On Both Sides: The 2011 NBA Conference Finals

It's finally down to four teams. Who's going to vie for this year's NBA trophy?

THE WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas Mavericks (3) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (4)

The Mavs In: Would this be the moment for the Mavs to once again enter the Finals and redeem themselves? It seems that signs point towards a resounding 'yes.' After dismantling, in a series sweep, the disoriented defending champions, Dirk Nowitzki's gang seemed to be ready for anything. While the Lakers were able to defend the paint, they killed them with three-point shots, thanks largely to Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic. When others were locked down, Nowitzki and Jason Kidd kept their team afloat with timely plays. But facing a younger and more athletic team, can they still make a big push after this long period of rest?

The Thunder In: Defeating the pesky Grizzlies might have been a difficult task, but for Kevin Durant, it's just another day at his job. Despite a playoff-low 11 points in game 6, he came out to play in game 7 and hit the big shots to send Memphis packing. But then, the real concern would be Russell Westbrook, who seem to have been out of sync in terms of shooting. If he gets his spots (and shots) right, perhaps the Thunder could prove doubters wrong and eventually enter the Finals.

What Could Be: It is possible that both teams' defense could cancel each other, but Dallas boasts of a bench that could play like starters. Mavs in 6.

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Miami Heat (2)

The Bulls In: After tying the series against the Atlanta Hawks, newly crowned MVP Derrick Rose took the game in his hands as he cruised and took the Bulls to two straight wins to finally seal the deal. And with the rest of the Bulls playing at a competitive level, it seems that they cannot be stopped. Chicago's bigs, namely Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, with the help of Taj Gibson, took advantage and used their size and strength to dominate in the paint. One thing to consider in this series would be their capacity to sustain their dominance despite a trio that knows how to score inside.

The Heat In: They ousted the Celtics in a fashionable manner, and what more can NBA fans say of this season's Big Three? LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh made sure that the old Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are already out of the picture. But then, the Bulls are way better than the Celtics, and thus they face a real challenge here.

What Could Be: Miami might be boasting with three big superstars, but nothing beats team defense, something that Rose and company are really good at. Bulls in 7.

Breakdowns, Defense, & The Big Heartbreak

0-3

Ninety-eight teams have already faced this problem, and none of them have ever climbed out of it and escape with a big game seven win (according to SilverScreen&Roll, only three teams were able to force a game seven). With history going against the Lakers, it might be sufficient to say that they're almost screwed. One wrong move in the last games, and it'll be over for them, thus ending Phil Jackson's coaching career with a big loss.

But looking at that little bright spot in the dark tunnel, what are the things that the Lakers need to do to, at least, survive the shame of being swept? Here are some quick points that they need to take seriously

Defensive Adjustments

We have seen how the Lakers execute adjustments in Game 3 to avoid elimination, and they have become successful in the first three quarters. They were able to properly defend the paint and kept Nowitzki and Chandler outside). However, the Mavericks killed the Lakers through streaky three-point shooting, thanks to Dirk and former Sacramento King Peja Stojakovic (who seems to bear some kind of grudge against the Lakers from beating the Kings back in '01). L.A. left a lot of wide open three-pointers, especially in the last stretch of the game, including the one Stojakovic nailed off a pass from a triple-teamed Dirk Nowitzki.

This is definitely a call to flexibility. The backcourt has to move more often, make better decisions on switching and shifting defenses and always make sure that there's a hand to raise against the shooter. Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher need to do that a lot, and hopefully their legs don't give up in the process.

Late Game Management

In Game 1, the Lakers were holding a good 16-point lead, until they broke down in the second half and gave the Mavericks the win after a Kobe Bryant miss. Game 2 could have been a good game if not for the messy third quarter. Finally, Game 3 could have been a win if not for the lousy way the Lakers handled the final three minutes.

Last year, the Lakers were the greatest closers of the game. This year, they were the greatest that can be closed. And what goes wrong this time was their defense. Sure, they can force missed shots in the first three quarters, but the observable pattern in these last three games was that they gave up too much points in the fourth, coupled with early penalty. In game 3, the Lakers were in the penalty as early as six minutes before the end of the fourth quarter, and as a result, the Mavs were able to score without the time running, something that the Lakers should keep going when having an early lead.

