NBA BeatDown FastBreak 05.03.08: Cavs, Jazz End Wizards, Rockets Playoff Dreams, Hawks Force Game 7
Posted by BL Anderson on 05.03.2008
So the Wizards insanity failed, but Hawks fans rejoice! For your team is now the team that took the Celtics to the limit!
NBA BeatDown FastBreak 05.08.08
Hello everyone, I'm BL Anderson and this is the BeatDown FastBreak, covering the three games on the playoff schedule for 05.02.08.
And on a note that is not expert-opinion related (who's giving those out?! Not BL Anderson!), I really believed that the Wizards had the chutzpah to take out the Cavaliers,and I am really dissappointed that they didn't, because now we'll get LeBron in the 2nd round, they'll lose to the Celtics, and then we'll have more of this LeBron love, which is a Le-joke. LeBron is the most atheletically-gifted player in the NBA, and probably in the world, but cannot carry the team to a championship. It's not happening this year or the next, because he needs more support staff.
End Note
Cleveland Cavaliers -- 105
Washington Wizards -- 88
BL's Take: And the Wizards response? After all of that talk about how LeBron is overrated, and all of the physical play and swipes at the Cavaliers? Lose. And lose handily. And who is the spearhead of that winning Cavaliers movement? LeBron James. I would never say that that LeBron is overrated; but he IS over-hyped, to the point where the expectation of him carrying this team to a championship is rather insane. The Cavaliers move on to face the winner of the only remaining Eastern Conference Quarter-final, between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks.
The Wizards will have some work to do now in the offseason, as they try to figure out how to get over the hump of the 'first round exit team' in the East. My advise would be to jettison Arenas for a big guy who plays gritty defense and can give more consistent offense than what Brendan Haywood or the returning Etan Thomas have to offer. Realizing that Arenas cannot carry the Wizards out of the first round will be the primary step towards getting themselves out of it. This makes three years running that the Wizards have eliminated the Cavaliers, second in the quarter-final match-up. If I were the Wizards, I would re-sign Jamison, and find a sign-and-trade for Arenas, because certainly there are buyers out there for what the Wizards are selling.
And DeShawn Stevenson should probably shut his mouth. It is embarrassing to himself and his teammates to come out and do some of the things he does, and say some of the things that he says, only for the Wizards to turn around and lose in game 6. Stevenson is the type of guy that plays good defense, but is very inconsistent offensively (2-9 FG 10 points). And for all of the hyping that he did of himself? In the end, LeBron got a triple-double, and Wally Szczerbiak scored 26 points, and those are his defensive assignments!
BL's Take: And who would have ever thought that the C's would be in the situation that they are in right now? We are talking about a team that wins 60+ games, that dominates pretty much all season, with or without Garnett, and now they can't win the road games that they should be winning against a team that didn't even make .500 this year? 9 year playoff drought? REALLY?! The C's must focus, and take care of business at home, because otherwise the Hawks will be going to the 2nd round, and you can pencil the Pistons into the Eastern Conference Finals. No need to even have a second round for the Hawks.
But you certainly have to give the Hawks and their semi-flamboyant attitude a box of respect, because winning this game at the last second is very note-worthy. It tells me that the Celtics are not game closers; they are not a team that knows exactly who to get the ball to at the right moment, and it's costing them. However, we will say that Joe Johnson is a phenominal perimeter player, and worth of the tag 'all-star'. The C's have to get more production from their role players, and execution defensively, to put the Hawks away in game 7.
Houston Rockets -- 91
Utah Jazz -- 113
BL's Take: And speaking of domination, the Jazz put the Rockets away in the second half, and rather handily. Deron William's exceptional play at the point allowed this to occur, as Houston didn't have anyone to counteract his efficiency. Utah had 7 players in double-figures, which signifies that everyone was willing and able to help, and that is the mentality of this Jazz team, headed into it's second round match-up with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tracy McGrady did everything he could for the Rockets. So did Luis Scola; they just couldn't get any help from any of their role players. If only the Rockets had Yao Ming in the lineup, this series may have gone in a different direction. If I were Darryl Morey (Rockets GM), would be entertaining offers for McGrady. He has proven that he is NOT a leader, and is not the type of star that you can win a championship behind. LeBron has a better chance of that than McGrady does.
That's all for tonight. Be back early tomorrow morning for the skinny on Saturday's match-ups.
