Thoughts on Heat-Pacers So Far.

Wow. I had the feeling after four games in the Heat-Pacers series that it would be 2-2 going back to South Beach. I had no idea that it would be quite like this though. Even though I predicted that the Heat would win in six games; I still had the sneaking suspicion that the Heat might steamroll the Pacers. That didn't happen in any way shape or form. Three out of the four games so far have been spectacular to watch.

Game one was insane. Paul George's shot to send the game to OT was just ridiculous. He has only been in the NBA for a few years and to step up and make a shot of that magnitude on largest stage of his career was remarkable. His game up to that point hadn't exactly been up to par and that shot changed how his game was going. I know it's been a while since game one, but I also think that Roy Hibbert should have been in the game when LeBron made that game winning layup. Don't think Paul George is without blame, though. Had he stayed in front of LeBron when he was driving to the hoop then having Hibbert in the game might not have mattered. I would guess that Paul George assumed LeBron was going to pull up in stead of drive to the hoop. Michael Jordan was someone that always said, "Force LeBron to his left. When he goes right, he drives to the hoop, and when he drives to left, he pulls up." Nonetheless, game one was interesting. We saw David West dominate the first half of that game, and we saw Paul George dominate the second half (at least offensively). LeBron just does what he seems to often do. He shined has the best player in the game today and had a triple double. Not to mention he made a game winning shot to win that game for the Heat to keep home court advantage. Also, I liked how Birdman played! He went 7-7 and did a good job being effective in just 18 minutes of action.

Game two was also crazy! All the Pacers starters had positive +/- numbers and were in double figures, which is probably because the Pacers bench flat out stinks. Roy Hibbert played well on both ends of the floor. George Hill shot about as lights out as he could have. David West struggled in shooting the ball from the floor, but excelled at getting to the free throw line, and was 9-10 from the charity stripe. Yeah, the Pacers won game two by a score of 97-93, but it's not as if the Heat didn't show up. LeBron was amazing like always, but had two passes in the final minute of the game that were probably among the worst of his career. Wade, Bosh, and Chalmers didn't contribute like they should have. Haslem might as well not have dressed for this game after only having one point. Battier didn't score. Birdman did what he could. And Norris Cole and Ray Allen didn't really do much either.

Game three was the least spectacular of the games so far. Every Pacer struggled. If you're looking for a silver lining David West played the best of the Pacers shooting 50% from the field. Everyone on the Pacers struggled. I don't need to list all of them, but no one on the Pacers had a really good game. Hibbert had a 20 points 17 rebound game, but that didn't matter. It didn't help that the Pacers stayed an extra night in South Beach, which means they probably didn't get much rest. First thing with talking about the Heat was how much can change between games for one player. Udonis Haslem had what was probably the best offensive output of his career. He shot 8-9 and seemly made every short corner jumper that he took. The rest of the Heat did what they had to do. Another shout out to Birdman for not missing a shot. The Heat won 114-96, and it wasn't a good game.

Game four was amazing. I wish this game wasn't tampered by the refs. Joey Crawford was the head official. And if you know anything about NBA games, that is a sign for bad calls to ensue. Basketball is a game of runs, and the Pacers started of the game running. They started 11-0 and forced the Heat to take a timeout early on. Regardless, both teams played fairly well for the most part. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this game. Roy Hibbert showed why he deserved to get that monster contract last offseason as a restricted free agent. He didn't have a brilliant game from a numbers standpoint 23 points and 12 boards. He didn't have a blocked shot, but he did his part on defense and changed every shot he possibly could. David West had a nice game. Paul George had an alright game. I really liked the game Lance Stephenson had even though he flopped any chance he got. George Hill didn't shoot the ball all that well, but he made some key shots when he had to. I'll touch on the officiating after talking about the Heat, LeBron James had a good game. What else do you expect of him? He can't get a triple double every night. He had a technical called on him even though I don't know why he had a technical called on him. He fouled out for the first time in what seems like an eternity and that killed the Heat in the last minute of the game. Wade was simply okay. He hasn't had a game that has been up to his high standards. Chris Bosh only made one shot and it was a three. Chalmers was their second leading scorer, which shouldn't happen very often. More attention was paid to Haslem after his amazing game three. Ray Allen contributed only by going 4 of 13. In other words, not very good.
Let's give some credit to the Pacers though. They did make enough plays to win the game. The Pacers did win the game 99-92 Although...

