NBA Playoffs Conference Finals

AS the months turn towards summer, the NBA playoffs have reached the next round as the conference finals are set to get underway. To this point in the post season, there have been a few upsets and surprises, but that's usually what happens in playoff time. In round two of the playoffs, Indiana upset the Knicks and Memphis upset the Thunder. With the Thunder series, you could really tell that not having Russel Westbrook in the Thunder lineup hurt OKC and left them without too many options against a more balanced Memphis team. With the Knicks series against the Pacers, it was a simple formula the Knicks were outplayed the entire series, and some of the holes the Knicks still had were exploited. Chandler was just plain bad for the Knicks in the series and it hurt them in the long run. So now with that in mind we have a set conference finals and here we go.

We start it off with the Eastern Conference finals as it puts the #1 Miami Heat taking on the #3 Indiana Pacers. Indiana got here after a six game win over Atlanta in the opening round and then another six game win over  the Knicks in round two. This is the first appearance in the East Finals for the Pacers since a 2004 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Indiana hasn't made it to the NBA finals since 2000 when they fell to the Lakers. All time in the East Finals the Pacers are 7-6. As for the Heat, they are coming off a first round sweep of the Bucks and a five game victory over the Bulls in round two. This is the third straight trip to the East finals for the Heat, and the Heat are 2-3 all time in the conference finals. Head to head in the playoffs the Heat and Pacers are 1-1, and during the regular season the Pacers beat the Heat in two of their three meetings.

Leading the way for the Pacers during this playoff run has been their best players, Roy Hibbert, David West and Paul George. All three guys have been hitting their shots at the key times during games, and have made life miserable for opponents in the playoffs. If you don't believe me just ask the Knicks from the last round. As for Miami they have been rolling losing only once in the playoffs, and that was game one to the Bulls in the last round. This series is going to be a close one with the Pacers giving the Heat all they can handle and then some. It will go at least six games but the Heat will be just too much. Heat win the series and make their third trip to the NBA Finals in as many years.

Now for the other Conference Final as we have the #2 San Antonio Spurs taking on the #5 Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis got here by pulling of two upsets, if you want to call them that. First they beat  the Clippers in six and then upset the Thunder in five in the last round. This will be the first ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals for the Grizzlies, who had never gotten out of the 2nd round before and had only been to round two once prior to this year. As for the Spurs they got here after a four game sweep of the Lakers in the opening round and a six game victory over the Warriors in the last round. This is the third time the two teams have faced off in the playoffs, with each team winning once before. The Spurs took the first meeting in the opening round of the 2004 playoffs, and the Grizzlies won the last meeting in 2011. During the regular season, the two teams split the series, with each team winning games on home court.

We have talked about this in the past, that the Spurs may be the most balanced team in the West. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili have helped carry the Spurs this year in the playoffs but they have also been getting big performances from role players like Kawhi Leonard as well. As for the Grizzlies, leading the way this year in the post season has been Zach Randolph, who has been their leading scorer not only in the regular season but the playoffs as well. Once the playoffs started, the role players really started stepping up. You've seen big performances in the playoffs form people like Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley, and Tony Allen. They have all had an impact in this playoffs in one way or another. Memphis has been a great story in the playoffs this year, and they will make this series a fun one to watch. It will go at least six games but the Spurs will prove to be the deeper team once again and will reach the NBA finals once again.

So there you have it. The tables are set whoever is left standing at the end of the round will be playing for an NBA Championship.