(63-19) First Round Wraps Up [4-0]

[karlsanada10]

Really love the comments. And nice review!:D Hope you can win the championship.

[Axel The Great]

karlsanada10, thanks. Nice to hear that people liked the comments. I also hope to win the championship.



March/April Recap

Players of the Week - March/April

Week	East Player	West Player
February 27-March 5	Derrick Rose	Kobe Bryant
March 6-12	LeBron James	Stephen Curry
March 13-19	LeBron James	Monta Ellis
March 20-26	Dwyane Wade	Stephen Curry
March 27-April 2	LeBron James	Kobe Bryant
April 3-9	Stephen Jackson	Dirk Nowitzki
April 10-16	LeBron James	Blake Griffin

Players of the Month - March

Conference	Player	Stats
East Player	LeBron James	27.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.4 apg, 2.5 spg, 48.6% FG
West Player	Kobe Bryant	27.2 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 spg, 48.0% FG
East Rookie	Evan Turner	13.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 43.8% FG
West Rookie	Blake Griffin	17.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 52.4% FG

Players of the Month - April

Conference	Player	Stats
East Player	LeBron James	27.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.4 apg, 2.5 spg, 48.6% FG
West Player	Dirk Nowitzki	29.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg, 53.7% FG
East Rookie	Evan Turner	13.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 43.8% FG
West Rookie	Blake Griffin	17.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 52.4% FG

Player Season Stats


Metric Stats

[Justine.]

Playooooooffffs!

[kibaxx7]

I love how K-Mart and AB started more games than they played, that's how much of an impact they make

[Houndy]

I love how K-Mart and AB started more games than they played, that's how much of an impact they make

That's why they're IMPACT Players

[Axel The Great]

Lol. Bad typo there, should be the other way around. That's the downside to using PNG images, takes some time to edit, which I'm not willing to do.

So playoffs preview next, and then Games 1 & 2!

[George7]

Nice,playoffs time!! Bring us the Knicks!!

[Bucket]

And now my favorite part in 2010-2011 season - Playoffs.

[Axel The Great]

2011 NBA Playoffs: Preview

And so we find ourselves in the playoffs, where the real NBA action happens, where players have a chance to blossom and be forever remembered, whether it's as a hero, legend, or someone to who faltered when they were needed most. Legacies, dynasties, and most of all, history has been made in many playoffs in the past, and this year's playoffs should be no different. Sixteen teams compete to win it all, but only one can become champion. Let's take a look at all of the sixteen possible champions, and see where they stand.



Now, let's touch the surface on each playoff series, and what to look for in each team.

Eastern Conference Playoffs

(1) Boston Celtics [59-23] vs. (8) Charlotte Bobcats [41-41]
Realistically speaking here, the Charlotte Bobcats are not going to make the second round. This is likely as far as they get. They are facing a determined Boston Celtics team who had the best record in the league, being carried by three veterans who had excellent seasons and an up and coming point guard who is a triple-double threat. When you're a rebuilding franchise, a win in the playoffs would be enough to keep you happy and call the season a success and a good step towards the future. By trading away superstar Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats have gone into rebuilding mode, with just Stephen Jackson leading a team full of role players. Will the Charlotte Bobcats get their first ever franchise playoff win? Or will they crumble at the hands of a powerhouse team and a sweep for the second consecutive season?

Prediction: Celtics in 4.

(4) Orlando Magic [47-35] vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks [47-35]
The Orlando Magic are the definite favorites here, after sweeping and dismantling the same Atlanta Hawks last season in the second round. It all starts with Dwight Howard. The Hawks don't really have anyone who can bother and harrass Howard to take him out of his rhythm on offense, especially with his addition of post moves. Also, the addition and rejuvenation of Gilbert Arenas makes Orlando even more dangerous. Meanwhile, the Hawks have a perennial Defensive Player of the Year of their own in Josh Smith. Smith's athleticism and versatility on defense is a must when trying to close out Orlando's three-point bombers. And then of course, Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford will have to continue their scoring for Atlanta to overcome the odds and eliminate Orlando to forget the haunting memories of last year's second round exit.

Prediction: Magic in 6.