Instead, they executed "comfort plays," where they score and sprint off, hoping to get another one just in case Dallas gets to score. Well, get this, the Lakers did that except that Lamar Odom wasn't able to tie the game, and eventually get a road win. Perhaps the solution is simple. The Lakers should tighten their defenses and stop tit-for-tatting in the final canto. They have to deny those baskets like they did in the first three quarters. Just make it consistent, and things will work out.

Wise Aggression

One factor that the Lakers can't definitely control are the foul calls (unless, you know, stakes are higher and the refs could be controlling the game, but everyone would doubt that). Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum drew 2 early fouls apiece, and it limited their playing time, which could have been utilized to extend the leads. Likewise, Fisher's foul on Jason Terry enabled them to seal the game, and the only thing that the Lakers (and fans) can do is wince and hope that it wouldn't be the end on Monday.

Smart defense is what the Lakers need, and most of the time, Ron Artest knows this. They have to check their man well and figure out a way to not get called for a foul. It's not the easy thing to do, but it's something necessary, and they have to figure that out.

Frontcourt Adjustments

Everyone has their eyes on Pau Gasol, for he is not being himself during the whole playoffs. He did not become the dangerous Spanish Armada as he was during the past two years, and Dirk is definitely owning him on both sides.

Despite Bynum and Odom doing well, Gasol is still the barometer of the Lakers, and if he does not do well in distracting the defense, then the Lakers lose another game, which was the case during the past nine playoff games. If the Lakers need to win four games, then four games should Gasol find his post, beat Nowitzki on the block, and score.

On the other hand, Bynum and Odom need to be careful in terms of defending and choosing where to shoot. They have to force the ball in and draw fouls instead of shooting six-foot blanks. And they need to do this always, and consistently. Once they get Nowitzki and/or Chandler to foul trouble, then the paint would not be a problem in terms of offense.

The Verdict?

Lakers fans would of course hope for a miracle. But then, let's be realistic here. Going back to the start, it's hard to win from an 0-3 hole.

But as Coach Phil Jackson says, it's difficult but not impossible. Very difficult, actually.

The Lakers now have the pressure to consistently enforce these things and avoid late game blunders, and these should be done in four straight games. It's a real challenge, but perhaps the toughest in the Lakers history. It is the greatest challenge Kobe Bryant and his squad has to face since the Boston Celtics.

And it all boils down, in these four games, to this: Can these guys do it? Let's just hope they can. We want to make the series more exciting.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU (Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-season Tournament)

Ateneo 71, National U 66

-The NU Bulldogs power on the court was centered around Ray Ray Parks, who played like a young PBA import alongside a sea of locals. But then, the Blue Eagles' trademark defense made sure that Parks will not spoil the weekend for Ateneo. Despite hitting crucial baskets (and even a few foul shots) late in the second half, he was not able to score during the first quarter, and only barely in the second. Credits to those who were able to hold him off, including Bacon Austria, Kirk Long, and Kiefer Ravena. Yes, it is a problem for NU, but the more pressing question might be: will he be allowed to suit up for Season 74?

-After being relatively quiet in the first four Fil-Oil games, Justin Chua came to play, as he was able to chip in 17 big points, making 7 out of 8 of his attempts from the field. Just like what he did against UST last year (first round), he was able to find his spot outside the paint and nail in those crucial jumpers. In fact, he was the one who gave the Eagles an early 13-point lead which became an advantage early in the first half.

-As a whole, this was one of those days when the offense was very remarkable. All save one were able to score points, and the ball movement was dynamic. Even though there were a few botched fastbreak attempts and bad shots, the Blue Eagles exerted their efforts to make good baskets, resulting in a 55% shooting percentage from inside the rainbow. The most number of shots attempted were eight (Salva and Chua), followed by 7 from Ravena, and the rest had less than or equal to 4.

-During the third quarter, it was surprising that Coach Sandy left the first five of Monfort, Long, Salva, Sumalinog, and Golla for five straight minutes. Fortunately, they still dictated the flow of the game despite big attempts by Ray Ray Parks and the rest of the Bulldogs to grab that lead. But isn't five minutes too long to let them stay all through out? Ateneo has a lot of great players who can step up when given the chance. Just sayin'.

