Photos of the Week - Second Round Edition

Tony Allen mean mugging his way to the Conference Finals

Brittany Griner played some key minutes in Game 5

Bogut tryin to club Duncan like a baby seal

Ginobili employing the ol' "Booga Booga" routine to force a turnover

Duncan playing a little pin the tail on The Aussie

The Argentinian doing his best Home Alone impression

Four Time MVP.  Straight CHEESIN'

If you miss another shot I WILL FUCKING CUT YOU.

"Git tha FUCK OUT !"

Summing up the Thunder's season in one picture.

Napolen Dynamite watching Curry and Parker battle for the ball

This picture is worth way more than a thousand words.

"Why you no like a da sauce? Va Funculo!"

The Spurs bench, happy to be headed to The Land of Misfit Toys.

Looking for a spark in the 4th, the Warriors called on Lil Wayne.

Hey, Remember Us?

You know, the #1 seed out west?  The team everyone forgot about when Golden State was getting all of the limelight?

Well the Spurs proved once again that they are the team to beat out West, beating the Warriors for four quarters last night and pulling away with a statement win in Game 5.  They held the Splash Brothers in check, played great team defense, got great contributions from everybody, and hit big shots down the stretch.  The Warriors had no answer for Tony Parker as the Frenchmen surgically dissected them once again.  The savvy veteran Ginobili chipped in with a nice stat line of 10, 5, and 5.  And Timmy Duncan also found his way into the record books with his 143rd double double in the playoffs, second to only Wilt Chamberlain.  The veterans continue to get it done night in and night out and re-established themselves once again as the favorite to represent the Western Conference in The Finals. 

This guy still has plenty of faces to make this post-season.

This matchup would have been better in 2002

Looking for a spark, the Warriors called on Lil Wayne in the 4th quarter

Tuesday Two Step

Now Playing:

1. Memphis grinded out another win last night as home as the Grizzlies took a 3-1 series lead against Oklahoma City last night.  With another powerful performance by the big fellas, the Thunder are now 3-5 without Westbrook and facing elimination.  They have been searching for an identity without their point guard and have struggled down the stretch to replace his production.  Ibaka and Perkins have simply been OUTWORKED by Randolph and Gasol.  Kevin Durant is putting up monster stats but simply can not do it by himself.  Grit and Grind now take their show on the road and look to close out the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.  


2. Meanwhile up in The Windy City reality has finally set in against the Bulls as the Heat took them out to the woodshed last night, whoopin them in front of their home fans.  Give the Bulls credit for coming out fighting, but over a seven game series talent wins out and the Bulls are simply depleted.  Miami is now up 3 games to 1 and look to close the series out at home advancing to their third straight Eastern Conference Finals.  BIRDMAN BIRDMAN.

A Golden State of Mind

Game one wasn't a fluke.  The Golden State Warriors are as deadly a team as anyone in the playoffs.  They proved it again last night keeping as the Spalash Brothers once again shot the lights out in San Antonio.  Not only are the top seeded Spurs in trouble, but the rest of the league should be very afraid.  This team is for real.  Could you imagine if David Lee was healthy?

The Warriors looked poised to take advatage of this series at home this weekend.  The Spurs look slow on defense and are having matchup nightmares against Thompson and Curry.  Andrew Bogut is providing terrific paint presence on both sides of the ball.  Could you imagine if David Lee was healthy??

Mark Jackson called it "One of the best first halves of basketball ever....I said I have the greatest backcourt to ever play the game.  Call my bluff."  Could you imagine if David Lee was healthy???

The Boys II Men Bench Club celebrating another Klay Trey Bomb

Gasol and Randolph Powering the Grizzlies through the Playoffs

Watching Gasol and Randolph play together is fascinating.  They are polar opposites in terms of style of play, but work better than any other big man duo in the league.  Their combo skill set sets the tone and fits perfectly within the team structure so well.  Gasol has a great low and high post game, that looping hook, and can D people up as evidenced by his DPOY trophy.  When he gets the ball at the top of the key, basically acting as PG, he can pass so well it is perlexing.  He's one of the best passing big men in the league.  He'll get it to Z-Bo in the perfect spot in motion as he flashes up the paint.  Randolph has amazing footwork (such an underrated skill) where one perfectly placed step can make all the difference in the world.  He also has that uncanny ability to get perfect positioning, seal people off, absorb the contact while creating space, and finish without having any hops.  They work harder than any other set of big men, play off of each other better than any other set of big men, can score as well as any other set of big men, can D up better than any other set of big men, and last but not least they can team up and play heart and soul on the piano better then any other duo.  They are the Batman and Robin of big men. 

They have essentially shut down Ibaka and Perkins the first two games, should be up two games to zero, and are heading back to Memphis where they have the best home record in the league.  A well deserved Western Conference Final appearance is on the horizon for this blue collar bunch.

Grab your lunch pails, its time to go to work

Tuesday Two-Step

Two Monster Match-ups Last Night Produced Some Game One Dramatics

The first game saw a depleted Bulls team go up against an over-rested Heat team and...it...sucked.   Nobody could buy a bucket as the Heat came out flat and succomed to Chicago's punishingly slow offense and turtleneck tight defense.  The Heat could not score ONE BUCKET in the last 2:22 of the game giving the Bulls a huge game one upset.  Don't be suprised if you see LeBron explode for 40 points in game 2.

