On Wednesday night, a pair of teams was eliminated in the NBA Playoff games. In the east, Chicago’s injuries finally got the best of them as they were defeated in a close game. In the west, the top-seeded Thunder were beaten and sent home for the remainder of the postseason. Here’s what happened in last night’s contests.
Miami eliminates injury-riddled Chicago, 94-91.
The Chicago Bulls nearly gave Miami Heat fans another surprise on Wednesday. After winning the series opener in Miami, Chicago almost won a second game on the road. But they finished just short as the Heat prevailed behind a fourth-quarter run, 94-91.
The contest was a back and forth affair. At one point in the first quarter, Miami led by as much as 16 points, but the Bulls fought all the way back and led by six at halftime. They extended that to an eight-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter but, as was to be expected, the Heat went on a run of their own. Miami used a 13-4 spurt to take the lead fueled by eight points by Shane Battier.
In the end, the game was as close as the final score would indicate. Chicago had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but misses from three-point range by Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler sealed the team’s fate. Butler and Robinson combined for 40 points on the night and made six of their thirteen three-pointers, so they were solid candidates to take the last shots.
Dwyane Wade, who was a game-time decision, not only played for Miami but was a key contributor – something that hasn’t always happened this postseason. Wade had 18 points in the game to go along with Lebron James’ 23. His 18 points were more than he had the past two games combined.
Carlos Boozer led Chicago with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Boozer’s play will go largely unnoticed as the Heat made quick work of the Bulls in the series. But with so much on his shoulders, he responded well as the series went on. He struggled in the first two games, but over the final three, Boozer averaged just 20 points and ten rebounds per contest.
Miami will now turn their attention to the winner of the New York-Indiana series in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Memphis withstands late Oklahoma City run for 88-84 win
Behind 28 points and 14 rebounds from forward Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies shocked the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, 88-84, to win their series.
Seeing Memphis compete in this series isn’t a huge surprise to those that have followed the team all season long. But few would have expected them to win it so convincingly. All of the games were close, but rattling off four straight victories (with two on Oklahoma City’s home court, no less) wasn’t something too many could have predicted. The team’s reward is their first ever trip to the Western Conference Finals.
For one of the few times this postseason, Kevin Durant struggled mightily. He finished with 21 points, but shot only 5-21 from the field. Durant has come up short late in games in this postseason, but rarely has he been kept down for an entire contest. And, oh yeah – he played all 48 minutes on Wednesday.
Oklahoma City had a chance to extend the series with a furious run near the end of the game. Down by 12 with three minutes remaining, the Thunder went on a late charge to cut the lead to two with only 11 seconds left. After some missed Memphis free throws, Durant missed a jump shot the next time down the court. A pair of ensuing free throws by the Grizzlies’ Tony Allen provided the final margin.
The series, if nothing else, should prove one thing – that Oklahoma City is a better team with Russell Westbrook. Critics have adamantly argued that the Thunder are stronger without him and all of the shots he takes. But the fact is that Oklahoma City desperately needed more scoring this series and when he’s on the court, the load is significantly lighter on Durant.
The Thunder struggled offensively in the series and a healthy Westbrook could have made the difference. Oklahoma City failed to reach 100 points in any of the five games and they averaged fewer than 90 points after scoring nearly 106 per contest in the regular season. The Grizzlies are the top scoring defense in the NBA, but with Westbrook in the lineup, things would have come a bit easier on the offensive end for the Thunder.
Memphis will take on the winner of the San Antonio-Golden State series.
