Every sports fan knows that college basketball rules March. From the conference tournaments, to the selection show, to the bracket pools, to the buzzer beater upsets, to the Final Four. This year was no different for the NCAA, the tournament has once again delivered...evidenced by an increase in ratings this year. Lost in all of the college banter was the wild and wacky month of March in the NBA. As we approach the last few games of the regular season and look forward to the playoffs, lets recap the NBA's version of March Madness.
We can't talk NBA in March and not start with the Miami Heat and their near historic 27 game winning streak. Miami did it in a variety of ways, but was ultimately stopped by a physical Chicago team in late March.
The west has storyline on top of storyline, but we'll focus on two playoff races for now. The Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Memphis Grizzlies are in a dog fight for the coveted number 3 seed in the west....and all are within a game of each other, and all three teams desperately want that third slot.
And for more than one reason.
For starters, the number 3 seed will ensure a match up with either the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets. Two young teams with virtually no recent playoff success. The fourth and fifth place teams will face each other in round one, ensuring that one of the teams will not advance.
Why is that important?
Both head coaches, Lionel Hollins of the Grizzlies and Vinnie Del Negro of the Clippers, are rumored to have their future employment tied to their respective playoff success this year. A first round exit for either coach could spell doom for the 2013 season. The Clippers, Nuggets, and Grizzlies all had winning streaks of ten games or more, and all three teams are tough to beat at home. The number 5 seed could be in serious trouble....and so could their coach.
The race for the eighth spot in the west has been just as wild...with the Lakers, Jazz, and Mavs all fighting for a playoff birth. All three of these teams are within a game and a half of each other, and none of the three teams want to take a strangle hold on that spot. It's literally anybody's guess who will face San Antonio in round one of this year's playoffs.
The NBA in March saw several teams go on significant winning streaks. We saw DeAndre Jordan and LeBron James deliver two of the best poster dunks that we've seen in several years. March saw the return of Dirk, and March saw Kobe surpass Wilt on the all time scoring list. What will April bring? Several upcoming games should determine that.
Mon: Memphis vs San Antonio
Mon: Indiana vs Los Angeles Clippers
Tue: Dallas vs Los Angeles Lakers
Wed: Denver vs Utah
Thur: Dallas vs Denver
Fri: Memphis vs Los Angeles Lakers
Take a picture of the current standings. It may bear no resemblance this time next week. follow @plcolter
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