-The Blue Eagles made 7 out of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc, but at least three of them came in during the crucial moments. Miraculously, Bacon Austria was able to make one, with two more from Eman Monfort (who, in the previous matches against UAAP teams, was not able to shoot treys) during the dying minutes of the game. Ateneo is a potent three point shooting team, but what made the Eagles dangerous is the fact that they do not shoot threes that much. It just happens that when long-range sniping is needed, the guys can create plays that enable them to knock down those threes.

-Where is Emmanuel Mbe? Sources say that he headed off to France for a vacation, and was set to return last Friday, 6th of May. Unfortunately, he did not play this game, and Coach Eric Altamirano turned to Henri Betayene for some height from the inside. But then, this Cameroonian who previously attended the University of the East did not become a factor, with only 2 points and the inability to hold off Ateneo's bigs. Can he be a threat in the future once he fits in Coach E's system?

Scores:

Ateneo 71 – Chua 17, Ravena 13, Monfort 11, Salva 8, Erram 6, Austria 6, Long 2, Golla 2, Gonzaga 2, Sumalinog 2, Tiongson 0

NU 66 – Parks 21, Khobuntin 10, Alolino 10, Singh 7, Villamor 5, Celda 4, Labing-isa 3, Betayene 2, Neypes 2, Magat 2, Eman 0, Terso 0, Ignacio 0, Celiz 0, Javillonar 0, Roño 0

Quarter scoring: 17-13, 39-35, 50-50, 71-66

Inboundpass.com for the scores, Ballerspinas.com for the photo.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-Season Tournament)

Ateneo 59, UST 46

-Coming off a win against the Lyceum of the Philippines University, it was a relatively good game for the Blue Eagles as they tried to pounce early and get that huge lead. Their offense seemed to have a better flow now, after three games. One good observation is the fact that each guy on the floor knows that each one is a potent offensive threat, and it's just about letting each one find their spots and score easily.

-On the other hand, the fact that each one is an option can be somewhat a problem if the Blue Eagles do not execute plays that allow their men to go to their spots. As a result, there were turnovers and some ill-advised shots taken. Perhaps the plays just need more polishing in terms of execution, as well as deciding how to go through with it especially when the defense adjusts.

-Slaughter has been all over Karrim Abdul in the course of the game. The Smart Gilas rookie forced UST African to shoot from the outside, stopping him from attacking the inside. Despite not hitting much, Slaughter was able to score six markers, four of which were from the charity stripe. But more important than that was his 13 rebounds that had the Blue Eagle guards immediately running to score out of a break.

-UST is still a threat from beyond the arc, and with Clark Bautista in the zone during the first half, things got a little more challenging than expected. He staged his own 8-0 run with a couple of treys and a wing jumper, leaving his man behind as he stops and jumps quickly. Same goes for Jeric Fortuna who had notable markers of his own to bring the game closer.

-The pre-season games became an instant opportunity from the little voices of Ateneo to step up and show that they can face real opponents. Tonino Gonzaga hit a couple of threes and three field goals to score ten, and Juami Tiongson made full use of the picks given to him to score seven. The biggest of all was JP Erram's two big blocks, plus a jam after faking Abdul and finding that the lane is all for him. Hopefully in the UAAP, despite playing limited minutes, these guys can really step up and become a threat to opponents

-At the end of the day, it has been the defense that made the difference. Ateneo was able to execute their usual defensive plays against UST, preventing good looks for their guards. On the inside, they were able to fill in the paint and prevent Chris Camus and Abdul to score off layups. Also, Kiefer Ravena did a good job defending Kevin Ferrer, especially in terms of ball movement. Plus, the bigs had their own share of fly-swatting, preventing anyone inside the paint to easily score. Despite a mediocre 38 % from the field, their trademark defense got them the big lead and thus the game.

