76ers shock Celtics
Three points and then I’ll be done. First, Andre Iquodala! Who knew? After a dismal 1^st half and a lousy 3^rd quarter, Iquodala came to life in the 4^th quarter and carried the 76ers to a shocking Game 4 victory to even their series with Boston at two. As someone who’s been as hard on Iquodala as anyone since he signed that massive contract, it was nice to see him step into the superhero role last night. Even better, it was nice to see him earn all that money he’s being paid in such a critical game. I’ve always criticized Iquodala for thinking he’s a superstar and carrying himself like one on the court to the detriment of the team. On Friday night, he played the role of superstar perfectly. The big three to tie the game with three minutes left, the crucial fade away at the elbow to give Philly a two point lead, and of course, the dagger corner three to seal the deal were all Kobe-esque. It was Philadelphia’s most clutch basketball performance since Allen Iverson clowned Tyron Lue in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals.

Second, the Celtics are dumb. When they play with urgency and intensity, the 76ers can’t compete. Yet, for whatever reason, the Celtics continue to either show up late or check out early in the NBA Playoffs. Friday night looked an awful lot like the Celtics Game 6 against Atlanta in the 1^st round. Only this time, the 76ers made the Celtics pay and stole a huge game. Even worse for Boston, the series is now guaranteed to go six and possibly seven games. Had the Celtics closed out Game 4, they’d be heading to Boston for Game 5 with a 3-1 lead. It’s unlikely the 76ers win an elimination game in Boston. As a result, the Celtics would have extended time to rest and get healthy while the Pacers and Heat continue their rugby match. Instead, the Celtics won’t have any extended down time between series, if they even advance at all.

Third, the Celtics are playing with fire. They had the 76ers right where they wanted them after Game 3; dejected with no confidence. You could see early in Game 4 the 76ers accepted the fact that the Celtics were simply the better team. While Philly never quit, the swagger they had after Game 2 was long gone. By collapsing in Game 4, the Celtics gave it all back and then some. Young teams are unpredictable.  When you beat them down, they’re likely to go away. However, when you hand them a win in dramatic fashion, the ensuing life/confidence/belief becomes contagious. Three days ago the 76ers believed they could compete in this series. As of 12 hours ago, the 76ers believe they can win this series. That’s a big problem for the decrepit and inconsistent Celtics.

Lakers win Game 3
I got a little wordy in my excitement about the 76ers, so let’s make this quick and to the point. What’s going through the heads of the Thunder? Are they thinking they’re still the better team after losing a close Game 3. Or, are they questioning themselves after coming oh-so-close to losing two games in row? If it weren’t for a Laker collapse, this is a 2-1 series in favor of Los Angeles. It’s popular to crown the Thunder the victor in this series and argue the Lakers only won Game 3 out of desperation and with a huge assist from the officials. Not quite. (Ok, so the huge assist from the officials is accurate. In fact, it probably equaled 10 assists.)

Regardless, I still believe the Lakers have outplayed the Thunder for the better part of the last two games, and that’s without Andrew Bynum or Paul Gasol dominating. Game 3 was a vintage Kobe Bryant performance. He gutted the Lakers to that win. Also, there’s a reason the Thunder has struggled from the field in the last two games. Los Angeles has been physical with the Thunder’s big three and the Thunder doesn’t have a role player to spark the team off the bench. (James Harden is not a role player.)

I’m not ready to declare the Thunder in trouble, but I’m willing to accept Charles Barkley may have been right all along; the Thunder can’t win a title shooting jumpers.

Heat gets beat down
I should spend time congratulating the Pacers and acknowledging how well they battled to win Game 3. But that’s not as fun as railing on the struggling Heat.

To be honest, I feel a little bad for Miami. It’s never fun to watch a team compete without one of its important pieces. While it’s fun to make fun of Chris Bosh and discuss how little he’s done in Miami, it’s impossible to argue the Heat don’t miss him. Without Bosh, Miami has only three to four reliable players. Last night, the Heat had just three; LeBron James, Mario Chalmers, and Ronny Turiaf/Mike Miller who combined to equal one decent player. Notice Dwyane Wade missing from that list?

That’s right, DWade, one of the gutsiest competitors in the NBA, has apparently stooped to an agitated grump as his athleticism declines. If you’ve watched Wade at all this season, it’s clear the wear and tear of his Allen Iverson-esque reckless abandon has started to catch up with his body. While he’s still one of the NBA’s best players, he can’t take over a game whenever he wants and single-handedly decimate a defense by attacking the rim anymore. What’s worse, he’s compensated for his declining athleticism by becoming a bully and quite frankly, a word that rhymes with bassmole.

In early April, Wade gave Rip Hamilton an intentional forearm shiver that sent Hamilton to the floor. It was an ejection worthy offense but Wade only got a technical foul. In Game 2, Wade lazily threw a shoulder into Darren Collison as Collison drove to the rim for a breakaway lay up. Wade should’ve been ejected. It was a dirtier play than Jason Smith’s body check on Blake Griffin earlier in the year. Of course, Wade was not ejected.

In Game 3, Wade had perhaps his worst postseason performance; 5 points on 2/13 shooting and 5 turnovers. Miami head coach Eric Spoelstra at one point was unimpressed with Wade’s shot selection and let Wade know about it. Wade responded by trying to get at Spoelstra as if he was an opposing power forward that tried to decapitate Wade in the paint. It was pathetic.

I understand emotions are high in the playoffs, but Wade is a Finals MVP. He’s supposedly the leader of the Miami Heat. Leaders rally their teams. They don’t attack coaches. Leader’s put forth effort on the floor, regardless of the score. Wade quit early in the 4^th quarter Thursday night. He lingered on the offensive end to complain about non-calls. He closed out on shooters with the urgency of an offensive lineman at a vegan buffet. He didn’t talk to his teammates. He kept to himself and pouted.

I love Wade, but I can’t remember a more appalling performance from an NBA superstar. Yes, they all have awful games, but when they do, the great ones find other ways to contribute. Two years ago, Tim Duncan scored only 8 points on 4/23 shooting against the Pacers but grabbed 26 rebounds. Even when Kobe Bryant struggles offensively, he asserts himself defensively. Wade simply gave up.

If the Heat hopes to even advance to the conference finals, they’ll need their leader to get his head right. Or, they could simply find a new leader. Perhaps the other Miami superstar who, despite an off night, was still hustling, grabbing rebounds, and attacking the Pacer defense long after the game was decided is an option? If ever the time was right, it’s now. LeBron James must take over this team.

Spurs win big, again (As seen by my brother, Derek)
The Spurs came flying out of the gates in Game 2. They moved the ball as well as they had in the Utah series and quickly built a 15 point lead. However, the Spurs starters watched as their 2nd unit let that lead slide all the way down to 4 by the end of the half. As a Spurs fan, the question was why?