(3) Chicago Bulls [51-31] vs. (6) New York Knicks [46-36]
Ultimately, defense will win this series. The Bulls were second in the league in field-goal percentage at 45% this season, while the Knicks have an excellent scoring punch with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Derrick Rose will likely have his way, as it will be difficult for the veteran Chauncey Billups to keep up with him. Rose was the biggest reason for the Bulls' 16-game win streak near the end of the season. If they play that kind of basketball, it will get ugly for New York. The Knicks have always been criticized for not playing defense, and in this series, it will be no different. Going up against one of the top three best defenses in the league will definitely be a challenge for them, even if they have two top scoring superstar players.

Prediction: Bulls in 5.

(2) Miami Heat [55-27] vs. (7) Indiana Pacers [41-41]
A star-studded team facing a team with one star surrounded by a bunch of role-players. One would expect the Heat to easily win this series. Danny Granger's breakout, career high season is still not finished, and he may have something to say about the odds of this series. Granger's play will dictate how many games Indiana takes in this series, and whether or not they can go down putting up a fight. Miami lack size up front, so Indiana should definitely take advantage of their seven-footer Roy Hibbert to have his way down there. Even with their hole at the five, Miami have their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The former two are top candidates for the MVP award, and you can bet they will have an MVP-type series.

Prediction: Heat in 5.

Western Conference Playoffs

(1) Houston Rockets [58-24] vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers [43-39]
Two teams who missed the playoffs last season now find themselves in positions that many were not expecting them to be in. Kevin Martin's play has gotten the Rockets this far, and if he can continue that stellar play, this series shouldn't be much of a problem for his team. The Clippers have a solid lineup, with a revamped frontcourt. Blake Griffin is a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year, and Chris Kaman had an excellent season with career highs across the board. However, they are a young squad, and don't have very much playoff experience. This will come into play as playoff games are completely different from regular season games. Will the playoffs pressure be too much for the Clippers?

Prediction: Rockets in 5.

(4) Los Angeles Lakers [47-35] vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs [50-32]
After a bad season, this is now a huge chance for the Lakers to prove that they do in fact, turn up their play and intensity in the playoffs. These are two veteran teams that have won nine out of the last twelve NBA Championships. This will likely be the most intriguing series of the first round, and perhaps the playoffs. The Lakers have great size and skill up front, while the Spurs have a speedy backcourt in Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker that can play up tempo to wear down the Lakers. San Antonio was top five in three-point shooting in the regular season, and they will have to use that to their advantage, especially since the Lakers aren't the best at defending the three-ball. Kobe Bryant's deadly scoring is the biggest thing to watch out for if you're the Spurs, and offensive boards will be key for the Lakers. If Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol rack them up, it will get ugly for the Spurs. It's hard to decide who will win this series, but with the Spurs' successful regular season, it's tempting to pick them.

Prediction: Spurs in 7.

(3) Dallas Mavericks [50-32] vs. (6) Utah Jazz [50-32]
Another possible seven-game series here, these teams won the same amount of games in the regular season. However, Dallas has the playoffs experience, and with a hungry Dirk Nowitzki at their side, it will be tough for Utah to take the series. Dallas has the size up front, but Utah is all about hustling. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap averaged a little over 17 combined rebounds in the regular season, and with head coach Jerry Sloan's system of defensive hustle, that can make things tougher for Dallas on offense. This series will definitely have its moments of clutch plays, but the winning nod goes to Dallas for their veterans.

Prediction: Mavericks in 6.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder [54-28] vs. (7) Denver Nuggets (46-36)
This playoffs series is one that will definitely hold a bunch of high-scoring affairs, both teams being young and full of energy. Denver has plenty of scoring options while Oklahoma City has the best scorer in the league in Kevin Durant. What Denver has in experience (Kenyon Martin, Nene), Oklahoma City has in toughness and shot-blocking (Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka). As opposed to the slow kind of playoff basketball, this will be a shootout kind of series, as most games will probably be decided by which team had a better shooting night.

Prediction: Thunder in 6.

[Martti.]

The Blakers will be easy, Rockets in 5.

[rise]

I see an eighth seed upset coming, but not in the West.

[Bucket]

Clippers? Rockets in 4/5. Looks like 1986 Finals

[Mavs4Life]

Rockets in 5. Mavs in 5 too .

