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Western Conference
Tee-Time Appointments imminent:
Portland
Find someone who hates the city of Portland or the Traiblazers and I’ll find you a person who hates puppies, rainbows and free money. Try and find something to dislike about the Blazers…please. Portland’s starting backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum went to Weber State and Lehigh, respectively. Lillard was the 48th-ranked point guard in his high school class, according to ESPNU. He was a two-star recuit, according to Rivals.com. McCollum was 5’2” at the start of his Freshman year in high school, grew nine inches the next two years but was not offered a scholarship from any of the 10 division 1 schools in his home state of Ohio. Combine that with Portland’s big man who is dubbed the Bosnian Beast and you have a supremely likable team.
The unfortunate part is the Trailblazers find themselves matched up against Golden State. The Warriors have an unfair advantage over pretty much everyone except Jesus’ starting five. And no I don’t mean Jesus from He Got Game, or “Black Jesus” aka Earl Monroe. I literally mean the water-into-wine Jesus.
Oklahoma City
Much was made this season about how to truly judge Russell Westbrook’s historical season. The first player to average a triple double for the year, Westbrook led a severely limited roster into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the West. In the first round of the playoffs it has become apparent that despite Westbrook’s heroics, this Thunder team is terrible. Do you reward someone for being the best player on a bad team, even though that bad team overachieved in making the playoffs? Or do you give it to the best player on a better team? If the playoffs proved anything is that Westbrook may be the Most Valuable Player for the Thunder, be he is nowhere near the Most Valuable Player of the NBA.
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Tee-Time Appointment Pending:
As entertaining as the NBA Playoffs have been, there is now concrete evidence that there are less than a handful of teams that have a legitimate chance of making the NBA Finals.
Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Clippers are a complete mess. They lost Blake Griffin for the playoffs, who in the first three-quarters of the first two games was brilliant. In the fourth quarter of both games who wandered off and hovered around the three-point arc. He rarely attacked the rim either with the ball or without it and generally seemed disinterested in impacting the game. Luckily for the Clippers, his presence during the first three-quarters allowed others to step up in the fourth to make up for his inactivity. Now with Griffin out, it forces everyone else to step up their game and the Clippers are just too thin to make a deep enough run with Golden State looming in the next round. While I do see them beating Utah in six, the next round will be a complete annihilation and the swan song for the Clippers. RIP, Lob City.
Utah
As I mentioned above, the only team right now that can beat Golden State is Jesus. So for either the Clippers or Jazz, this first round series will net you a shiny ribbon on making the second round, but then it might be time to start making vacation plans. I hear Glenwild Golf Club is beautiful and a fantastic place to play 18.
Houston
The Rockets have been down in the first quarter of every game against the Thunder but lead the series 3-1. You know what that tells me? They aren’t very good. To be a title contender, you have to at least dominate the majority of your games. When the competition gets better, if you don’t get off to a good start, the good teams will finish you rather than allow you back into the match. Also, in May and June, defenses win championships, and the Rockets can score. Defense? Like I said, the Rockets can score.
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Cancel the Tee-Time, book the Spa:
Memphis
The Grizzlies are outmatched, outcoached, but never outplayed. The Grindhouse lived up to its name the last two games as Memphis was able to will two straight wins against the Spurs. Unfortunately, the winning stops now. San Antonio is too good and much like most of Memphis’ game, to beat them is to break them. Kawhi Leonard has already laid the foundation of defeat, now its time for Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Tony Parker to follow his lead and move on to the second round. There’s no excuse for the Spurs not to advance.
As for Memphis, they are playing a superb series. They just don’t have the horses to compete. By no means is this an affront to the Grizzlies effort, you just can’t match thoroughbreds with quarter horses.
Tee-Times can wait:
San Antonio and Golden State are so head-and-shoulders above the rest of the competition, the team that represents the Western Conference in the NBA Finals will be the team that is healthiest in June. That’s it. That is the only true measure of who will make it out. If both are at full strength, expect a “Battle of the Bastards” type of war where only a few remain. Although I doubt anyone will get eaten by rabid dogs at the end, but then again it’s the NBA Playoffs. Anything is possible!
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