1. Were they showing a Celtic-like response of growing complacent with a big lead? No. Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan never let this happen.  [Editor’s Note: Duncan admitted post-game the Spurs lost focus a bit. This is why Pop admitted earlier in the spring that he thinks big leads early in the 1^st half are a problem because the team tends to lose its aggressiveness and there’s too much time for the opponent to bounce back.]

2. Did the Clippers finally figure out how to beat the Spurs? No. The Spurs began losing the lead when their jumpers stopped falling. They moved the ball just as well as they did when they built the lead, but this time the shots didn’t stick. And in non-Spurs fashion, the 2nd unit panicked. Manu started driving uncontrollably and either turning the ball over or putting up bad shots. The other guys started forcing the issue instead of continuing to work the ball around in order to find the open shot. Even when the starters came back, this theme continued for the rest of the half. The Spurs were lucky to hold a four point advantage at the break.

3. Did the Clippers do anything well? Yes. Just like Game 1, the Clippers 2nd unit outplayed and outworked the Spurs’ 2nd unit. This is one area of concern for the Spurs moving forward. The likes of Eric Bledsoe, Nick Young, Kenyon Martin, and Mo Williams play a more physical style than the Spurs would prefer. Additionally, this unit can score in bunches if they get hot from three. Throw in the Spurs lack of shots in the second quarter, and the Clippers bench suddenly became a problem.

What was most encouraging was the Spurs response in the 2nd half. Going into the locker room, the Spurs players were mad. They didn’t need Pop to yell at them (though he probably did) because they were mad at themselves. Look back at Manu’s halftime interview and you will see what the team’s mentality was. They were disappointed with their level of play and vowed to do something about it. This is what makes the Spurs great. They inspire and hold one another accountable. They point the finger of blame where it belongs and are not afraid to respond.

And respond is probably the best description for the Spurs second half. The ball started swinging once again and the shots started falling. Before the Clippers knew what hit them, they were already down double digits with no hope of recovery. This time, the Spurs 2nd unit maintained a double digit lead until the starters returned to finish off the discouraged Clippers.

What can we take away from this game?

1. Tony looked the same as he did in Game 1 until the forth quarter. He was clearly angry and began playing as he had all season. Hopefully this carries into Game 3.

2. Danny Green is becoming one of the Spurs most reliable shooters. He is consistently hitting 3’s at the most opportune times. He is fearless and showing championship mettle.

3. Kawhi Leonard, while not as offensively significant, is playing great defense all around. He is swarming Chris Paul and anyone else in front of him.

4. Gary Neal found his stroke in the 3rd quarter. He is going to be key whenever that 2nd unit comes in because he can create his own shot and facilitate for others.

5. Blake Griffin is improving as the games go on. He is hitting more jumpers and sinking his shots from the stripe. Unfortunately, he is still in over his head. He can’t keep Duncan or Boris Diaw out of the lane, and doesn’t have the skill set to get past the Spurs solid defense. Having said that, I think this series will go a long way in Griffin becoming a better all-around player.

6. Vinny Del Negro is a decent coach, but trying to go against Pop is really making him look bad. Hopefully he doesn’t get fired because of this series.

7. Chris Paul must be really injured. Yes, the Spurs are playing good defense, but his play is very uncharacteristic right now. He doesn’t have that killer attitude and he is turning the ball over way too much. It will be interesting to see if some home cooking will get him going once again.

[My thoughts: The Spurs need their bench to play at a high level to succeed as the playoffs continue. It may not be an issue against the Clippers, but it’ll certainly matter if the Spurs move on to face the Thunder. Yes, the Thunder bench is nothing spectacular. However, the Thunder big three are all under 25 years of age. The Spurs big three are all 30+ now. The Thunder can and will throw their stars on the floor for 40-45 minutes a night in big games. The Spurs can do this too, but the toll on the older bodies would limit the Spurs over the long haul. Therefore, it’s imperative the bench extends or at the very least, maintains leads when on the floor to allow Pop to continue to use his aging stars sparingly and to keep them fresh as they make their title run. The first six quarters of this series were a disappointment for the Spurs bench. Thankfully, the last two look to have changed that trend. Hopefully that continues.]

Lakers, Kobe Bryant choke
Choke. It sounds harsh, but that’s the only way to describe the final minutes of Game 2 on Wednesday night. With just under two minutes remaining in the 4^th quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers had a five point lead and possession. Then the wheels came off.

First, Kobe Bryant carelessly lobbed a pass right into Kevin Durant’s hands. Easy layup for Durant. Right after that, Kobe allowed a Steve Blake pass to sail right through his hands and out of bounds. Thunder ball again. After getting a stop, the Lakers foolishly went to Kobe again (0-3 in the quarter and missing badly, too). This time, Kobe took an off-balance fade away that was tightly contested and partially blocked by James Harden. Thunder ball. Harden attacked the rim for an easy lay in to put the Thunder down one. 56 seconds to go.

On the Lakers ensuing possession, it became painfully clear why Mike Brown has never been known for his offensive schemes. The Lakers were fumbling over themselves as Metta World Peace clumsily charged into the lane and lost the ball. On a fortunate bounce (or roll) the ball ended up in Kobe’s hands with six seconds on the shot clock. Drive to the rim and force a foul? Nah. Dribble drive and pull up for a 12 footer? No thanks. Rush a three even though there’s enough time to create a better opportunity? Sure, why not? Brick. Durant would then give the Thunder the lead on a sweet runner over Bynum. Finally, came the Lakers dumbest possession of all.

If you have the two biggest, most talented big men in the series who dominated the offensive glass for most of the night, wouldn’t it make sense to take the potential game-winning shot with enough time on the clock to allow for a potential tip-in or second opportunity? I understand not scoring too early and giving OKC another chance, but having Kobe dribble around until only six seconds remained while knowing OKC had a foul to give was beyond stupid. You have to force the Thunder to use that final foul before there’s only five seconds left.

Instead of Kobe attacking and breaking down the defense to free up Gasol or Bynum on the offensive boards, Kobe got fouled on the floor with five seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Lakers found Steve Blake open for three. He promptly bricked it and the Lakers lost. 0 points over the final two minutes. Outscored 8-0. Two ugly turnovers. And Bynum and Gasol didn’t touch the ball once on the offensive end. I don’t know who to blame more: Kobe Bryant for his horrible play/decisions or Mike Brown for allowing it to happen. Either way, the Lakers won’t win this series. You can’t blow opportunities like that in the playoffs and hope to survive. Just ask the Memphis Grizzlies.