[Axel The Great]

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers

At the start of the season, there was uncertainty of whether or not the Rockets would be in the playoffs. Many thought it depended on how well things went for their star center Yao Ming. Others simply thought that this team just couldn't get it done defensively, and therefore had a scarce chance at even getting a five seed.

There was also uncertainty of how the Clippers would do. After Blake Griffin missed the whole 2009-10 season, there was uncertainty on how he would pan out in the NBA. Health was also a major concern; the Clippers have a big history of injuries, otherwise known as the "Clipper Curse".

It is safe to say that both of these teams have proved doubters wrong, clearing out all doubts about their performances this season. People ruled the Rockets out of a top five seed, and people ruled the Clippers out of the playoffs completely. Now, here they are, two teams who have answered the skeptics, back in the playoffs after having a mediocre 2009-10 season. However, these are two teams who are in situations they've never been in before. This Rockets team is real different from the 2009 Rockets team that got past the first round, and this Clippers team is full of young players, most of whom have never played a playoff game. With that, this never-before-seen pressure can definitely get to both teams, and whichever team overcomes it has an excellent chance of coming out on top.

Keys to the Series

Yao Ming had a healthy season this year, participating in 80 games and being able to contribute in large parts to his team. He averaged 26.5 minutes in the regular season; the franchise made it clear to limit some of his minutes in order to minimize a chance for injuries. That plan seems to have worked, and Yao contributed 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, while shooting a career high 60% from the field, leading the league in that department. Heading into this series, Yao definitely feels the pressure on his shoulders on having to stay healthy to have a legitimate chance at a championship. The Rockets have made it clear that they will give him more minutes these playoffs to bring out the best in him, and see if he can pick up where he left off in '09. His low post scoring, skill in shooting and passing, rebounding, and shot-blocking will definitely be necessary in this series, especially when he'll be up against a rejuvenated Chris Kaman.

The player on the Clippers side to watch is the rookie Blake Griffin. Griffin averaged 15.5 points and 14 rebounds in the four games played against the Rockets this season. His scoring in the paint will be a crucial thing to have for the Clippers, as Griffin was the only consistent player that gave the Rockets headaches in the regular season. His threat to put anyone on a poster is intimidating to anyone in this league, and if they are to stop him, they must foul him and make him earn those points at the line, where he shot just 56%.

The matchup to watch is the battle of the two-guards, Kevin Martin and Eric Gordon. Gordon had an excellent season averaging 20.9 points, 4.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. However, his ability to stay healthy hampered him from being able to contribute as much as he could to this team. He took part in just 66 games, and if the Clippers are to put up a fight in this series, Gordon must stay healthy to help that process. Gordon averaged 22.5 points against the Rockets in the regular season, including a 39-point outburst in a 105-100 win.

Meanwhile, Martin has also had his fair share of injuries in the past, but this season he was able to stay relatively healthy. He played in 78 games, averaging 28 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and shooting 52% from the field, 49% from behind the arc, and 93% from the free throw line. His shooting numbers bring one word to mind: efficiency. If Martin can continue to be efficient, without the Clippers' defense slowing him down, there is no way the Rockets can lose. Martin is capable of exploding for 30+ points, given his streak of 19 consecutive games with 30 or more in the regular season. Averaging 30.3 points against the Clippers in the regular season, there's not much to worry about.

Overall, the biggest key for both teams is health. These two teams are amongst the most injury-riddled teams in the past few years; one must wonder whether that history will continue for both teams in this series. The Rockets have been here before, they know what the playoff atmosphere is like, and know how to take care of business when it counts. The Clippers however, are full of youngsters who are about to play their first playoff series. That includes Gordon, Griffin, Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe amongst the few. Others, like Chris Kaman, have only been to the playoffs once, and therefore playoffs is not a big subject on their resume. The Rockets' playoff experience will definitely help in this series, and they go in as the heavy favorites to no just get to the second round, but arguably get past it.

Regular Season Series

December 22, 2010 - HOU @ LAC - 100-105
A huge scoring outburst from Eric Gordon led the Clippers to victory. The Clippers held the lead from near the end of the first quarter, all the way to the final buzzer. Gordon had a career high 39 points with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, shooting 12/28 from the field, 5/13 from downtown, and 10/12 from the charity stripe. Blake Griffin contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds, and Chris Kaman had 15 points and 10 boards. For the Rockets, Kevin Martin led the way with 34 points, and Aaron Brooks chipped in 19 points and 9 assists.

