Spurs-Thunder for the West

Russell Westbrook's insane tomahawk in the Thunder's game 5 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Thunder are 2-1 against the Spurs since Serge Ibaka's game 3 return with the home team taking each game. The Spurs looked as though game 3 and 4 never happened in their game 5 victory last night. Their shooters were hitting shots, and Tim Duncan gave them a vintage performance with 22 points and 12 boards.

The D Wade Maintenance Plan

The Miami Heat coddled Dwyane Wade the entire 2013-14 regular season. He missed 28 games, mostly due to his recurring knee troubles. They put an enormous amount of pressure on LeBron James to carry the load for them, and, for the most part, he did. The Heat wanted to save their more fragile star for their fourth attempt at a Finals run in four years. 

So far, their strategy has worked. Wade was magnificent for the first two rounds and has been for the last three games against the Pacers too. In game three last night, he constantly penetrated into the teeth of the defense. Wade created many midrange floaters for himself in addition to a few easy baskets for cutting teammates. 

Coming into the series, I believed Lance Stephenson would outplay Wade in the individual matchup. Stephenson has played great, but Wade is currently playing at another level. He has been incredibly efficient from the field in all three games this series and has consistently frustrated the Pacers' bigs with his crafty array of midrange finishes. Wade has been the more valuable player thus far.

In order for the Heat to win their third straight championship, Wade must maintain his high level of play. If he falters, the Heat may not be able to get out of the Eastern Conference, even with the one game lead they've already built. They need a legitimate second scoring threat to be able to continue their quest for a three-peat. 

Spurs-Thunder Will Be Over in 5

I did not have a chance to see many of the San Antonio Spurs games during the regular season. The only games I saw them play were against the woeful Lakers, where they looked unstoppable, and the Thunder, where they looked over-matched in terms of speed and athleticism. The Spurs lost all four matchups versus Oklahoma City during the regular season, but you would not have known that watching last night.

The Spurs' offense ran like clockwork for most of the night. They moved the ball and got into the paint at will. Tony Parker exploited Russel Westbrook's aggressive defense by baiting him on pick and rolls before he would crossover, gaining a step on him towards the basket. Normally, Serge Ibaka is there to minimize the effect of the gambles by the Thunder's perimeter defenders, but with him out of the lineup, they had to rely on slow-footed Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison, and Steven Adams. Neither Perkins nor Collison have the athleticism to stop guards once they get into the lane, and Adams is still learning the nuances of pick and roll defense in the NBA. Parker shredded the Thunder for 14 points and 12 assists on 50% shooting, while only committing one turnover. Manu Ginobili did the same in the third quarter.

Difference between Wizards' Games 4 and 5

We saw two completely different Washington Wizards teams in games four and five.

Randy Wittman made game four all about the old guys. Andre Miller, Al Harrington, and Drew Gooden played extended minutes. They played well in those minutes too. Gooden brought the same energy he had for the previous four games. Harrington came off the bench at the start of the second quarter and sparked the first major run by the Wizards with three steals and six points in the quarter. Andre Miller worked CJ Watson in the post and created a couple beautiful fadeaways for himself in the middle of the lane.

The problem with relying on your wily veterans is that they're not where they once were in terms of physical ability. Drew Gooden wasn't on a roster at the start of the 2013-14 NBA season. Al Harrington is currently playing for his seventh NBA team. Andre Miller was the eighth pick in the 1999 draft. That was fifteen years ago! After his starters blew the lead created in the second quarter, Wittman decided to stick with his bench bigs for most of the fourth quarter. Marcin Gortat sat alongside Nene while Harrington and Gooden played crunch time. Five years ago, I wouldn't mind the move, but you have to stick with the guys you've trusted all year to win you the game down the stretch. Instead, Harrington and Gooden took a couple ill-advised threes. Then, Trevor Ariza threw the Wizards' last hope a foot behind Bradley Beal as he was curling off a screen.

Forgettable Game 3 for Wizards

After taking the first game at home, the Wizards have now dropped the last two, including their first of the series at home.

Let's start with what I liked: Nenê in the high post. 

Despite his poor shooting effort, Nenê was very effective in the high post. Nenê's ability to space the floor with his midrange shot, soft touch, and court vision allow the Wizards to run their offense through him. Every time Nenê touches the ball in the high post, he puts significant pressure on the defense. Either Bradley Beal or John Wall comes off Nenê to receive the handoff, curl towards the paint, or quickly change direction back towards the baseline. The defender has to make a split-second decision on how to defend the play. George Hill, when guarding Wall, goes under Nenê every time in an attempt to force Wall into a midrange jumper. I liked Wall's willingness to use his quickness off the dribble to get into the paint and create easy scoring opportunities for Marcin Gortat and a slashing Trevor Ariza in the first half. 

Marcin Gortat!!

Marcin Gortat's two impressive poster dunks in the Wizards' game two loss against the Indiana Pacers.