loss. The only loss being the heartbreaker the Orlando Magic suffered yesterday to the Chauncey-less Detroit Pistons.
I heard a stat on ESPN tonight that indicated an NBA team has not won an NBA Championship without AT LEAST 3 road wins during the playoffs. I believe they said......EVER. (Of course, I may have heard it wrong as I wasn't listening all that closely.) I find that stat very hard to believe. But if it is true, what that really means is someone will need to step up big time on the road in the near future. Likely starting in the next couple of nights.
The first contender that comes to mind is the Boston Celtics. The team with the best record in the league were extended to a full 7 game series against the lowly Atlanta Hawks. A team that honestly didn't even belong in the playoffs. Sporting a lofty 37-45 record coming into the playoffs the Hawks earned a playoff spot despite having an inferior record to 3 Western Conference teams that did not make the playoffs. Included in those 3 were the Golden State Warriors who finished with an overall 48-34 record. If the Warriors played in the East they would have not only qualified for the playoffs, but would have enjoyed a 1st round home-court advantage in the East.
Now I'm sure none of these stats are new to any of the well-informed NBA fans that we find here on FoxSports. I was simply using them as a guide to how poorly the Celtics are playing at a time when they need to be 'putting away' their suspect and weak Eastern Conference opponents. The Celts should have put the Hawks away in four, and at the least 5, games. Hopefully it was a wakeup call for the men in green, but with their current struggles in Cleveland, it doesn't look very promising that they will put their road woes away anytime soon.
In the West the Lakers did what they were supposed to do in the 1st round against the Nuggets and swept them in 4 relatively easy games. HOWEVER..... in round two they have lost two straight to a very tough Jazz team in the Delta Center. The very site of the leagues best regular season home record. Now they face a must-win contest at home in game 5. With an ailing Kobe Bryant don't put it past the Jazz to upset the Lakers in this series. Last nights OT win can only build more confidence for this up and coming squad. But I'll still take the Lakers in 7.
The Hornets and Spurs series is looking very much like another duel that will come down to a 7th and deciding game as well. I look for the Hornets to pull through as Chris Paul continues to show that he can get into the lane virtually any time he wants. Duncan is no longer the force he used to be, and Ginobli and Parker aren't playing at near the level they were in last seasons playoffs. But as they say, a champion is always tough to beat, and if the Hornets were to pull this one out, they may be just satisfied with the season as is. One has to believe that anything short of a championship is a bit of a disappointment for the Lakers, and I look for that 'expecting to be here' attitude to pull them through against the upstart Hornets. Especially when they enjoy the daunting home court advantage.
In the East, regardless of the Celtics road woes, it is hard to see them not making it to the NBA Finals. Unless LeBron pulls off some heroics of playoff past, it is very difficult to see them winning a game in Boston. LeBron simply doesn't have the horses to go with him to compete with the Big 3 in the mighty green.
The Pistons hold a 3-1 advantage over an extremely feisty Magic bunch. In reality, the Magic could have just as easily swept the Pistons, as much as they are now down 3 games to 1. But such is the moxy of the Pistons. Over the past 7 years there probably isn't a more playoff savvy team than the Pistons. They are simply the toughest out in all the playoffs. To beat them you have to play on both sides of the court. However, with the recent injury to Billups (especially a hamstring) it is hard to see them beating a much more talented squad in the Celtics when they hold the home-court advantage. And as we have seen throughout these playoffs........ home court is huge..........EXTREMELY HUGE.
So as we wind it down in the NBA Playoffs it looks very much like a Celtics/Lakers Final. The series the NBA, as a league, is reeling for.......... the series most fans are looking for as well. I'm a Cavs fan, and I still want to see a Lakers vs. Celtics final. Blasphemous? Maybe, but It is time for a marquee matchup once again. Time to see Kobe tested on the biggest stage in all of basketball as THE man. Time to see if the Big 3 from Boston can overcome the current biggest superstar in the league with a strong supporting cast.
