1) The San Antonio Spurs, who finished with the second best record in the NBA at 61-21, led by the aging trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are not the Spurs of years past. Watching the Grizzlies tank the last few weeks of the season in order to set up a first round match up with the Spurs seemed to many like an emboldened move, but not only did Memphis beat San Antonio- the first time that an 8th seed has defeated the 1 seed since the opening round has expanded to a seven game format- but they completely outclassed a banged up San Antonio squad running on fumes.
2) Chris Paul, coming off a disappointing season during which he averaged a career low 15.9 ppg and under 10 assist per game for the first time in 4 seasons, proved that he is still in the conversation for the best point guard in the game. Without fellow All Star teammate David West and surrounded by a group of misfits and castoffs (Marco Belinelli, Willie Green, etc.) CP3 had his way with the vaunted Lakers defense, pushing the defending champions to 6 games on his own willpower. While this provides an indictment of Derek Fisher's increasingly eroding skill set, it also provides a strong argument for Chris Paul as the best pure point guard in the NBA today.
3) The Grizzlies are the REAL DEAL. They score over 50 ppg in the paint, leading the league, and often win the battle of the boards night in and night out. Led by the rejuvenated Zack Randolph, an undersized power forward with questionable athletic ability, the self proclaimed underdogs easily handled the Spurs in the first round and stopped the surging OKC Thunder in Game 1 of the ongoing second round. The names do not jump off the page, and on paper they seem over matched and undermanned especially considering the season ending injury to second leading scorer Rudy Gay. With talent and youth at every position, the Grizzlies seem poised to make a deep run in this year's post season. My bold prediction? Memphis will advance to the Western Conference Finals against Los Angelos and push the Lake Show to 7 games in an instant classic.
4) Joe Johnson has been belittled, criticized, and repeatedly questioned about his supposed lack of production after signing the HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL max contract extension in the off season. While he has yet to live up to his massive contract's expectations, during these playoffs Joe Johnson has showcased the talent that led to the Atlanta Hawks luring the former 6th Man of Year award winner away from Phoenix. Indeed the Hawks are 5-0 in the post season thus far when Johnson scores over 20 points, including last night's stunner on the road against a sputtering Chicago team when he scored a game high 34 points on an insane 66.7% from the field including 5 for 5 from deep range. While he disappointed many throughout the season, averaging only 18.4 ppg and leading an underachieving Hawks squad to an unsatisfying 5th place finish in the regular season, a deep run in this year's playoffs will go a long way to appeasing the same fans who booed him off the the court in Atlanta not too long ago.
5) When its all said and done, can we not say the Miami Heat are poised to capture an NBA championship in just the first season of the Lebron Wade Bosh experiment? They obliterated the Philadelphia 76ers in just 5 games, and out-muscled a Boston Celtics team built on its tenacity in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Where does this leave the rest of the NBA? Can any of the remaining playoff teams match up defensively with the three headed monster of Miami? With two of the best players in the league working in harmony, there is no doubt that this superstar and veteran laden team is championship or bust. There is little doubt in my mind that the Heat will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals this season, and their potential opponents (Lakers, Mavericks, Grizzlies, or the Thunder) do not match up very well on paper at least. My pick? Heat over the Lake Show in 6 not so very close games.
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