My favorite part of those closing minutes was Kobe Bryant’s angered look that Steve Blake took the Lakers final shot. Listen, I love Kobe as a competitor. He’s truly special. But come on, Blake’s corner three was the best shot the Lakers had seen in the last two minutes. We always criticize LeBron for deferring to open teammates in these situations but is it any better to dominate the ball and force shots like Kobe did Wednesday night? Sure, you could make the “at least you lose with your best player taking the shots” argument, but that argument is fatally flawed when most of those shots never had a chance of going in. We rip LeBron for the dumbest things sometimes and let Kobe off easy because he has rings.

As for the Thunder, this is what makes them so beatable. In Game 1, the Thunder couldn’t miss. They were on fire and therefore unstoppable. But, as Charles Barkley loves to say, “You live by the jumper you die by the jumper.” Game 2 was evidence of that. The Thunder struggled immensely from the field, scoring only 29 2^nd half points. When the Thunder’s shots are not falling, they can’t do anything offensively. There’s no inside force to throw the ball to for an easy bucket. Transition baskets are few and far between in the postseason. That leaves the Thunder with only one option; keep shooting. While that strategy worked against the equally inept Laker offense, it’ll be hard for the Thunder offense to keep pace with a team like the San Antonio Spurs if the two were to meet in the conference finals.

Celtics crush 76ers
Wednesday night’s thumping was a big brother win. It reestablished the pecking order in the series and reminded the younger, spryer 76ers that winning one game doesn’t make you a champion.

The 76ers received a lot of attention and hype following their Game 2 victory in Boston. On Tuesday alone, I encountered Andre Iquodala on a podcast and two TV shows, including PTI. Iquodala didn’t say anything outrageous, but he did mention how confident the young 76ers were and he didn’t shy away from his success in shutting down Paul Pierce. If the Celtics were looking for some motivation, the excessive attention surrounding the 76ers the last two days certainly provided it. In fact, Game 3 was more of what I expected from the Celtics all along. Their overall lack of effort/interest/urgency in the first two games of this series was almost shameful, but that all changed Wednesday night.

From the opening tip the Celtics were aggressive. Rajon Rondo continually attacked the rim, finishing with 13 points in the opening quarter. Pierce also torched the 76ers early, including two thunderous dunks from the hobbled star. Yet, despite Boston’s hot start, the 76ers still led after one quarter. I thought we might have ourselves a nice game. I was wrong. Boston went on to outscore the 76ers 61-33 over the next two quarters. Kevin Garnett went into beast mode and completely decimated the Philadelphia defense. They simply couldn’t stop him. Rondo continued his aggressive play in attacking the paint and finding open teammates when the defense collapsed. It was a vintage Celtics performance.

If one were to simply look at the box score, they’d naturally assume the 76ers came out flat and took their Game 2 victory for granted. While the 76ers were far from perfect, they weren’t awful. The Celtics were just better. Philadelphia can only compete in this series if it’s a dogfight. When clicking, the Celtics offense is too much for the 76ers to match. It’s no secret Philadelphia struggles to score. It’ll be nearly impossible for the young 76ers to win any postseason game that requires them to score 90+ points.

Although Boston is known for its defense, its greatest advantage in this series is its offense. If the Celtics assert themselves offensively and force the 76ers to keep up, the 76ers will take themselves out of the game due to their inability to consistently score. Not that it really matters, though. Game 3 was a statement game by the Celtics. The younger brother got a little too confident after stealing a victory when big brother lost focus. Wednesday night’s drubbing re-established the Celtics as the alpha male in this series. If Boston keeps that mentality, there’s nothing the 76ers can do except watch and learn.

Pacers hold on to even series
This series forces me to watch two types of basketball I don’t particularly enjoy. On the one side, you have Miami. The Heat relies entirely on two superstars… for everything. Defense, scoring, creating, rebounding; LeBron James and Dwyane Wade must do it all or it won’t get done. Outside of Mario Chalmers’ two points, Wade and LeBron scored all of Miami’s points in the 4^th quarter and 31 of the team’s 37 2^nd half points. You don’t win championships when you rely exclusively on two players. Let’s not pretend the Chris Bosh injury is absolutely devastating, either. Does it hurt Miami? Of course. Bosh is a very talented forward, but he, along with every other Heat player, disappears in crunch time. It’s LeBron and Wade or bust for Miami.

The Pacers are the polar opposite; a team built on balance where each player has a role and the team only succeeds if each player is executing and performing adequately. Unfortunately, the Pacers lack a go-to performer who will carry the team in crunch time. Therefore, where the Heat stands around and watches LeBron and Wade go one-on-one, the Pacers stand around and wonder who will take the big shot. While neither structure is ideal for a team with title hopes, if I had to choose, I’d go with the superstars. Here’s why.

Although the Pacers left Miami with a tied series, the Heat could have easily been up 2-0 had Wade converted an easy layup and LeBron and Wade not struggled down the stretch. You can credit Indiana’s defense if you’d like. I believe they had a role in LeBron and Wade’s struggles, but both players still got the shots they wanted in almost every scenario. They simply couldn’t connect. Superstars win close games more often than not.

On the other hand, credit the Pacers for not backing down and for not bowing at the throne of LeBron and Wade. The Pacers have been more physical and irreverent to Miami’s powerful duo than any team outside of Boston. While I don’t think it rattles Wade or LeBron, it does send a message to the rest of Miami’s roster while also making Wade and LeBron aware they’ll have to work for every inch in this series.

I think the Pacers best shot at winning this series right now is to run their offense through David West. He’s their most reliable player. He’s been in these situations before. The pressure isn’t too big for him. More importantly, he can exploit the weak interior defense of the Heat (except for those times when LeBron is on him).

I also think it’s important the Pacers go back to Miami up 3-1, because I can’t see them closing out the series in a Game 7 in Miami. Winning three in a row against such a tough defensive team with two of the league’s top five players is a daunting task. One I don’t think the Pacers can accomplish. However, if they continue to be physical and force LeBron and Wade to fight for every shot, they’ll have a decent chance.

After Indiana’s Game 2 victory, David West was adamant about getting his teammates off the floor as quickly as possible. He didn’t want them celebrating over a single win. The Pacers have higher goals, goals that require three more victories. At the very least, the Pacers have their heads in the right place.

Spurs overcome rust to top Clippers
If someone told you Tony Parker would score only seven points and the Spurs would still win by 18, you’d tell them to put their money where their mouth is. And you’d have lost your shirt. In another showing of how talented and deep the Spurs are; Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard stepped in to fill the scoring void left by Parker.

I’m not going to get over excited about one game, but the Spurs did some things that make the Clippers outlook in this series very bleak. First of all, the Spurs struggled mightily at times to execute offensively and still scored 108 points. Turnovers were rampant for the Spurs. For a team that is one of the NBA’s best at protecting the ball, it was clear San Antonio was having difficulty adjusting to the speed and aggressiveness of the Clippers. Expect those turnovers to be eliminated moving forward.