Scores:

Ateneo 59 – Long 10, Ravena 10, Gonzaga 10, Tiongson 7, Chua 6, Salva 6, Slaughter 6, Erram 4, Monfort 0, Golla 0, Austria 0, Sumalinog 0, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0

UST 46 – Bautista 14, Fortuna 10, Abdul 8, Ferrer 6, Teng 4, Camus 4, Afuang 0, Tan 0, Pe 0, Sheriff 0, Lo 0

Quarter scoring: 14-12, 29-27, 46-31, 59-46

Photo from GMANews.tv and box score courtesy of Inboundpass.com

Examining Possibilities: The NBA 2nd Round Preview

Upsets and surprises? Let's see what we have for the next phase of the playoffs.

THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Oklahoma City Thunder (4) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8)

The Thunder In: Despite taking a quick five games to make it into the next round, the Thunder's trip in the first round wasn't easy. The Denver Nuggets still continued chasing for them in all of these games, as they kept the game tight with only close, single-digit leads. Can Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (who had bad shooting problems in the series) carry over this same intensity and determination against another young team who can keep up with them?

The Grizzlies In: It's quite unbelievable that the Grizzlies were able to eliminate the top-seeded Spurs in six games, getting a 3-1 lead early in the series, many thanks to Zach Randolph. The burly Grizzlies veteran greatly helped the team not only by scoring crucial baskets and grabbing those boards, he was also able to draw defenders that allowed space for Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, and Grievis Vazques to get their own touches. Their success in this series largely depends on how fluid their offense can get.

What Could Be: Simply put, the Thunder will be too much for the Grizzlies, mostly because of their down-the-wire game experience. Thunder in 6.

Los Angeles Lakers (2) vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Lakers In: Kobe Bryant and his squad of three-peat candidates may have started slow, but their performance against the Hornets in Game 6 had everyone thinking that they can still get the championship trophy with their trademark offense and outstanding defense. The question now is whether they can maintain that level of play against a much more difficult team that could cancel out the advantages shown by Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum against New Orleans.

The Mavericks In: Credit has to be given where it is due, and the Mavericks' dismantling of the seemingly difficult Portland Trailblazers in six games is praiseworthy. Their offense has been outstanding, with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry finding his spots, while Tyson Chandler has been a big help inside the paint in terms of defending the point. As they enter the second round, they have to get off that playoff slump and play at a more competitive level against a championship team that can pull more tricks than the Trailblazers.

What Could Be: It's hard and tiring to just try beating the Lakers, and the Mavs won't be just able to handle them. Lakers in 7.

THE EASTER CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Atlanta Hawks (5)

The Bulls In: Chicago fashionably finished off a young and versatile Indiana team who ran out of gas in their final game, and they did this with DerrickRose enduring the pain of an ankle surgery. With the soon-to-be-crowned MVP taking the lead and running the game on both sides for the Bulls, what they need to do is to do the right adjustments, most especially in defense, where they need to fill in the holes that allowed Indiana to score and even escape with a win. Can they do just that against a hungry Hawks squad?

The Hawks In: With Kirk Hinrich out for the rest of the series, life could get a bit more difficult for these young Hawks. Obviously, someone needs to step up and play the role of a playmaker AND a scorer who can easily shoot from the outside and scatter the defense, enough for Al Horford and Josh Smith to penetrate and easily score.

What Could Be: With one man down for Atlanta, it would be hard to defend against and defeat Chicago. Bulls in 5.

Miami Heat (2) vs. Boston Celtics (3)

The Heat In: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, ended their first round series in fashion, scoring off threes to cancel the extra efforts exerted by Andre Iguodala's Sixers in game 5. So far, they have been very consistent despite a few lapses in defense, with Chris Bosh stepping up and hitting outside jumpers to keep them afloat all through out. It seems that all will work out, but can they use this against a Boston team that has too much D on them?

The Celtics In: Aiming for their third finals appearance in four years, Boston returns to the second round with the same playoff energy that they had from the start. Dismantling Amar'e' Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony's New York Knicks have shown that it is good strategy on the D gives them the wins that they need to reach the Finals. With a new set of personnel on the bench, amidst facing problems in filling in the five position, can they still hold on and advance to the Finals against a Miami team that is hard to stop?

What Could Be: Although the Heat had been very good, they still need to really work things around to get through an experienced Boston team. Celtics in 7.