NBA Playoff Monday – There’s No Place Like Home?
There are two NBA playoff games on Monday evening and the home teams really need to win the game or they will be hitting the road down 0-2. In a pretty big shock the Bulls beat the Celtics in OT in game 1 105-103. Hmmm, seems like a certain writer for this website, IN A RECENT BLOG, questioned if the Celtics may go down in this series since Kevin Garnett may miss it with injury. In the other game, which was less of a shock, the Mavericks came back to beat the Spurs after being down by as much as 13 points in the first half.
No. 7 Chicago Bulls at No.2 Boston Celtics
Bulls lead best of 7 series 1-0
The Celtics are listed at around 8 point favorites in this game. For the Celtics to tie this series they cannot allow Derrick Rose to have another game like his playoff debut, where he went for 36 points and 11 assists. Without KG in the middle being the defensive stopper it really hurts playing slashing players like Ben Gordon and Rose. You could tell the Celtics were a little soft on D, as the Bulls frontcourt players of Joakim Noah (11 points 17 boards) and Tyrus Thomas (16 points) both had big games. Thomas even had 6 of the Bulls 8 points in the extra period. Do you think KG would have allowed those things to happen? Rajon Rondo had a big game for the Celtics going for 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, but the keys to Monday’s game for the Celtics are playing better defense and Ray Allen actually showing up. It is hard enough to win without KG, but since Allen’s offense was absent in game 1 (4 points on 1/12 shooting) only one of the Big 3, Paul Pierce (23 points), did anything for the Celtics. The Celtics have to regroup and win game 2, as if they head to the Windy City down 0-2 a title repeat seems very unlikely.
No.6 Dallas Mavericks at No.6 San Antonio Spurs
Mavericks lead best of 7 series 1-0
The Spurs are listed at around 5.5 point favorites in this game. The Mavs won game 1 105-97 after outscoring the Spurs by 12 points in the second half. The Spurs may miss Manu Ginobili’s scoring more then they think, as even though Tony Parker (24 points) and Tim Duncan (27 points) had good scoring games their entire bench scored a whopping 14 points. Drew Gooden only had 8 points and he needs to give the Spurs more interior offense in game 2. The Spurs also have to play much better defense on the Mavs, as they allowed Dallas to shoot a FG% of 53.8%. The only reason this game was not a blowout win for the Mavs is that the Spurs shot 11/14 from beyond the 3-point arc for a scorching 3 PT FG% of 78.6%. Parker played good defense on Jason Kidd, but the scoring PG’s of the Mavs, Jason Terry and Jose Juan Barea, combined for 25 points. Josh Howard also toughed it out with a bum ankle and went out and scored 25 points. The Spurs are one of the best defensive units in the NBA, but did not show it in Saturday night’s loss. They need to show it n game 2 or they will head to the Big D down 0-2.
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