Second, the Spurs exploited the Clippers big men on both ends. Defensively, the Spurs protected the rim and forced Blake Griffin, Kenyon Martin, and DeAndre Jordan to take jumpers. Not one of them is capable of consistently knocking down jumpers. Offensively, the Spurs exploited the Clippers inability to play sound team defense by consistently finding an open Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan, or Leonard for easy points in the paint. Reggie Evans, the Clippers unsung hero in Round 1, played eight minutes, totaling 3 boards, 2 turnovers, and 4 fouls to go along with 0 points. Evans is a bully. The Clippers need brains to win this series.

Third, the Spurs still scored at critical times without Tony Parker leading the way. Did Parker play a leading role in creating offense and distributing? Certainly, but for a team that relied so heavily on Parker in the regular season, it must be comforting for the team to know that even on an off night for Parker, the Spurs have the horses to hang 100+ points on an opponent in the postseason.

If there was one glaring weakness for the Spurs outside of the turnovers, it was their bench. Gary Neal, Stephen Jackson, Matt Bonner, and Tiago Splitter struggled when on the floor as a unit. Los Angeles’ bench used their quickness to attack the Spurs second unit and on two separate occasions erased double digit leads. Splitter especially looked nervous and out of whack.

As the series moves on it’ll be interesting to see how the Clippers respond. San Antonio clearly made it a point to not allow Chris Paul any room to operate. This could be a fatal blow for Los Angeles. Paul is their offense. Without him, they’ll struggle to get easy baskets and execute in the half court. As well as Eric Bledsoe played in Game 1 it still wasn’t enough to carry the Clipper offense. Until the Clippers find a way to free up Paul, this series will be an enormous struggle for Los Angeles.

76ers win Game 2 in ugly fashion
First things first, the 76ers deserved to win Game 2. Despite an awful offensive performance, they outworked the Celtics for 48 minutes. The 76ers aren’t as talented or as experienced as Boston, but after two games, they’ve proven they have more heart. They’re fearless, too. Jrue Holiday’s step back three to give the 76ers a two point lead with 1:57 left in the 4^th quarter was Kobe-esque. For a franchise starving for a real star, Holiday’s swagger and confidence to bounce back after a dismal performance in Game 1 to take such a huge shot is a promising sign.

Philadelphia should also be encouraged that the two future building blocks of their franchise were the ones carrying the 76ers in those closing minutes. The aforementioned Holiday three gave the 76ers a lead after Boston fought back to regain it. Then, two possessions after a Ray Allen three gave Boston back the lead, Evan Turner darted in the lane for a pretty finish to give a one point advantage back the 76ers. From there, Philadelphia played excellent defense and closed out the win by going 6/6 from the free throw line.

In Game 1, the 76ers struggled to execute in crunch time. In Game 2, they hit big shots, sunk free throws, and suffocated the Celtics on the defensive end. Most importantly, the young 76ers didn’t back down. They didn’t panic. They didn’t fold. Holiday and Turner stood up to the big, bad Celtics and now go home tied at one with a realistic chance of winning the series.

As for Boston; what a joke. I’ve always liked this Celtics team, but their 2012 playoff performance has been disappointing. Other than the Lakers, no other playoff team takes as many nights off as the Celtics. In Game 1, they lollygagged around and waited until the 4^th quarter to finish off the 76ers. In Game 2, they jumped on the young 76ers early and then relaxed until midway through the 4^th quarter. Only this time, the 76ers fought back. For every right the Celtics landed, the 76ers came back with a left. Philadelphia wouldn’t go away.

Boston, in their arrogance, thought they could just finish off the 76ers when the time came. They were wrong. If the Celtics want to reach the conference finals, they’ll need to play more than a quarter of inspired basketball. If they need a model of how to play, they can look out on the floor. The 76ers have going all out down pat.

Thunder crush Lakers
Where are the Denver Nuggets? Is it too late to re-instate them back into the playoffs? How many more nights are the Lakers going to take off before the organization starts docking their pay?

The Lakers should be embarrassed. Sure, the Thunder played extremely well, but the Lakers also checked out. And what about Matt Barnes? Does he still play or did he retire? If this is how this series is going to play out, Mike Brown deserves to be fired, Andrew Bynum deserves a kick to the groin from Kobe, and Pau Gasol deserves a pay cut.

I mean seriously, were the Lakers even going to try to disrupt the Thunder offense? Maybe get a little physical? Force the Thunder to put the ball on the floor? Perhaps attack them on the defensive end? Are the Lakers headed for their second consecutive 2^nd round sweep? That’s a lot of questions. Let’s hope most of them get answered. I’d like an interesting series.

Also, the Thunder is really good.

Celtics rally to take Game 1
The 76ers played well enough to steal Game 1 in Boston. Unfortunately, they let the opportunity slip away with dismal shooting in the 4^th quarter. In addition to lousy shooting, the 76ers showed their inexperience. They took poor shots, struggled to move the ball, and looked lost defensively. On the other hand, even when the 76ers imposed their will earlier in the game, it never felt like they would win. The Celtics were just waiting for the right time to exert themselves.

The reality of this series is the Celtics will do what they want and the 76ers will struggle to stop them. Boston is too experienced. They know what to do in nearly every situation while the 76ers are essentially learning on the fly. Down the stretch in Game 1, the 76ers had Lou Williams hoisting fall-away threes from the corner and Evan Turner trying to create space in the lane for contested jumpers. Conversely, the Celtics had Kevin Garnett squaring up from the elbow and Paul Pierce attacking the lane. That’s two sure-fire Hall of Famers taking the decisive shots for Boston while Philadelphia relied on a 2^nd year point forward and a career irrational confidence guy off the bench (credit to Bill Simmons).

The 76ers played solid D, shot well, established their transition game, and scored easy buckets. Aside from an extended shooting slump in the 4^th quarter, Philadelphia played about as well as they can play. The Celtics are simply better, smarter, and more experienced. This is a learning experience for the 76ers and an extended practice session for the Celtics.

If the 76ers have any hope of making this series interesting, it’s that the Celtics have lost focus at times against lesser opponents (Games 1 and 6 vs. Atlanta). It also doesn’t hurt Philadelphia’s chances that Boston is an injury away from completely falling apart. They’re already walking wounded while the 76ers are almost completely healthy.

After only one game, the series is hardly over, but I’m not expecting the 76ers to do much more than learn throughout the series. As they demonstrated in Game 1, the Celtics know how to win. I’m not sure there’s much the 76ers can do to stop them.

Lakers survive Nuggets, face Thunder
No team had a better first round than the Denver Nuggets, and that includes the eight teams that actually advanced. The Nuggets went toe-to-toe with Goliath and had Goliath running for his life before he remembered he was bigger and stronger.

