Roller Coaster

The Eastern conference finals in the NBA is tied at 1-1 while Dallas just went up 2-1 in the West. The road team won the 2-Nd game in both the series to even things up and "steal home court". I didn't think any home court was really stolen since both these series are going to see a few more road wins. The teams are too close and they are not mature or strong enough to take all home games. So the home court in either of these series is going to be helpful only in game 7. Until then, I expect a roller coaster ride in coasts. As if to prove my point, Dallas went into OKC and took game 3 away. Where's the home court now? The experts will now start talking about how pivotal game 4, and then 5, and then 6 are. Of course, game 7 will be in Dallas and I can't see how the young OKC team will win that if it gets that far, which I think it will.

The Durant-Nowitzki matchup is real fun, but the defense in the Bulls-Heat series suggests that one of those 2 teams will hoist the championship trophy when it's all said and done. The Heat do look and feel like a championship caliber team right now. The way they play defense just adds to their 2 great individual talents and makes them very formidable. Bulls play equally good defense, but they don't have a LeBron or Wade to shoulder the offensive load. If the game is close, they need a flawless 4-Th quarter from D-Rose to win the game and thats going to be hard against the Heat defense. They need Boozer to step up to ease some of the pressure on the offense. If Udonis Haslem starts playing like it's 2007 again, the Bulls might be in trouble unless Boozer neutralizes him and then gives them some more. I think the Bulls have decent talent, but not the experience.

In the West, Nowitzki won the first game 48-40 against Durant. These 2 guys are just awesome to watch. Nowitzki's shooting in this series has been amazing so far, except for the first 3 quarters of game 3. And that dunk by Durant in game 2 deserves to be you-tubed if you have not seen it yet. Scott Brooks put Westbrook on the bench and won game 2 with his subs and Durant. Thats a talented bench he got there and my man James Harden is bringing it. That guy can ball and is not intimidated by the setting at all. Brooks needs Westbrook in this series, but Westbrook needs to scale down his shooting, which is easier said than done. He got Durant, he doesn't have to shoot every-time down the floor. The problem with OKC is that they are still young and inexperienced and it shows. There were a couple of 3-point attempts late in game 3 that made you scratch your head. One was by Westbrook and another by Daequan Cook which were both horrible shots to begin with. But they were both not even close and that says a lot about the way these kids are handling this stage. Unfortunately, experience can't be taught and you can only hope these guys will relax, settle down, slow down and make better decisions.

But the story of the series so far has been Nowitzki's shooting. The dude is unbelievable. This year has been a MVP type season for him and the proof was in those games he missed during the regular season. Mavs lost most of those games and looked like the Clippers. Too bad the voters will never give him a MVP ever again because of what happened in 2007 when he won the MVP and the Mavs exited in the first round of the playoffs. Since then, he and the Mavs have never been able to shake the "soft" image. But there is nothing soft about Nowitzki right now. He is dominating and carrying the Mavs all by himself. Even in game 3, when he didn't shoot that well, he made all the clutch shots in the 4-Th quarter just as OKC nudged back within 6. If you are an OKC fan, Nowitzki's jumper is the scariest thing for you in the World right now even after a 7 of 21 shooting night in game 3. Durant didn't shoot any better in game 3 and that has to change if the Thunder wants to win this series. They also need to give the ball to the Sun Devil Harden a little bit more.