Remember how I said Joey Crawford was officiating this game? Well he showed why he is the only ref that has a name that recognize besides Tim Donaghy. There was a technical called on each team (one on LeBron and one on Pacers coach Frank Vogel). They called a travel on Wade that was at least a questionable call. They called so many fouls on LeBron that he actually fouled out. The call that he fouled out on was on an illegal screen call. First off, that's one of the most subjective calls in a basketball game. It's rarely called and when it is then it's usually as blatant as can be. If you want to know what a true illegal screen looks like just watch Kevin Garnett. He does an illegal screen damn near every time he sets a screen! Anyway, I think that's a lame call in the last couple minutes of a Conference Finals game. While most people can debate the Wade travel and the LeBron Screen; you can't debate the 24 second call that shouldn't have been called. It clearly hit the rim and improperly gave the ball back to the Heat. Sadly, it wasn't even reviewed. It led to a Heat run that may or may not have been sparked after the missed call.

I'm not backing down on my prediction of Heat in six games, but I do think it will be a challenge for both teams.

I'll talk about the Grizzles and Spurs series in a giant preview before the NBA Finals, and I'll even give you a book recommendation.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris and spread my blog around!

Preview of Eastern & Western Conference Finals

The Miami Heat will host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday tipping off the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron has already said the Heat will be ready, and why wouldn't they be? They easily took care of the Bucks in the first round by means of a quick four game sweep. They dispatched the injury ridden Bulls in five games after the Bulls stole game one in Miami. It probably helped that the main source of offense for the Bulls was 5'9 Nate Robinson. The Heat basically said, "Okay. Nate Robinson is not going to be the one to beat us." And once they did, the Bulls struggled on offense. Even though they had glimpses of Richard Hamilton (I thought he was in Tom Thibodeau's doghouse) and Carlos Boozer on offense. The Heat have the chance to be put in the greatest team ever debate (at least in terms of winning percentage). We will see how they do against the Pacers this time around with both teams being subtly different.

The Heat are mostly the same cast as last season. They have a few additions in Ray Allen, Chris Andersen (Bird Man), and Rashard Lewis. Norris Cole has dramatically improved from his rookie season. Shane Battier has been okay in spurts. Dwayne Wade has added "when he's healthy" to his name. LeBron is LeBron (duh). The pacers are a little difference as well. The back up point guard roll changed from Darren Collison to D.J. Augustin. Paul George is twice the player he was last season. Danny Granger has been unable to play for a while. This year's team has also had a much larger dose of Lance Stevenson. Up until last series, Roy Hibbert has been a shell of himself. Like last year, he will be the key to the Pacers, at least having a chance in this series. The Pacers, were the best rebounding team in the NBA. On the other end of the scale, the Heat were the worst rebounding team in the league. But their poor rebounding numbers didn't keep them from having a 27 game winning streak. So, I don't know how much I would look into that. Speaking from the perspective of an Orlando Magic fan, I watched how a fully healthy Magic team was able to give the small Miami Heat team fits. Of course this is back when they had Dwight & company health. Clearly, Roy Hibbert hasn't been even a poor man's Dwight Howard. At least back when Dwight was at (what might have been) the peak of his powers a few seasons ago.

I do think the Heat will win the series, but I expect it to be a gritty, tough series. It should be a lot like last year, although it will be subtly different. I see the Heat winning in six games, again, like last season.