Denver’s nucleus is in place. It’s a good one, too. George Karl and his team will certainly use this experience to build on. Even in defeat, Karl confirmed he has a budding star in Ty Lawson, a unique and powerful force inside in Kenneth Faried, and one of the NBA’s deepest teams with young talent like Aaron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Corey Brewer, and JaVale McGee (if he’s retained). The future is bright in Denver. Considering it’s been only 14 months since the organization shipped its franchise player out of town, that’s quite a turnaround.

As for the Lakers, we’ll soon learn what Game 7 meant to them. Was it one of those games when a team “finds itself”? Or, were the Lakers using their size and power out of necessity and desperation? What version of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum will the Lakers get in the next round; the Games 5 and 6 version, or Game 7?

While I credit both players for having an exceptional game 7, I don’t understand why they needed a reminder to play with urgency and determination. Isn’t this the playoffs? Bynum could control any game he wanted. Instead, he drifts in and out of focus and forces Kobe Bryant to carry the load. The same is true for Gasol, except when Gasol loses focus, he can’t be found anywhere near the rim, which, you know, is kind of a problem for your power forward.

All in all, the Lakers survived Denver despite a lackadaisically effort at times and an identity crisis. Kobe is undeniably the team’s heartbeat. That doesn’t make him the Lakers ticket to success, though. That title goes to Gasol and Bynum. If that inside duo performs well, the Lakers have a favorable chance of advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in five seasons.

Clippers shock Grizzlies, advance to San Antonio
On Saturday I said I’d be shocked if the Clippers pulled out a Game 7 victory on the road. Sure enough, the Clippers found a way to fend off the bigger, stronger Grizzlies and advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.

The story of Sunday’s victory was Los Angeles’ bench. Starters like Blake Griffin and Caron Butler struggled mightily throughout the afternoon. After a strong start, even Chris Paul looked brutally bad in crunch time. And yet, it was during the 4^th quarter that the Clippers won the game and ultimately, the series.

If you had Mo Williams, Nick Young, Reggie Evans, Kenyon Martin, and Drew Bledsoe as the Clippers most effective 4^th quarter unit of a Game 7 on the road, then good call. If you’re like every one else, though, you’re probably dumbfounded. I still can’t process how the Los Angeles bench scored 25 of the Clippers 27 4^th quarter points. Or how Rudy Gay and Zack Randolph went M.I.A. in the biggest quarter of the season. Or how Mike Conley decided to play his worst game of the year on the team’s biggest day. Or how O.J. Mayo just decided to exit the series altogether after Game 2. There are just so many questions about what happened to this Grizzlies team that cannot be explained.

The order of blame, at least in my opinion, goes like this: 1. Lionel Hollins – He blew Game 1 and his team never fully recovered until they were in a 3-1 hole. He also could never get his team to do what they needed in crunch time. Either they don’t listen to him, or he’s an idiot. Neither is a good sign. 2. Marc Gasol/Zack Randolph – When the Grizzlies needed them most they were rarely there. Gasol struggled in Games 3 and 4, Randolph in Game 1. In a pivotal Game 7, Memphis was outrebounded after dominating the boards in Games 5 and 6. Offensively, neither player could stem the Clippers momentum by getting that gigantic bucket to stop the bleeding. Star players must be able to stop the bleeding. MUST. 3. Rudy Gay – Star players should also dominate a playoff series at certain times. Outside of his back-to-back threes in the closing seconds of Game 3, I can’t remember a single stretch where Gay dominated. 4. Memphis’ toughness – they were outworked and outhustled by a hungrier team. Even worse, a smaller, less talented team bullied the big, bad Grizzlies right out of the postseason.

As for the Clippers, it will take a monumental effort to take down the Spurs. Here are a few reasons why:
-       Chris Paul, whether due to injury or not, has looked very pedestrian in the last three games. His 4^th quarter performances in Games 6 and 7 were downright awful.
-       Los Angeles loves to play Reggie Evans during crunch time. Gregg Popovich isn’t afraid to intentionally send poor shooters to the charity stripe to ruin momentum and force a coach’s hand. Evans could find himself on the bench in crunch time as a result.
-       The Spurs bench is even deeper than Los Angeles’, so the Clippers will need consistently good outings from Nick Young and Mo Williams. That’s like asking Lindsay Lohan to be a model citizen.
-       I could go on, but I’d run out of space.

Heat take Game 1
The Pacers are significantly better than the Knicks and yet I feel the same way about this series as I did about the Knicks-Heat series in Round 1. The Heat are too good to lose four times to a team of nice players that lacks a legitimate superstar and crunch time scorer. In Game 1 on Sunday, the Pacers went blow for blow with the Heat for the first 40 minutes. Then, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade took over and the Pacers had no response. The game quickly got away from Indiana and they were left scrambling the rest of the way.

The Pacers are a nice team. They have strengths that will exploit Miami’s weaknesses. They’re tough and fearless, too. Those attributes should equate to a win or two in this series. Unfortunately, without a crunch time performer to go head-to-head with Miami’s superstars, I just don’t see the Pacers having a legitimate chance of winning. For the sake of my entertainment, I hope I’m wrong.

Grizzlies force Game 7
It’s hard to win a basketball game when you’re outrebounded by 16. Just ask the Los Angeles Clippers. They know. It’s also hard to lose a game when your opponent commits 20 turnovers to your 7. Again, just ask the Clippers. They know. It was simply one of those nights for the Clippers.

It’s hard to ignore the significance of this loss for the Clippers. This was essentially their Game 7. Going down to Memphis with a bruised Chris Paul and a battered Blake Griffin to take on a team that apparently has found its identity again isn’t an easy task. In fact, I’d be absolutely shocked if the Clippers found a way to win this series. Friday night was supposed to be their night, and it was, right up until the Clippers failed to corral a rebound with an 8 point lead and 7:56 remaining on the clock. Instead of gaining possession, Zack Randolph sunk a baby hook that cut the Los Angeles lead to 6. The Clippers would go on to make only one more field goal until Randy Foye’s three pointer with three seconds left finally went in. That’s right, the Clippers converted one field goal from the 8:30 mark of the 4^th quarter until :03 remained. It was ugly. Even Chris Paul couldn’t snap the Clippers out of their funk. In fact, Paul aided it, committing two costly turnovers, missing a free throw, and missing his only attempt after being re-inserted to the game around the seven minute mark of the 4^th quarter.

It wasn’t completely about the Clippers collapse, though. The Grizzlies, and especially, Randolph, exerted their will down the stretch. They were quicker to the rebounds, stronger in the paint, and executed cleanly while the Clippers were an absolute mess. Even Randolph’s three misses from the charity stripe in the final seconds couldn’t save the Clippers. The Clippers had a hard enough time figuring out how and when to foul.

