PISTONS GO 2-0 IN SEMIS, JAZZ HAVE EDGE OVER WARRIORS

 

 

The Pistons and the Bulls had been starting to get restless after both sides had swept their first round opponents. The Pistons were the team everyone had expected to be there, number 1 in the East in the regular season. The Bulls, caught the defending champion Heat completely on the hop. So an old rivalry dating from the late 80s and early 90s was revived. So it was off to Detroit to start the 2007 NBA Playoff Conference semi finals.

Well the Pistons hit the ground running in Game 1 though the Bulls were still able to make a game of it and led 9-7 at one point in the 1st quarter. After that though, the Pistons weren't seen for dust and this was down to "Detriiot basketballl". Yep, the Pistons sent the neutrals to sleep again, stiffling the Bulls' emergent class. Richard Hamilton was probably the home side's best player on the night and to be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting anything else. Pistons win 95-69.

Game 2 and the Pistons just turned up the pressure with the Bulls getting within one point early on in the quarter but the home side just scorching the game, silencing Deng in particular while putting on a demo session for their own fans. Their lead was well into double figures for most of the game, and there was only one winner here with Tayshaun Prince giving the Bulls a frustrating reality check, chasing them back to Chicago for Game 3 after a 107-88 hammering.

Elsewhere, the Cavs vs Nets series opened up in Cleveland. Well the visitors made sure that they game the Cavs a headache for most of the game, the home side holding them off for the first half despite the Nets leading 33-25 before half time. The lead still kept switching in the third quarter, with the fourth opening tied at 59. It wasn't till late in the 4th that the Cavs finally secured the win with a Larry Hughes three pointer breaking the Nets as the Cavs went on to win 81-77.

Out West, there were still loose ends from the first round to tie up. The Jazz vs Rockets series had started out with the Rockets winning the first two games in Houston and the Jazz replying by levelling the series in Utah. Back to Houston, the Rockets won Game 5. Back to Utah, the Jazz won Game 6. So it was winner takes all in Houston for Game 7. In the meantime, the upstart Warriors laid in wait for the winners in the Conference semis.

Well the Rockets opened the scoring but it was the Jazz that quickly got to work and once they did, the home side didn't look like catching them. In the second quarter, the lead hit double figures. In the second half the Rockets started to cut into the Jazz lead band in the fourth quarter it looked like the home side had turned it round, leading 84-80 at one point. However the Jazz fought back and retook the lead with a Mehmet Okur three pointer and for the Rockets, this has to be the one that got away. Jazz won the game 103-99 and the series 4-3.

So the Jazz faced the Warriors in the conference semis with Game 1 in Utah. The game started with a high scoring first quarter in which the Jazz had the edge but it wasn't enough to stop the Warriors sniffing another high profile scalp and running the show mid game to lead 66-63 at the half and 89-84 at the end of the 3rd. The Jazz didn't fancy going the same way as the Mavs either though, the Warriors leading by seven before the home side slowly cut the upstarts down to size. The game was still tied at 112 with 33 seconds to go but then Carlos Boozer put the Jazz ahead for good. Final score 116-112.

Elsewhere, the Suns vs Spurs series opened up with Game 1 in Phoenix. The game opened with a first quarter which the Spurs led the bulk of. The Suns started giving the Spurs a game late on in the first though before turning the game round in the second to lead 53-51 at the half. They went on to lead 55-52 early in the third but then the Spurs came back. The Suns wrestled for the lead one last time early on in the fourth but the Spurs took homecourt advantage with a barrage of threes and free throws, Tim Duncan the main man in a 111-106 win.

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