PISTONS, NETS, SPURS, SUNS STRIKE FIRST IN CONFERENCE SEMIS
So, eight down eight left four in each Conference. Each matchup looked pretty straightforward overall with no potential banana skins prediction wise. After game 1 of each series, well...things generally went to plan but there was one definate exception to that rule which raised eyebrows and one match that certainly more one sided that expected.
First stop is Detroit where the Pistons faced the Cavs and never allowed the opposition to get going. 'DETROIIIT BASKETBAAALL' tends to translate to rock sold defence and that's what happened here as the top seeds in the East kept LeBron James silent for the whole second half. In this game though it also included white hot offence, particularly from Tayshaun Prine and especially at the end of each quarter. Add the two together and you have anhiliation, as in 113-86. The Cavs must be considering Game 2 a write off.
In Miami it was another story entirely. Not many teams swing into town and start battering the side that i in theory the classiest in the League. That's pretty much what the Nets did though with Shaq forced into foul trouble and Jason Kidd and Vince Carter all over the place. With all due respect to Miami, nine turnovers in the first quarter won't win you an NBA game. As Alonzo Mourning said "we got our butts kicked". 100-88. There goes home court advantage.
Out West, the shootout between the Spurs and the Mavs in San Antonio was as tight as expected with the freshness of the Mavericks the main factor early on as despite the Spurs getting the first five points of the game it was the Mavs who surged into the early lead and they were still winning 72-71 at the end of the third quarter. By that point though, the Spurs were already on their way back and a Bruce Bowen 3 pointer sealed an 87-85 win.
In Phoenix the history making Clippers came back from an iffy first quarter to lead 61-56 at the half. They then got reminded that both Steve Nash anmd the Suns as a whole are pretty deadly from three point range. Elton Brand's 40 points for the Clippers counted for nothing as the Suns hit 74 points in the second half alone and 12 3s in the game. Final score 130-123 and a performance that the Clippers should have expected.
So there you have it, while the first round of the playoffs was interesting enough, the conference semis look like they're going to be electric.
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