If we learned anything from Game 6, it’s that 1. Zack Randolph, despite a knee injury, is still capable of taking over and dominating a playoff game. 2. The Grizzlies appear to have found their swagger again. They were physical and punishing inside the paint and their perimeter defense was the best it’s been all series. 3. Randolph and Marc Gasol are a nearly unstoppable duo. They combined for 41 points, 25 rebounds, and 4 blocks. 4. Vinny Del Negro really has no idea what he’s doing sometimes. He inexplicably allowed Griffin and Paul to rot on the bench as the Grizzlies effortlessly erased an eight point lead. What’s worse, his team failed to foul quickly enough in the closing seconds and got caught matching up twice. That’s just inexplicable this time of year. However, as bad as Del Negro was, Randy Foye still had the most boneheaded moment of all when he accidentally landed out of bounds with a huge defensive rebound that would have given the Clippers possession with 24 seconds left and trailing by four. Oops.

On the positive side, this isn’t the end for the Clippers. Though, it absolutely felt like it. Griffin and Paul get another 36 hours to rest and the Grizzlies return home with some added pressure to avoid an unexpected upset. The Grizzlies took advantage of a subpar Chris Paul effort on Friday night. They’d be foolish to expect another on Sunday afternoon.

(Also, I’ll take the Boston Celtics in 6. The 76ers need to run to have success. They’ll accomplish that in a couple of games, but not four.)

76ers advance past Bulls
I’m not sure why Games 5 and 6 of the 76ers/Bulls series were blacked out in my area, but they were. Probably has something to do with Comcast and DirecTV’s Montague-Capulet turf war. Needless to say, I was unable to catch the game live except for the final seconds of Game 6, which my brother kindly broadcasted to me via Apple Facetime. Since I didn’t watch, I’ll avoid recapping the game. Instead, I’ll do something I never, ever, not in a million years, thought I’d do; I’d like to thank Andre Iquodala.

I, like most Philadelphia basketball fans, haven’t been supportive of Iquodala for most of his tenure, and to some degree, rightfully so. The guy’s overpaid, thinks he’s a superstar when’s he barely a star, and he settles for horrible shots in decisive situations way too many times. Amazingly, with the 76ers down one and seconds ticking away in the 4^th quarter, Iquodala finally bagged the jump shot and attacked the rim like a bat out of hell, going coast to coast to draw a foul with two seconds remaining. Cool as ice, Iggy drained both free throws and put the 76ers into the 2^nd round of the NBA Playoffs.

Had Rajon Rondo in Game 5 of the Celtics-Hawks series on Tuesday night done what Iquodala did last night, the Celtics would have had Thursday night off. Had Mike Conley Jr. did what Iquodala did, the Clippers would be on the verge of elimination tonight, not the Grizzlies. It was a stellar play by Iquodala, one many NBA stars would never think to make or would be too afraid to try.

Say what you will about Iquodala, but he’s never been afraid. Not of pressure, not of the fans who relentlessly dog him, and especially not of having the ball in decisive moments. He’s not a superstar, but he’s a professional in every sense of the word. On Thursday night, he won the 76ers a playoff round for the first time since the other AI ruled the Philadelphia hardwood.

(Also, the closing minutes of Game 6 proved Gregg Popovich deserved Coach of the Year. The Bulls did everything wrong in those final seconds. Even the Spurs third string point guard knows better than to pass the ball to a subpar foul shooter in a situation like that. Besides, what was Omer Asik doing on the floor anyway? The 76ers were obviously going to foul.)

Celtics outlast Hawks, advance to round two
It took me a few minutes to process what I was watching Thursday night. The Celtics had a nine point lead late in the 4^th quarter. The Hawks looked finished in what would be a disappointing end to another season of untapped potential. Then, everything went backwards.

Al Horford decided he wasn’t ready for it to be over. Horford scored 8 of the Hawks next 12 points, played lock-down defense, and physically took over the game. Atlanta executed their offense to perfection and smothered the Celtics on the defensive end. Conversely, Boston, in very un-Celtic fashion, looked panicked. They surrendered uncontested dunks and layups and looked completely out of sync offensively. Kevin Garnett bricked two jumpers he normally drains, Rajon Rondo inexplicably traveled with an easy layup in front of him, neither Paul Pierce nor Ray Allen could connect, and even Doc Rivers paced the sideline like he had no idea what was happening. The Celtics were in disarray. Losing would mean a Game 7 in Atlanta against a team with renewed life and confidence.

Then, in typical Atlanta Hawks fashion, the Hawks fell apart. After Horford took over and gave Atlanta a three point lead, he didn’t touch the ball on the Hawks next three possessions. (Shockingly, the Hawks didn’t score on those possessions.) Atlanta’s failure to stretch their lead allowed the Celtics to compose themselves and retake the lead on a Garnett jumper. After Ray Allen shockingly missed a free throw, the Hawks still had a final chance to tie or take the lead. After again ignoring Horford on their first inbound attempt, the Hawks finally went to their big man in the closing seconds. Horford drew a foul and went to the free throw line for two shots with his team down two.

BRICK. Horford missed the first and inexplicably made the second. (There were only two seconds left. The Hawks had no timeouts. Did they think a full court heave had a better chance of connecting than grabbing an offensive rebound for a put-back? Oh yeah, I forgot, they’re the Atlanta Hawks.)

It’s tough to blame Horford for the loss when he gave the Hawks a late lead before they ignored him for two solid minutes. Still, his offseason just got a lot less relaxing. I’m sure every time he sits down over the next few months, regardless of where he’s at, he’ll think about clanking that first free throw off the rim. Hordford is a two time NCAA champion. He knows how to win and what it takes. He’s the only Atlanta Hawk with the stones to get it done. Players like that don’t shrug off failure. It motivates them. I feel bad for Al Horford, but it’ll be fun to see him healthy and hungry in the fall.

And so the Celtics move on. On the same night the Hawks dominated a significant stretch of the 4^th quarter, the Celtics looked lost and completely flustered. It was hard to process. Fittingly, Grey’s Anatomy (my wife borrowed the TV for a stretch) ended with a plane crash that looked an awful lot like LOST. Again, everything was backwards. It was just one of those nights.

Nuggets force Game 7
Kobe Bryant, despite a stomach bug that left him fatigued and dehydrated, was the only motivated Laker on the floor in Game 6. Apparently, he’ll have to eliminate the Nuggets on his own because his teammates have not shown any interest in contributing over the past two games. Bryant scored 31 points on 57% shooting on Thursday night while Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol combined for 14 points on 24% shooting. Bynum did grab 16 rebounds, but Gasol was downright awful.