Game One of the Grizzles and Spurs series tipped off Sunday. The Spurs didn't even give the Grizzles a fair shot. The closest the game was just so happened to be at the opening tip.  But let's look at how the rosters changed. One more so then the other. The Grizzles made radical changes mid-season with the Rudy Gay trade. I thought there might be a chance for the Grizzles to make a run like they did in 2011 because they were set up a lot like they were when Rudy Gay was hurt. The Grizzles changed from having Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, and a couple other role players to a dramatic overhaul. They added guys like Tayshaun Prince, Jerryd Bayless, and Ed Davis among others.  But the bulk of the Grizzles success has been from the guys that were already there. Zach Randolph has been playing the best basketball of his career not counting the 2011 postseason. Marc Gasol, the newly crowned defensive player of the year, has made himself into the games best big man. He has even been a better offensive player both in scoring and his passing. And Mike Conley. Holy Crap, Mike Conley. I'm an Ohio State fan and I never would have seen this coming. I would never have thought out of Mike Conley, Greg Oden, and Daequan Cook that Mike Conley would have had the best NBA career of the group. He has been nothing short of sensational this postseason.

The Spurs are basically the same team they have been throughout their run of 50+ win seasons. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and an assortment of role players.  I don't think there's much that can be said about the Spurs that people don't already know. Tim Duncan is still a great player. Tony Parker is always solid. Manu hits big shot after, big shot. And various role players like Danny Green and Matt Bonner always seem to make an impact.

Even though the Spurs won game one with ease. I still think the Grizzles will win this series in six. I think this series may have the same blueprint as the Thunder series last year. The Spurs won their first two games at home then they lost four straight. I see the same kind of things happening in this series. I don't see how they can consistently stop Gasol and Randolph game after game. The Spurs just don't have the size to match up with the Grizzles and I think that will be the key for the Grizzles.

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Reflection Of NBA Playoff Games In The West

       One series in the West done, and another one to go.

       The Thunder lost to the Grizzles in five games, but was anyone really surprised by the outcome? It took the Thunder six games to get past the Rockets even though their answer to stopping Kevin Durant was Francisco Garcia. Really? Francisco Garcia? Has he had a relevant moment in the NBA? Anyway, I like many others, had the thought that the Thunder weren't making it past the Grizzles. They weren't a good match up. Let's look at the Thunder's flaws before we get to the good things about the Grizzles.

       First off all, don't blame this on Kevin Durant. What was he supposed to do with a back-up point guard playing 40+ minutes a game? Don't go around and say Durant isn't everything he's supposed to be just because of this series. Everyone needs help. LeBron's run in 2007 was an anomaly (He had Eric Snow, Big Z, Larry Hughes, and Drew Gooden). But I think we should look at just how inept Durant's supporting cast is. Kevin Martin is only a shooter. If his shot isn't falling down then he has no other way of contributing. Reggie Jackson is a very poor man's version of Russell Westbrook. He does the same thing's as Westbrook, but not nearly as well. Serge Ibaka is a good asset on a star studded team. He is a great defensive player (he averaged 3+ blocks a game). The problem is he doesn't have another gear. When Westbrook went down, the general though was that Ibaka was going to step up and take up some of the shots that Westbrook would have taken. After watching him play without Westbrook it's clear to me that Ibaka is the same player night in and night out. He will get you transition and other easy buckets, but don't expect him to make moves in the post and put it in the basket. I do have one burning question though? Why is Kendrick Perkins still in the league? His one job is to defend the big centers (Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Roy Hibbert, etc.). But he can't even do that anymore. It's annoying to me that Scott Brooks continued to play Perkins when he wasn't effective at either end of the floor all series long. It didn't help either that the Thunder's bench was very weak. Thabo Sefolosha who started, but might as well have been a bench player is a good defensive player, but he can only make lay ups and very, very wide open 3's. Derek Fisher's 38 and playing significant minutes. Nick Collsion plays hard, but can't really do much of anything. The rest of their bench is either young and needs to develop, or young and they can't play.

