Tennessee...your Memphis Grizzlies are in the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. I'm not ready to call them a team of destiny just yet, but it does appear that Memphis has caught the eye of the basketball Gods.
Just look at their playoff path....a road to redemption if you will.
There were two game 7's, two opponents, and two gut wrenching losses that haunted the Grizzlies franchise. Two years ago, the upstart Grizzlies won their first ever playoff series by knocking off number one seed San Antonio....setting up a second round match up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies went on to lose game seven, and Cinderella went home without her prince.
Expectations were high for Memphis the following season. After all, leading scorer Rudy Gay was returning to the same lineup that came so close the previous year. Memphis had a great regular season, earning their first top four conference finish...and home court advantage against the upstart Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies went on to lose game 7...at home....ouch.
So where does fate land Memphis in the first round of this year's playoffs? Los Angeles. The Grizzlies went on to beat the Clippers, while becoming the first team in NBA history to lose the first two games of a playoff series...then win the next four by double digits.
Next stop on the road to redemption...Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies took care of the Thunder in five nail biter games.
Check...and...check.
Now that the road to redemption is complete...the team, the franchise, the city, and the state can enjoy the Western Conference Finals for what it is....a brand new experience.
And why can't the Grizzlies win eight more games? Somebody has to. follow @plcolter
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
When "Bully Ball" goes wrong.....
The Chicago Bulls embarrassed themselves last night, both on and off the court. The underdog Bulls had the defending world champions in their building...in front of a raucous sell out crowd. Chicago stole game one in Miami, and was poised to make this a long, competitive, and entertaining series. Instead, we witnessed a comedy of "bully ball" errors by Chicago, and now the series looks all but over.
And the Bulls have no one to blame but themselves.
Chicago won their first round series with the Brooklyn Nets with sheer will...and an ample supply of bully ball. The Nets caved under the playoff pressure and physical play.
But that was the Nets.....
In the last three years the Miami Heat withstood the pressure (and backlash) from LeBron's "Decision", an embarrassing Finals loss to the Mavericks, and a 27 game winning streak. Why would they cave under the pressure of a couple of flagrant fouls?
Miami made their adjustments in game two, and literally strolled away with a 37 point victory....but that happens in the playoffs. When bully ball proved ineffective in game two, what did Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau draw up for game 3? More bully ball.
The move was an ill fated one.
First of all...you refuse to shake hands prior to tip off. (ooh...they're scared). Next, Joakim Noah pushes a Miami player off a pile for no reason, and draws up a technical foul. Smart play from the leader of your team, who knows he needs to be out there. There's no one left to play, and fouls are at a premium.
But I digress.
Next, you send your bottom feeder bench guy in the game to mix it up with LeBron James, an obvious attempt to get James to retaliate and be thrown out of the game...and possibly suspended for the next game. But that didn't work, LeBron was too smart for it. Besides, Heat President Pat Riley ain't no fool, the Miami Heat did that very same thing to his New York Knicks in the early 90's. It worked then, but not now.
And then came the post game comments.
When bully ball didn't work, coach Thibodeau blamed the refs. When Nazr Mohommed's cheap shot backfired, Thibodeau blamed LeBron for flopping (although Mohammed clearly pushed him). Now the Bulls are saying they can't get a call. Didn't hear any of that last round.
Look, we all admire and respect what Chicago has done in the playoffs with the hand they were dealt. If the road ends here, go out with some class.
Right now the Bulls looks like the tough guy boxer, who knows he's about to get knocked out, and goes for the cheap shot disqualification.
You're better than that Chicago. follow @plcolter
And the Bulls have no one to blame but themselves.
Chicago won their first round series with the Brooklyn Nets with sheer will...and an ample supply of bully ball. The Nets caved under the playoff pressure and physical play.
But that was the Nets.....
In the last three years the Miami Heat withstood the pressure (and backlash) from LeBron's "Decision", an embarrassing Finals loss to the Mavericks, and a 27 game winning streak. Why would they cave under the pressure of a couple of flagrant fouls?
Miami made their adjustments in game two, and literally strolled away with a 37 point victory....but that happens in the playoffs. When bully ball proved ineffective in game two, what did Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau draw up for game 3? More bully ball.
The move was an ill fated one.
First of all...you refuse to shake hands prior to tip off. (ooh...they're scared). Next, Joakim Noah pushes a Miami player off a pile for no reason, and draws up a technical foul. Smart play from the leader of your team, who knows he needs to be out there. There's no one left to play, and fouls are at a premium.
But I digress.
Next, you send your bottom feeder bench guy in the game to mix it up with LeBron James, an obvious attempt to get James to retaliate and be thrown out of the game...and possibly suspended for the next game. But that didn't work, LeBron was too smart for it. Besides, Heat President Pat Riley ain't no fool, the Miami Heat did that very same thing to his New York Knicks in the early 90's. It worked then, but not now.
And then came the post game comments.
When bully ball didn't work, coach Thibodeau blamed the refs. When Nazr Mohommed's cheap shot backfired, Thibodeau blamed LeBron for flopping (although Mohammed clearly pushed him). Now the Bulls are saying they can't get a call. Didn't hear any of that last round.
Look, we all admire and respect what Chicago has done in the playoffs with the hand they were dealt. If the road ends here, go out with some class.
Right now the Bulls looks like the tough guy boxer, who knows he's about to get knocked out, and goes for the cheap shot disqualification.
You're better than that Chicago. follow @plcolter
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