Remember four years ago when Gasol terrorized the Spurs in the 2008 Western Conference Finals? Or what about when Gasol carried the Lakers to the 2010 title? What happened to that Pau Gasol? Sure, he’s older, but he’s not that old. Gasol has one double-double in this series – a measly 13 and 10 in Game 2. Gasol and Bynum were supposed to be the Lakers ticket to advancing past the Nuggets. In the Lakers three losses in the series, Bynum and Gasol have been outplayed by JaVale McGee, Timofey Mozgov, and Kenneth Faried. Read that sentence again. What?!?!?

Game 7 will obviously tell us a great deal about the Lakers. Are they a championship contender simply being lazy in the first round? Or, are they a good team that can’t consistently play at the level necessary to survive the playoffs? One thing is for sure, aside from Kobe, the Lakers lack maturity (Bynum) and depth (every Laker not named Kobe Bryant). The return of Metta World Peace will undoubtedly improve the Lakers chances. As big of a nutcase as World Peace is, he can still frustrate great offensive players with success.

In fairness to the underwhelming play of Bynum and Gasol, the Nuggets were spectacular in Game 6. Ty Lawson was as dominant as he was during North Carolina’s title run in 2009, scoring 32 points on 5/6 shooting from three with 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 0 turnovers. Corey Brewer was equally impressive off the bench and Faried’s energy and athleticism continues to harass the Lakers big men. Again, the Nuggets were spectacular. They know how to beat this Lakers team. More importantly, they know they CAN beat this Lakers team.

Do the Nuggets have any idea how difficult it will be to eliminate Kobe Bryant in a Game 7 in Los Angeles? Probably not, but that’s what’s great about being such a young team; ignorance is bliss. The Nuggets know they’re good enough to win this series. They know they can win in LA. They’ll soon learn what it takes to win a Game 7 on the road.

[Editor’s Note: As my three readers probably noticed, I didn’t post a Day 11 update. My apologies. I was too dejected from the Flyers choking their way out of the NHL Playoffs.]

Heat move to round two, Knicks in circles
The Miami Heat effortlessly removed the New York Knicks from the playoffs Wednesday night behind another impressive LeBron James performance. I’ve said all along this series wouldn’t be competitive, and aside from Miami sleep walking through Game 4, it wasn’t.

The Knicks just weren’t any good. Offensively, they were a one-man show. Carmelo Anthony is a fantastic scorer, but he’s not a great player. Great players make those around them better. As Charles Barkley said on TNT early Thursday morning, “Carmelo’s never made any of his teammates better.” You can put up gaudy stats, get a max contract and countless endorsement opportunities by being a star in the NBA, but none of those things translate to winning. Lifting up your team is how you win. Chris Paul single-handedly turned the Clippers into a playoff team. Tim Duncan built the Spurs into a perennial contender. Even LeBron James has unquestionably gotten the best from his teammates. Carmelo? He’s a one-trick pony. I’m not even sure he cares about winning.

Following New York’s Game 5 defeat, Carmelo was laughing and smiling during interviews. He talked about the Knicks competing next season. Really? Remember when Kevin Durant and the Thunder fell in a hard-fought six game series to the defending and eventual champion Lakers in 2010? Durant was devastated. “No moral victories. Losing is losing,” were Durant’s words. Carmelo was just eliminated in five games from a series that wasn’t even competitive. He doesn’t care, though. You know why? Because he got his. He proved he’s an elite scorer. He proved he’s all the Knicks have. Well, congratulations to you, Carmelo Anthony. You’ve never been, nor will you ever be, a true NBA superstar. You’re a rich man’s Monta Ellis. Nothing more.

(While I’m not going to get too carried away after a mightily impressive round one performance, I’m going to keep an eye on LeBron James. He looks different this year. He’s been more assertive and less submissive to Dwyane Wade (in a healthy way). As great as Wade is, the Heat can only win an NBA title with LeBron leading the way. Again, it’s only round one. He’s dominated early in the playoffs before. We’ll see if this is just another stellar performance when the stakes are low, or if this is the beginning of LeBron’s significantly delayed rise to legendary status.)

Grizzlies pound their way to Game 6
While it inexplicably took a few games, Memphis finally returned to its bread and butter for the 1^st half of Game 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Zack Randolph was a beast in the 1^st quarter, scoring 15 points while grabbing 5 rebounds. Marc Gasol was equally as effective in leading the Grizzlies with 23 points. Their efforts, combined with Chris Paul’s struggles, catapulted the Grizzlies to a 15 point halftime lead that would swell to 24 late in the 3^rd quarter. Then it all nearly fell apart, again.

After combining for 14 field goals in the 1^st half, Randolph and Gasol totaled zero in the 2^nd half, scoring only from the free throw line (7 points combined). In related news, the Clippers once again eliminated a huge Memphis lead in the 4^th quarter, this time cutting a 24 point lead down to six before the wheels fell off. Is it a coincidence the Grizzlies struggle when they ignore their physical duo inside? Not at all. When the Grizzlies fall in love with jump shots or dancing around the perimeter, they essentially neuter themselves. The Clippers are not a good defensive team. They can’t contain both Gasol and Randolph. Because both players were successful and efficient in the 1^st half, the Clippers couldn’t establish their transition offense and struggled immensely to score. Does it make sense that Memphis too often ignores its greatest assets, especially since those assets expose Los Angeles’ weakness? Uh, no. To put it nicely, Lionel Hollins is making a fool of himself in this series.

After blowing a 27 point lead to lose Game 1, Hollins and the Grizzlies were on pace to do the same in Game 5. If it weren’t for a 1/10 4^th quarter shooting stretch by the Clippers, this series would probably be over. (And please don’t credit the Grizzlies defense for that awful stretch. The Clippers continually got great looks and just couldn’t bury them.) I honestly don’t know if Hollins outsmarts himself, he mentally checks out in the 4^th quarter, or if his team just blatantly ignores him. Regardless, it’s amazing how bad the Grizzlies have been in crunch time. Before four charity points from the free throw line, Memphis scored only 11 points in the 4^th quarter Wednesday night. They looked panicked, taking poor shots early in the shot clock and not allowing the offense to run through their bigs as they successfully did in the 1^st half. Perhaps it was fatigue or a sense of complacency due to a big lead, but Memphis lost its physical edge as the 2^nd half wore on, too. The Grizzlies went from diving on the ground for loose balls to watching Chris Paul and Mo Williams run roughshod through the Memphis defense.

