On a night when the NFL draft commanded America’s attention, the 2014 NBA playoffs failed at doing the same with two contrasting hardwood matchups.
The Indiana Pacers slugged it out in rather un-compelling fashion with the Washington Wizards during the first game. Friday’s postseason showcase fortunately concluded with a respectable back-and-forth between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.
If this were the MLB, a .500 batting average would prove quite handsome.
Alas, it is not. So let’s just move on to the recaps.
Indiana 85, Washington 63
Note to the offensively inclined: this hardwood matchup was anything but on Friday night.
The Pacers took a 2-1 series lead over the Wizards with an 85-63 victory at the Verizon Center at the start of this latest NBA playoff weekend.
In what amounted to a total defensive grinder, Indiana and Washington combined for just 67 points in the first half and a collective 37.4 percent shooting for the entire game. Four players missed at least nine shots from the field, with two missing more than 11.
The first quarter was largely uneventful outside of two brief moments.
Trevor Ariza energized the home crowd for a quick minute with a deep three that put the Wizards up by five. And after seven straight points by the Pacers, John Wall crossed up Paul George and drained a 19-footer as the buzzer sounded.
Unfortunately, the second quarter began much more ominously vis a vis offensive scoring.
Both teams couldn’t generate a single bucket for the first two minutes. The one positive was Washington regaining its game-high lead of seven points at the 5:26 mark behind two rare layups by Nene.
Roy Hibbert then continued his basketball resurrection with six points in the quarter, including a dunk that put Indiana ahead 30-28 with 2:28 remaining. The luxury of 50/50 hindsight reveals that the Pacers would only trail once more for the remainder of the night.
After an uncharacteristically inaccurate Bradley Beal put Washington up 37-36 early in the third, the East’s No. 1 seed never again found itself behind on the scoreboard.
The Pacers scored 12 straight points behind jumpers from all five starters. Wall and Co., meanwhile, went nearly six minutes between baskets. Their offensive futility soon gave way to a 15-point hole entering the fourth.
It didn’t get any better for the home squad from here on out.
A smattering of boos reined down from the crowd, as the Wizards suffered beneath a double-digit deficit for the rest of the game. Beal’s late nine-point surge brought about a few cheers, but with just one made basket over the final 5:37, there really wasn’t much worth cheering about at the end of Game 3.
Despite missing 13 of 19 shots, Beal’s 16 points led the Wizards. Ariza posted a nice 12-PTS, 15-REB double-double, but Marcin Gortat’s meager four points and Wall’s seven turnovers were two black eyes on top of a forgettable overall box score.
Washington produced just 10 total assists and committed 18 turnovers.
George compiled an impressive 23 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST and 3 STL for the Pacers. Hibbert totaled 14 PTS, 5 REB and 3 BLK, while David West came in as the third-leading scorer with 12 PTS.
Indiana’s team-wide defensive efforts undoubtedly contributed to its regaining home-court advantage in the series.
Game 4 of this Eastern Conference battle is set for Sunday night at 8:00 PM ET.
Oklahoma City 118, Los Angeles 112
Worry not, NBA faithful—the conclusion of this playoff doubleheader was much better than the intro.
The Thunder overcame the Clippers 118-112 behind a late surge from their superstar tandem, taking Game 3 of these Western Conference semifinals.
Indeed, this matchup was a one-point affair as late as the 2:09 mark of the final quarter.
The frontline of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan powered the Clippers to an early 7-0 advantage. Oklahoma City roared back, holding two separate leads behind Kevin Durant’s 15 first-quarter points.
But it was Griffin’s unheard-of 8-of-9 shooting from the line and a customary three-pointer by Jamal Crawford that helped put LA ahead 33-29 after one.
Then, a riveting 10 lead changes materialized in the following quarter.
Russell Westbrook highlighted things for OKC with nine straight points near the end of the frame. That included a soaring, athletic marvel of a reverse layup that produced a 59-57 lead for the Thunder.
Point guard counterpart Chris Paul answered with a 28-foot bomb from downtown. His make capped the final lead change of the quarter, putting LA up 63-61.
Power forward Serge Ibaka stole the show for his Thunder brethren in the third.
He drained all four shots from outside and added two free throws that supplied his team with an 86-82 advantage with just over a minute left.
But the always-savvy Crawford countered once again. He drew one of his patented fouls on a three-point attempt, draining each free throw with 0.3 seconds on the clock. LA enjoyed a 90-86 cushion entering the fourth.
Incredibly enough, three separate three-pointers from Caron Butler regained three different leads for Oklahoma City in a span of 3:37. The reserve forward certainly proved why he was a key late-season pickup during that stretch.
Ibaka added to the compelling-feat parade by completing a 9-of-10 shooting night from the floor. His final dunk pushed the Thunder ahead 106-101 at the 4:00 mark.
Two consecutive layups by Jordan and Griffin then gave way to the pivotal turning point mentioned earlier.
Following Griffin’s make—which brought the Clippers back to within 108-107—the superstars for Oklahoma City took over.
Westbrook drilled a three-pointer, Paul missed one of his own and with help from a Reggie Jackson defensive rebound, Westbrook assisted on Durant’s impossible step-back from 22 feet. The visiting squad owned a dominant 113-107 lead with 1:23 left.
After two straight misses on their next two offensive possessions, the Clippers lost out on any chance of a comeback on their home court.
Griffin’s 32 PTS, 8 REB and 3 BLK and Paul’s 21 PTS, 16 AST and 3 STL paced LA during this high-scoring hardwood showcase.
Jordan returned to his defensive and double-double prowess (10 PTS, 11 REB, 3 BLK), while Crawford finished with 20 on the night he received his Sixth Man of the Year Award.
If nothing else, the Clippers should find hope in the fact that they committed a scant six turnovers as a team.
Durant’s 36 PTS, 8 REB and 6 AST and Westbrook’s 23 PTS, 8 REB and 13 AST fueled Oklahoma City. Ibaka added 20 PTS, while Butler and Jackson each contributed 14 off the bench.
The Thunder outshot, out-rebounded, out-assisted and generated more fast-break points and points in the paint than LAC.
This conference semifinals matchup resumes Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM ET.
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