        But enough about the Thunder, let's give some credit to the Grizzles.  Zach Randolph has been playing fairly well. He's not exactly the guy he was in 2011, but he has been going 110% and banging bodies night in and night out. Marc Gasol has established himself as the top big guy in the game since Dwight Howard has been either unhealthy or unengaged. Not to mention, he won Defensive Player of the Year and he is the best passing big man in the game today. Tony Allen has been one of, if not the best wing defender in the NBA. Mike Conley is showing everyone watching that he is worth every penny that the Grizzles paid him two years ago. Tayshaun Prince has filled in nicely, and their bench as been as solid as they can possibly be. Credit the Grizzles to playing an old school type game with
two big men and filling the gaps everywhere else. I like how they play even if it's not the flashy way to play in the NBA today. I feel like the Grizzles will beat either the Spurs or the Warriors and move on to the NBA Finals. Although, that remains to be seen. Let's talk some Warriors - Spurs.

       The Spurs are up 3-2 over the Golden State Warriors. I think this series goes 7 if the Warriors have a semi-healthy Stephen Curry. Let's look at the Warriors first. I love, love, love watching Stephen Curry when healthy. That's the problem with Curry. You always have to say "if he's healthy" when talking about how good he is. Aside from having to worry about his ankles, he has been the best player to watch in the playoffs. Well, at least from a come out party point-of-view. Klay Thompson has been fun to watch, too. His Game 2 performance was amazing to watch. If he develops the confidence to go to the hoop more instead of just shooting his way out of trouble, I think that he could become a top 5 shooting guard in the league. Harrison Barnes has been fun to watch more so then not. I really like the move for him from the 3 to the small ball 4. He is the kind of stretch 4 that gives your offense room to move. It really gives their offense another dimension that they didn't have with David Lee in the starting lineup. I wonder what would have happened if David Lee never got hurt in the Denver series? It might have kept them from advancing past the Nuggets , but who knows? Andrew Bogut has been playing more like the Bogut of 2010 and that has really helped the Warriors interior defense. Jarrett Jack and the rest of the Warriors bench has been very key for them in winning games against the Spurs.

      The Spurs have been playing very well in their own right. I must admit, I've never really liked the Spurs. Maybe it's just because they win every year. But as I've grown older, I've grown to appreciate Tim Duncan. He's been in the league forever and he just keeps doing what he does. He's solid on both ends of the floor every single night. There's not very many people in the league you can say that about. Tony Parker has done what he can even though he's fighting through injuries. Danny Green. Yes, we're going to talk a little about Danny Green. A few years ago, he was out of the league. He was never really given a chance on the LeBron James Cavalier team's, but once he found he's fit on the Spurs he has been a great guy for them. He has just two jobs: make open 3's and play solid defense. And he has done just that especially when guarding Stephen Curry. Manu has done everything Manu is supposed to do. He had a terrible game 1, but all was forgiven when he made the three to beat the Warriors in game 1. And don't forget about Kawhi Leonard. He has been the Spurs most important player not named Tim Duncan. The Spurs bench has done what it can, but they usually only have Manu and sometimes Tiago Splitter as useful guys off their bench.

       As much as I want the Warriors to win. I think the Spurs will win in 7. If the Warriors were healthy, I would give them a punchers chance in game 7. With Curry injured, it simply kills the Warriors chances of getting to the Western Conference Finals.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

Reflection Of NBA Playoff Games In The East

Ah, the NBA Playoffs.

It's definitely one of my favorite times of the year. It is right up there with the NFL Playoffs, MLB Playoffs, NCAA Football's regular season, and March Madness. The only thing is that if my team isn't involved in the MLB playoffs; I'll have a hard time finding a reason to watch.

In the NFL, I always am watching even though the Browns have only been in the playoffs once in my lifetime. In MLB, (luckily) the Tigers have been in the postseason the last two seasons, but if they weren't in the playoffs, quite frankly, I probably wouldn't watch any postseason action. Baseball doesn't appeal to me in the same sense basketball and football do. I love watching college football. I can watch a random game that comes on between Baylor and West Virginia just as easily as I could watch Alabama verses Florida. College football is just magical in way that I can't real describe through words. March Madness, I love in every way, shape, and form. The team I grew up loving (The Ohio State Buckeyes) has gone deep into the tournament the last few seasons, but I still watch whether they're playing in the NIT, or they're in the NCAA Championship game. But onto the NBA Playoffs.