Speaking of Chris Paul, it’s become painfully obvious the Grizzlies can’t win when Chris Paul is at his best. Luckily for the Grizzlies, Paul had a miserable 1^st half in Game 5. As the TNT crew pointed out, the Clippers offense is atrocious when Paul struggles. They can’t score without him. While that may be troubling for the Clippers heading to Los Angeles for Game 6, it bodes well for Memphis that Paul suffered a significant injury late in the 4^th quarter that rendered him useless with the ball. Combine Paul’s injury (a hip flexor) with Blake Griffin’s hyper-extended knee, and it’s likely the already thin Clippers must find a way to eliminate the Grizzlies shorthanded or at the very least, not completely healthy.

If Memphis weren’t so inconsistent and Lionel Hollins so lost, I’d guarantee a Memphis Game 6 victory. Instead, I’ll go with the Spurs exploiting either team’s plethora of weaknesses in the next round.

Spurs play poorly, still sweep Jazz
Prior to Monday night’s Game 4 series-clinching victory, the San Antonio Spurs had won 13 straight games dating back to April 12^th. In each of those 13 victories, the Spurs scored at least 102 points and won every game by double digits except two (the final games of the regular season in which the big three sat). San Antonio has been an offensive machine. It was only a matter of time before the machine took a night off. Monday was that night.

The Spurs shot a lousy 38% from the field and struggled from the free throw line until late in the 4^th quarter. Overall, the Spurs were outrebounded by 14 and surrendered 16 offensive rebounds to the aggressive Jazz, more than doubling San Antonio’s seven. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker combined to go 8/24 for 22 points with Duncan missing his last six shots after starting 4/4. Duncan and Parker both finished with a +/- rating of -13. It was an all-around brutal night for San Antonio’s starting unit, especially Parker and Duncan.

Amazingly, despite the starting unit’s struggles, the Spurs, thanks mostly to their deep bench, still managed to grind their way to a 21 point lead with six minutes left in the 4^th quarter. Though the lead would eventually be cut all the way down to four, it says something about your team when your two best players have an awful night in the playoffs and you’re still sitting on a 20 point lead in the 4^th quarter. I’m not sure the Spurs could have played much worse and it still would have taken an epic collapse for them to lose that game. Obviously, Utah won’t be confused with the Lakers, Thunder, or even the upstart Clippers, but they’re still a decent team.

Monday’s ugly win was also an encouraging win to Spurs fans for two reasons. First, the Jazz exploited the Spurs greatest weakness (interior size) and pummeled San Antonio all game long. Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson combined for 52 points, 39 rebounds, and 5 blocks. That three headed monster threw the Spurs around like rag dolls. And still, the Spurs prevailed.

Second, Manu Ginobili and the Spurs bench proved they’re essentially a second starting unit. Utah had no answers for Ginobili’s unique cuts to the basket or his inexplicable ability to always find the open shooter camped out behind the three point line. Ginobili, Matt Bonner, Gary Neal, Stephen Jackson, Tiago Splitter, and even DeJuan Blair for a short stretch carried the Spurs to a series sweep. They played so well I thought Gregg Popovich made a mistake when he inserted Duncan and Parker back into the game as the Jazz cut into the Spurs 4^th quarter lead.

The bench was San Antonio’s superior unit Monday night and Ginobili was the team’s best player. There are so many ways this team can win. That’s good news for the Spurs and bad news for their opponent in the conference semifinals.

Grizzlies pushed to brink by Clippers
I’m not sure what’s going on in this series, and it’s not because I’m not watching. It’s because I literally can’t figure out what the heck the Grizzlies are doing.

Marc Gasol was an all-star center this year. He took just four shots in Game 4. In fact, he’s been underused all series, taking 10 attempts in Game 1, 9 in Game 2, and only 5 in Game 3. I know Gasol hasn’t been playing at the same level he was for most of the season, but geez, he’s not Josh McRoberts. Give the guy the ball and let him pound on the Clippers. Of course, it doesn’t help that Zach Randolph is playing on a bum knee and is only about 60% of what he was last postseason. Regardless, Memphis’ size and brute strength is their greatest asset and somehow they’re letting the Clippers bully them out of this series.

Here’s what Memphis needs to do to turn this series around. First, they need to stop falling in love with jump shots. Between Gasol, Rudy Gay, Tony Allen, Maurice Speights, and even a hobbled Randolph, the Grizzlies have the size and strength to finish at the basket. While the Clippers also have decent size in the frontcourt, they’re not especially great defensively. DeAndre Jordan’s basketball IQ would equate to single digits on the NFL’s Wonderlic Test, Blake Griffin is a foul machine, Kenyon Martin is block happy, and Reggie Evans is just a brute. All Evans does is get under the skin of the opponent and rebound (both valuable in the postseason), so he can be exploited defensively. Memphis needs to attack LA over and over and over again. Get Evans and Griffin in foul trouble and force the Clippers to scramble. Early in Game 4, Tony Allen had success posting up Chris Paul and finishing at the rim, and then, just like that, he stopped going into the paint. If you could have seen my face during Game 4, it would have looked like George W Bush’s when he was informed he couldn’t run for a third term as President.

Second, Memphis must force Blake Griffin to go left. Griffin’s up-and-under move to the right beat Randolph so many times I stopped counting. Do the Grizzlies study tape? Do they scheme during off days? Aside from jumping over fools, Griffin has only one move; the up-and-under. His baby hook is lousy, so there’s no need to try and block it. Stay on your feet, body him up, and force him to dish or put up a contested shot. Griffin is a very good player, but he’s still so raw. You can force him into tough situations and benefit from his mistakes.

Third, the Grizzlies need more from Gay and O.J. Mayo. Much more. Gay has no equal on the Clippers. He should be able to penetrate and dish at will. If Gay gets aggressive, he can create easy baskets for his bigs and get the Clippers frontcourt into foul trouble at the same time. As for Mayo, he looks like he hates Lionel Collins right now. On at least two occasions in Game 4 Hollins gave Mayo the stink eye after calling a timeout and once he even yelled something that sounded like “beezus feist” in Mayo’s direction as Mayo walked up. The Grizzlies need Mayo to wake up from the three point line (he’s 3/14 over the last three games) and get stingy defensively. Chris Paul has been annihilating the Grizzlies. Mayo and Tony Allen need to get more physical with the smaller Paul.

Fourth, double-team someone for goodness sake! This just in: The Clippers are a two man show. Outside of Paul and Griffin, the Clippers don’t have anyone else that can beat you on a nightly basis. The Clips have no bench. Their third best scorer is playing with one hand. Double team Griffin and force DeAndre Jordan or Kenyon Martin to do something. With Paul, like I just said, get physical and keep him from penetrating at all costs. Force the Clippers mediocre role players to beat you. Don’t go down taking haymakers from their two best players. It’s simply not a good idea.

Overall, it’s pretty clear Memphis hasn’t recovered from their collapse in Game 1. Their swagger is gone. The have no identity. They’re even being outworked and bullied in the paint, something no one could have imagined.