After receiving 10 stiches in his lip, Nate Robinson then had
surgery to remove Joakim Noah's teeth from his skull

The second matchup out west was a wild west shootout as the Spurs climbed back from being down 18 in the fourth quarter to win in double overtime.  After leading the ENTIRE game it appeared the Warriors ran out of gas late allowing the savvy veteran group back in the game.  With lots of youth and inexperience on the floor the Warriors showed they are a team to reckon with, but they MUST finish the games stronger if they want to make this a series.

Steph Curry reacts in disgust as Boris Diaw reaches
for his fourth cheesburger of the game

Photos of the Week - First Round Edition

Remember that kid in school who wasn't
allowed to play sports 'cause he was allergic to everything? 

That's probably a foul.

There is a Spanish grizzly bear in Memphis,
 and he is trying to murder Blake Griffin.

Murrrderrrr.

ESTAS MUERTOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Stepbrothers: "If we clean out the locker room
we'll have more space for activities!"

Playoff Stinkface.

Teen Wolf Michael J. Fox taking charge after a hairy loss at home.

Earl Smith, preparing himself to lay some pipe.

Google it.

You can either act like an asshole or dress like one.  Not both.

Three Point Thursday

1.  Six Games Sixes

What was supposed to be a quick round one for some teams has now turned into an all out slug fest that all look headed for seven games. There will be six game sixes played over the next few days with major implications on the line.  The sixth seed +Golden State Warriors can close out the three seeded +Denver Nuggets tonight at home marking the first upset of the playoffs, while up in The Windy City the fifth seeded +Chicago Bulls can upset the fourth seeded +Brooklyn Nets at home as well.  Meanwhile the Knicks, Pacers, and Thunder will all have the tough task of closing out their series on the road tomorrow night.  These first round match-ups have given us some compelling story lines that will only continue to get better this weekend.  

2. Last Night's Games were Fantastic

With the Celtics and Rockets staving off elimination, extending the series and winning on the road last night, the tides are now turned and the pressure is on the Thunder and Knicks to win hostile game sixes on the road.  They are both trying to become the first teams to win a series down 3-0.  The Knicks looked lethargic and lazy all four quarters last night, settling for jumpers and taking way too many three point attempts.  Meanwhile the savvy veteran Celtic squad pulled out another vintage playoff win and look to even the score back home.  Down in OKC the Thunder looked lost without Westbrook as the team fumbled down the stretch and Kevin Durant moped all over the court the entire fourth quarter.  The Rockets are playing small ball and have become a match-up nightmare.  Scotty Brooks is going to have to change his entire game plan because Houston is young, athletic and shooting the lights out of the building. 

3. Celebrity Sighting in OKC

Last night Omer Asik was trending for many reasons.  The Hack-Asik technique was a poor attempt by a number one seed to crawl back into a game they had already lost.  Bad form.  The Turkish Tower made them pay by sinking 13 of 18 free throws, but the more important item of note was trying to find out how he and his twin brother Judge Reinhold were separated at birth. 

Omer and Judge.  Judge and Omer.  Momma must be proud.

Mid-Week Mashup

Getting Grizzly in Los Angeles

With Blake Griffin fighting injury, the Memphis Grizzlies were able to grind out a victory on the road last night.  The dominating duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were able to take advantage of the open paint without Blake and take a 3-2 series lead.  CP3 is going to have to get more players involved in scoring next game if The Clippers are to win a tough game on the road in Memphis.

"Give me your FACE!"

Bombs Away in the Rockies

The Nuggets hit squad had Steph Curry on their radar last night, roughing up the sharpshooter and keeping him off-balanced all night holding him to just 15 points on 1-7 shooting from deep.  The Nuggets showed why they were one of the best teams in the league this season, bringing the series to 3-2 and heading back to California for what will be a very physical game 6.

Defending home court with a monster line of 25, 12 & 7

Atlanta Ties It Up

To the surprise of many, the Atlanta Hawks took take of business on their home court and tied up their series with the Pacers 2-2.  Kyle Korver has had a monster series, knocking down threes and opening up the paint for Josh Smith, who dropped 29 and 11 last game.  Indiana looked young and inexperienced on the road so far this post-season after being a dominate team in the East for most of the season.  A lot of 'experts' had Indiana meeting Miami in the East Finals, but if they don't pick up the PACE, they'll be watching the Eastern Conference Finals from their couches.

So after two weeks of playoff games Miami and San Antonio are moving on to the next round (and getting a weeks rest).  The Thunder sans Westbrook, Knicks sans Sheed, and Bulls sans Derrick Rose aren't far behind from advancing as well.  The Clippers and Grizzlies will continue their slug fest for a killer seven game series.  And the MOST IMPORTANT item of note, Mr. Tracy McGrady will taste the second round.

Been saving this gem for a while

First Round Playoff Predictions

Heat vs. Bucks - Miami in 4

Knicks vs. Celtics - Boston in 7

Pacers vs. Hawks - Indiana in 5

Nets vs. Bulls - Brooklyn in 6

Thunder vs. Rockets - OKC in 5

Clippers vs. Grizzlies - LA in 7

Nuggets vs. Warriors - Denver in 5

Spurs vs. Lakers - Spurs in 6