First, the Heat against the Bulls.

I want to start out by saying I love the way Tom Thibodeau coaches a basketball team. With any less of a coach I don't know if the Bulls get into the playoffs. Let alone beating the Brooklyn Nets in 7, or beating the defending NBA Champs on the road in game one of the Eastern Conference Semis. He has gotten so much out of the players he can. Nate Robinson has looked better then I've ever seen him outside of winning a couple Dunk Contests. Joakim Noah, who is playing hurt, has done more on one leg then a lot of other guys in the NBA can do on two. Carlos Boozer played out of his mind in game three and hopefully the Bulls can rely on him for at least 15+ a night. Jimmy Butler, who has been playing (almost) every minute of this series, has done everything but throw the kitchen sink trying to slow down LeBron James. Marques Teague, a rookie from last years stacked Kentucky Squad, has stepped in nicely as the back-up point guard the Bulls really needed to keep Nate from becoming ineffective. Marco Belinelli and Taj Gibson have also been key in keeping the Bulls in the series.

Oh, I almost forgot, you know how many guys the Bulls have hurt, right?

Well, of course there's Derrick Rose, who hasn't logged a minute all season after recovering from an ACL injury. And NO, I don't think he should come back unless he is 110% ready. I know Bill Simmons has said this, but the shadow of Gilbert Arenas is hanging over Derrick Rose. Arenas had the same type of injury and he rushed back way too soon and never, ever recovered. Luol Deng, the Bulls #1 scoring option most of the year has been going through various injuries throughout the year, but what's keeping him out right now is an illness. And also the Bulls are without guard Kirk Hinrich, who has been fighting a calf injury. So when you hear some one say, "Oh, the Bulls have no shot tonight!" Just calmly tell them they're wrong and talk about how they have been proving everyone wrong since the start of this season.

Now, I think I know what you're thinking. You're waiting for me to gush over LeBron and how great he is and all the things of that nature. Well, I'm not going to do that. Well -- actually-- I am. Just a little.

I'm prepared to say he is the greatest player in this generation. (Clearly, I'm not including Michael Jordan in this generation).

He's an athlete that basketball has never seen before. The things he does are so unique. He's not Jordan, he's not Magic, he's not truly like another player in NBA history. He has some qualities of some of the greatest players ever to play the game, but he is not a carbon copy of any of them. I think he is on his way to becoming a smothering defensive presence in the way Scottie Pippen was. He has that pass first mentality that Magic Johnson had. He is already one of the best players in NBA history, and technically, he hasn't hit his prime yet. Scary.

In the end, I see the Heat winning in six. I think the Bulls will come out and find a way to win another game. Whether it's in Chicago or South Beach. The Bulls will more then likely will there way to a win at least one more time before the Heat move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.


Knicks and the Pacers. It's not exactly Patrick Ewing against Reggie Miller, but Carmelo Anthony against Paul George will have to do. The Pacers are up 2-1 after they stole home court away by stunning the Knicks in game one. Even though this isn't the best comparison, I have a reason the Pacers will win this series in six games. The Pacers are a team that, at times, has trouble scoring. The Knicks are a team that, at times, has trouble defending.

 Does this sound familiar? If you watch college basketball it should ring a bell or two. It has some resemblance to Louisville and Michigan.
Even though the Knicks have the best player in the series in Carmelo Anthony. They do have more problems then the Pacers do right now. JR Smith has been struggling ever since the incident he had in game three last round against the Celtics. They're also trying to bring back Amar'e. Even though he's only played in 20 some games this season. Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin have been hobbled throughout the playoffs. And Jason Kidd hasn't scored a point in this series. Meanwhile, the Pacers have been clicking on all-cylinders. Paul George has been coming into his own as a star in the league. Roy Hibbert, if he keeps playing how he played on Saturday, will keep the Knicks from scoring in these playoffs as well as be a major challenge to the Heat. George Hill, Lance Stevenson, and DJ Augustin have been solid at the guard spot. David West has been solid. And guys like Tyler Hansbrough are contributing off the bench. People debated throughout the regular season who has the biggest challenge to the Heat? The Knicks or the Pacers. The Pacers should be the team that fills that role.