January 26, 2011 - LAC @ HOU - 91-109
Kevin Martin had 31 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds, shooting 11/16 from the field to lead the Rockets to a blowout win at home over the Clippers. Aaron Brooks had 17 points and 6 assists, while Luis Scola had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. For the Clippers, Chris Kaman had 33 points, 11 rebounds, and Blake Griffin had 18 points and 17 rebounds. The Clippers shot just 39% from the field, and despite losing, they won the battle of the boards 46-37.

March 2, 2011 - HOU @ LAC - 111-100
Despite shooting 9/20 from beyond the arc and having a huge third quarter, the Clippers were downed once again by the Rockets. Kevin Martin had 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists while Luis Scola contributed 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists to his effort. For the Clippers, Chris Kaman had 20 points and 8 boards, and Blake Griffin had 18 points and 4 rebounds. The Rockets closed out the Clippers in the fourth quarter, not allowing them to get closer at the lead.

April 9, 2011 - LAC @ HOU - 85-97
After shooting 55% from the field in the first half, the Clippers were locked down in the second half and held to just 30 points, giving up their four-point lead in the process. Kevin Martin had 30 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and shot 8/17 from the field, 14/14 from the line. Aaron Brooks added 15 points, 6 assists, and Luis Scola had 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. Eric Gordon had 21 points, and Blake Griffin had a huge double-double of 16 points and 19 rebounds. This loss made things look bad for the Clippers going into the playoffs, but they were able to win their next two games to edge out the New Orleans Hornets for a playoff spot.

Starting Lineups

[Axel The Great]

The Blakers will be easy, Rockets in 5.

Young team with no playoffs experience. Pretty easy.

I see an eighth seed upset coming, but not in the West.

It's highly unlikely that any eighth seed upset happens these playoffs.

Clippers? Rockets in 4/5. Looks like 1986 Finals

But this time, the Rockets will come out on top.

Rockets in 5. Mavs in 5 too .

Mavs in 5 is not a bad prediction.

Next: Games 1 & 2, hopefully by tomorrow!

[Mavs4Life]

Nice presentation. Watch out for Mo Williams fring up ,Aminu shouldn't do anything.

[hova-]

Watch out for Gordon. When he hits the first three, he can hurt you with his streaky shooting and he won't hesitate to take those shots.

Spurs-Lakers in the first round is tough. I hope the Lakers get knocked out early.

[Bucket]

3-1 in season series again Clipps? Hmm. Nice presentation.

[George7]

I expect a sweep there.Period.

[kibaxx7]

I guess if you contain Blake and Gordon, you will have an easy series

[Cruzerr]

Martin-Gordon Matchup . You at 6.

[Axel The Great]

Image inspired by Clutch.

Game One Recap

Posted by Axel Gomez April 19, 2011
Houston, TX - And so the so-called "Clipper Curse" continues. In the early minutes of the game, Luis Scola fouled Chris Kaman on his way up to the basket, and about to shoot his free throws, Kaman looked shaken up. He shot his free throws then went back to the locker room to get a checkup. He did not return. Reports say that he suffered a lower back strain.

Meanwhile, in the third quarter, Eric Gordon was fouled by Kyle Lowry. What appeared to be a normal foul, turned out to be a devastating injury. Lowry apparently hammered Gordon on the wrist, which caused it to move in ways it's not supposed to move. Gordon suffered a broken wrist, and is most definitely out for the entire playoffs.

"Yes it was a huge loss. Gordon's scoring will definitely be hard to make up for. Hopefully someone else will step up for him," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. Gordon had 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 27 minutes of action, but was just 2/15 from the field at that point.

After what appeared to be a close first half, the Rockets came out in the second half and ran the Clippers right out of the Toyota Center. They rendered LA's perimeter shooting completely useless, which is apparent in backup guard Randy Foye's 6/19 from the field. With two major scorers down, many people forgot about Blake Griffin. Griffin kept the Clippers somewhat competitive in this game, scoring a team high 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds. He shot 13/16 from the field, and put on a show with flashy dunks coming off of offensive rebounds.

