NBA Playoffs: Impressions After First Round
The first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs is now in the books and as I watched some of the games I had some initial reactions to what went down. The first round featured one of the great series in playoffs history with the Bulls and Celtics going tooth-and-nail. There were also some surprise performances by some and some surprise flameouts by others. So let’s get started with some quick thoughts about round one.
The Cleveland Cavaliers established themselves as the team to beat in the East by dismantling an aging Detroit Pistons team in four games. Aside from sketchy three-point shooting LeBron seems to have taken his game up a level this postseason and has that look in his eye that we have not seen since MJ was running roughshod over the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons looked finished in that series and it will be interesting to see what changes come this summer in Detroit. Given what Chauncey Billups has done for Denver trading him for Allen Iverson is looking like one of the worst deals to come down the pike in a while. The only way Joe Dumars can salvage this is if they turn the salary cap space created by jettisoning Iverson and acquire a young star or two to plug into the lineup.
Boston and Chicago was a phenomenal series with every game except for one being decided in the waning moments four of which went into overtime. Derrick Rose played better than I ever thought he would. I was not sold on him coming out of Memphis last year but he is a player. The stop he had at the end of game six was stuff legends are borne of. Once he tightens the handle and cuts the turnovers, develops the jumper, and starts hitting free throws when it matters he is going to be great.
The only other knock on Rose was that Rajon Rondo nearly averaged a triple double against him. Rondo was phenomenal and served notice to the NBA by averaging 19.4 points, 11.6 assists, and 9.3 rebounds per game against the Bulls. If the Celtics manage to get past the Magic in the second round it will be because Rondo gets them over the hump.
How is it the Magic managed to blow the Sixers out in game six without the services of Dwight Howard? That has to be one of the more embarrassing losses of the playoffs thus far. The Magic ran a starting five out on the floor that featured none other than J. J. Redick and Marcin Gortat. How is it that Tony DiLeo still has a job after that debacle? I am still not convinced that the Sixers made the right move in dumping Mo Cheeks as the head coach.
It is interesting how the Magic tend to lose playoff games when Dwight Howard is dominating offensively. Orlando lost both games when Howard scored 30 or more points.
Was there a more pointless series than the Hawks and the Heat that featured double digit wins in every game? Regardless of how won that series they are not getting past the Cavaliers.
Anyone who wants Kobe over Dwayne Wade is crazy. Wade brings so much more to the table in terms of the intangibles than Kobe ever will.
What happened to the Hornets? They were supposed to vie for the top spot in the West with the Lakers this year. Is Byron Scott now on the hot seat after a rather lackluster season?
Adding a guy like Chauncy Billups is just what Carmelo Anthony needed. The light bulb finally seems to have gone on for ‘Melo and he is starting to play like a champion should. The Nuggets have always been good about surrounding him with quality talent but it was never the right talent. They always brought in guys who put up good numbers but never really won anything. Iverson was a nice idea but he has always been a lone wolf of sorts and his leadership is horrible.