But if the playoffs keep holding true to form, as they are now, it is hard to see a team WITHOUT home court advantage to pull off an 'upset'.
But isn't that EXACTLY what all the Kobe and Laker fans are secretly desiring? Their 'underdog' superstar leading their Lakers to victory over the 'supposed' best team in the league? Is it time to herald Kobe as one the best players in NBA history? Or is it time for Garnett, Allen, and Pierce to garner the title that they have all worked so hard for this year?
Sure, I may be a huge LeBron and Cavaliers fan, but this time I'm rooting as a fan. As a fan of the NBA. And right now what the NBA needs the most is the Lakers and Celtics .............in the Finals, yet again.
Apparently, the Celts didn't hear you. Sigh, 2-2...yeah, I'm bummed. The good news is that the Rev made a good point....let them all go to 7 games.....baseball is all we have to look forward to after the NBA season is over. (sigh)
Rev, it is REALLY getting interesting. Can ANYONE win on the road? Period? I can see any of the 7 teams remaining (yes your Magic are done) winning this thing right now. All anyone has to do right now is win AN road game to get an edge.
Lisa: Nope, your Celtics didn't hear me. Allen and Pierce have seemingly disappeared in the playoffs thus far. But on the flip side, NOBODY is playing well right now. Hard to have a solid feeling about any team left in the playoffs.
Someone other than the Pistons will get out in less than 7 and get a huge jump on the remaining teams. Then again if the Pistons take care of business in game 5, and the rest go 7........? HUGE advantage for the Pistons. When all is said and done the Pistons have the most impressive victory in the playoffs with a road win over Orlando WITHOUT Chauncey. Most likely my Cavalier attitude is really trying to ignore that one.
The Hawks record might not have looked good but they definately have the talent to be a contender, I bet the Hawks in all three home games money line, unfortunately I also bet them to win the series. That team was built to destroy Boston and its unfortunate they didnt show up in game seven as I would have had a team to root for in the east. I am impartial on Bibby, but think Joe Johnson, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, Horford are all studs, get them a real coach (Dantoni) would have been perfect and there knocking at the door withing two years as Boston and Detroit begin to slow down, probably be them and the Magic battling if they keep their talent.
Their strength is that although none of the three stars have ever won a championship, they do have a lot of playoff experience and they have never played a playoff run with each other. Alone, each has never had the backup to go all the way.
However, their weakness is that although they all have a lot of playoff experience, they have never played a playoff run with each other. It takes time to build that trust and confidence of a team and not just a bunch of good players.
"In the East, regardless of the Celtics road woes, it is hard to see them not making it to the NBA Finals."
Oh trust me, the way they're executing right now, it's really easy for me to imagine The Boston Three Party gone fishing out on a lake somewhere in Massachussetts. The Celtics are playing some of the ugliest basketball in the playoffs.
At least Lebron can make it exciting even when he shoots poorly.
Detroit will come out of the East. It's not hard to see that.
Boston's intensity in the defensive end is taking its toll to players like Pierce and Garnett. It is too taxing to defend against players like LeBron whose mobility and strength is unparallel. Their offense thus suffer due to this factor.
J-Dizzle: You are correct. My simple 'dislike' for the Pistons is still shining through in what I consider the most honest of takes on the NBA I can make. I apoligize. Try as I may, I CANNOT like the Pistons. In any form or fashion. I respect them, but I will ALWAYS shun them as well. Thanks for pointing out my weakness. If one is to truly get better, they need to concentrate on their weaknesses. Thank You for exposing mine.
Just because the Pistons play ugly doesn't mean they don't know how to win. I can't see the Celtic beating the Pistons this year...they aren't the team the Pistons are. The Pistons appear to be focused, finally this year and I just want to see them get the piece of pie they deserve. Orlando sweeping the Pistons? Yeah, right. You forget that the Pistons, unfortunately, play to the level of their opponent. They don't show up, typically, until they have to, but the *do* eventually show up.