It just wasn't enough. The Rockets outsocred the Clippers 31-21 in the third quarter, and went into the fourth quarter with a 19-point lead. Kevin Martin continued his offensive efficiency scoring a game high 31 points, to go along with five assists, three rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. He shot 13/24 from the field.

Chipping in was Yao Ming with 16 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, shooting 8/11 from the field.

Los Angeles collapsed in the second half, while Houston just kept going at full throttle. It was just the first game, so expect the Clippers to come up with something else in Game Two.

Player of the Game-

Kevin Martin
31 points | 5 assists | 3 rebounds | 2 steals | 1 block | 13/24 FG

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Yao Ming - 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 8/11 FG
Luis Scola - 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5/12 FG
Aaron Brooks - 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4/10 FG
Kyle Lowry - 10 points, 8 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 4/7 FG
Shane Battier - 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 2/4 FG

Clippers:
Blake Griffin - 26 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 13/16 FG
Randy Foye - 15 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 6/19 FG
Al-Farouq Aminu - 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 4/6 FG
Eric Gordon - 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2/15 FG, 6/6 FT

28 25 31 21 105
24 20 21 20 85

Game Two Recap

The Clippers managed to keep this one close in the first half again. They tied the Rockets in scoring for the first quarter, and despite being outscored 29-21 in the second, they looked in good shape going into the second half. Both teams' benches had excellent games. The Rockets bench outscored the Clippers' bench 35-33, all thanks to the huge game from Kyle Lowry. Lowry had a double-double of 13 points and 12 assists, running the Rockets' offense extremely well, and pushing the tempo looking for scoring opportunities.

Lowry's huge game was shown in the second half, where he scored nine out of his 13 there, and also seven of his 12 assists. The Rockets came out in the second half on a 19-5 run, holding the Clippers' outside shooting to a minimum. The Clippers shot 41% from the field, compared to the Rockets' 47%. The Rockets were also able to minimize the damage done by Blake Griffin. They held the rookie to 11/26 shooting, good for 26 points. He scored most of his points in garbage time.

Kevin Martin led Houston with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to help the Rockets take Game Two. Without two of their best players, things look very grim for the Clippers.

Player of the Game-

Kevin Martin
28 points | 7 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 steal | 11/21 FG | 6/7 FT

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Yao Ming - 13 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 6/8 FG
Kyle Lowry - 13 points, 12 assists, 2 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 block, 3/7 FG, 7/8 FT
Luis Scola - 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/10 FG
Aaron Brooks - 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 4/12 FG

Clippers:
Blake Griffin - 26 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 11/26 FG
Randy Foye - 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/19 FG
Ike Diogu - 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/9 FG
Mo Williams - 9 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, 5 TO, 4/9 FG

23 29 30 24 106
23 21 17 27 88

[Axel The Great]

Nice presentation. Watch out for Mo Williams fring up ,Aminu shouldn't do anything.

Yeah, Mo can sometimes be hard to stop. Aminu has had some good games against me though.

Watch out for Gordon. When he hits the first three, he can hurt you with his streaky shooting and he won't hesitate to take those shots.

Spurs-Lakers in the first round is tough. I hope the Lakers get knocked out early.

Yep. The first game I played against the Clippers I experienced that. He dropped 39 on me then. I too am hoping the Lakers get knocked out, but it'll be tough for the Spurs since Duncan is out with a broken foot.

3-1 in season series again Clipps? Hmm. Nice presentation.

Thanks. And yes, 3-1, that one loss was because of an explosion from EG.

I expect a sweep there.Period.

After Gordon and Kaman's injuries, a sweep isn't far-fetched.

I guess if you contain Blake and Gordon, you will have an easy series

Gordon will be a non-factor now, and even if Blake has his way, his teammates need to pick up the slack to at least take a game.

Martin-Gordon Matchup . You at 6.

In 6 is being to generous to the Clippers. And unfortunately, Martin has no one to compete against in scoring duels after Gordon's injuries.

Tomorrow: Rest of Game 1's & 2's.

[KidJustin]

Lawry should be suspended!!

[kibaxx7]

Great wins man. If Kevin keeps up like this, you're in for a long postseason.