Later in the week, my thoughts on the West.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris

Introduction

Hello World!

      My name is Lance Morris, and next fall I will be in my second year at Bowling Green State University. I am majoring in Telecommunications, and I'm also a member of the Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization. As an organization, we broadcasted more then 140 games last season. As a Freshman, I was lucky enough to be on the call for three of those games. I announced two Men's College Basketball games. One against Eastern Michigan, and another against eventual M.A.C. Champion and NCAA Tournament participant in Akron. I also announced a baseball game where the Falcons took on the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

       Ever since I can remember my biggest passion in life has been sports. From going to watch guys like Brandon Inge and Curtis Granderson develop into great baseball players in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, while they were playing with the Toledo Mud Hens (The Triple-A Team for the Detroit Tigers). Those were some the guys that fueled my love for baseball. It was the first sport I can say I truly loved. I remember playing baseball at the young age of four. Even then I saw things from a different perspective then other kids did, even if I didn't truly realize it yet. I remember watching my favorite team (the Tigers) lose 119 games in 2003.

       My favorite moment at Comerica Park was on August 5th, 2006.  I went there on a bus trip that my dad won tickets for. We went with Norm Wamer of what was at the time, 1470 The Ticket. I didn't know that they were going to end up in the World Series that year, but nonetheless, I got to watch a great game. They were playing the Cleveland Indians, and it also happened to be the same time the Indians were trying out "the artist formerly known as Fausto Carmona" as their closer. The Tigers were down going into the bottom of the ninth, and they had the top of their lineup coming to the plate. Curtis Granderson was the first out of the inning, but then Placido Polanco managed to get on base. Then Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez came up to the plate. I remember vividly saying out loud, "Okay. This is it. Pudge is gonna hit a walk-off home run!" And what do you know, that's exactly what happened. It was a great moment in my young life, and it is something I will never forget.

       Other things like watching guys like Adam Morrison, Kevin Durant, and Jimmer Friedette tear up College Basketball. Adam Morrison was the player that really ignited my interest in basketball and it has only grown stronger since then. I vaguely remember watching Kobe and Shaq winning NBA Titles after Michael Jordan retired (his second time). I remember the Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace led Detroit Pistons winning their first NBA title since "The Bad Boy Pistons" won a couple titles. But the first NBA finals I really got invested in was when the Dallas Mavericks played the Miami Heat, and no I'm not talking about when they beat LeBron James. I'm talking about when Dwayne Wade and Shaq beat the Mavericks in 2006 with the likes of Jason Williams and Antoine Walker also on the team. Since then, I watch college basketball as well as NBA basketball any chance I get. My favorite NBA team is the Orlando Magic. Yes, I know. They sucked last year. You don't have to tell me twice. When you trade away a player like Dwight Howard and get a bunch of lesser players in return, it seems to take a while to get your franchise back to winning ways. Either way, I like the pieces that they have in place.

       I also remember when guys like Quincy Morgan, Willie Green, and Kelly Holcomb when they were all on the Cleveland Browns. I watched them every Sunday I could, even though they stunk. Yeah, the Browns are on the right track since Owner Jimmy Haslem has made changes throughout the team, but I still haven't had the joy of rooting for a truly great NFL football team. Even though the Browns haven't been very good, I still have enjoyed watching some other NFL teams make great runs. It would be hard for me to tell you just how happy I was when I watched the Tim Tebow led Denver Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs a few seasons ago. I, begrudgingly, watched teams like the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers win five Superbowls between them. I really enjoyed watching the New York Giants end the perfect season of the New England Patriots. Even though that means that we'll still have to hear Mercury Morris talk about the 1972 Dolphins every year.

      Anyway, I'm using this blog as a tool to learn how to put my thoughts on sports into words. Especially, since my show, "Ball Night!", is on hold until next fall. So this might be rough at first, but I'm hoping it'll transform into something great.

Follow me on Twitter @TheLanceMorris