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(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) |
Game 2 Western Conference Quarter Finals
Memphis Grizzlies @ OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (-7, 189)
8PM ET, TNT
Series: 1-0 OKLAHOMA CITY
Game 1 was a tale of two halves as the Oklahoma City Thunder
almost squandered a 25-point lead over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder lead
56-34 at halftime before the Grizzlies came roaring back to trail by four
points.
The Grizzlies outscored the Thunder by 18 points in the
third quarter by dominating inside with post players Zach Randolph and Marc
Gasol. The Grizzlies’ best chance to win is to play an entire game like the
third quarter.
“It was real
important,” Randolph said. “We see what we can do. We know what we can do and
we’ve got to come like that at the beginning of the game.”
It will be interesting
to see if the Grizzlies will defend Kevin Durant with Tony Allen again. Allen
held Durant to 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting (36%) while Durant scored 20
points on 8-of-11 shooting on everyone else.
Expect the Grizzlies to come out of the gates faster than
Game 1 but they won’t have enough answers to contain Durant and Russell
Westbrook at home. Or will they?
Prediction: OKLAHOMA
CITY THUNDER 92, Memphis Grizzlies 89.
Game 2 Western Conference Quarter Finals
Golden State Warriors @ LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (-8, 212)
10:30PM ET, TNT
Series: 1-0 Golden State
There were 51 fouls called in Game 1 and Blake Griffin
fouled out in 19 minutes. Chris Paul also found himself in foul trouble that
took him out of rhythm throughout the game as he struggled down the stretch
with missed shots and turnovers.
This series was expected to be physical and confrontational with a lot of bad blood between the Warriors and Clippers. Doc Rivers, believes the officials overreacted in calling fouls that limited Griffin but says the Clippers will bounce back in Game 2.
There’s a lot of things we can do better,” Rivers said. “We had a lot of opportunities; we just didn’t capitalize on them. They did. They made all the big ones.”
6th Man of the Year candidate, Jamal Crawford, scored 9 point on 2-of-11 shooting and will aim to be more of a factor.
For the Warriors, Klay Thompson says all the pressure is on the Clippers. “They can’t afford to go down 0-2 and go on the road,” Thompson said. “It’s tough to come back down 0-2.”
This series was expected to be physical and confrontational with a lot of bad blood between the Warriors and Clippers. Doc Rivers, believes the officials overreacted in calling fouls that limited Griffin but says the Clippers will bounce back in Game 2.
There’s a lot of things we can do better,” Rivers said. “We had a lot of opportunities; we just didn’t capitalize on them. They did. They made all the big ones.”
6th Man of the Year candidate, Jamal Crawford, scored 9 point on 2-of-11 shooting and will aim to be more of a factor.
For the Warriors, Klay Thompson says all the pressure is on the Clippers. “They can’t afford to go down 0-2 and go on the road,” Thompson said. “It’s tough to come back down 0-2.”
Andre Iguodala was also
hindered with foul trouble and played only 20 minutes. Iguodala will have more
of an impact in Game 2 and will add another dimension for the Warriors.
However, expect a faster paced game with less fouls being called.
I’m betting on the
Clippers to win with the home-crowd support.
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