They are finally here: Eastern Conference Playoffs - Bracket Watch and Who Ya Got ?

[slaw]

This Memphis game is fantastic.

[Ball]

Holy crap Kawhi Leonard taking over the 4th quarter tonight!!!

[Majesiu]

Not the East but wow Clippers lose Griffin for the rest of the playoffs. This team is just cursed man. They'll likely lose in the first round again.

Jazz are without Gobert so the chances seems once again evenly matched. Clippers are not bad without him, he is also curious case in the summer for FA, because he is just tier below superstar you can build contender around - superb point forward with athletic ability, but sub-par defense and no 3 point range (it's approaching Thadd Young level, but still only .336 accuracy).

[Ball]

Not the East but wow Clippers lose Griffin for the rest of the playoffs. This team is just cursed man. They'll likely lose in the first round again.

[TrueTorontoFan]

[Demographic Shift]

The Chowderheads got their split last night and have life. No Rondo hurt the Bulls. Still the Bulls can get close to having the Celts tap out on Sunday with a win. Let's see if the Mayor can get the Bulls dialed back in to pounding the glass and Jimmy taking over or will the Celtics come home tied and back in the drivers seat.

Whiz in Atlanta. The Whiz are up two to zip winning both at home where they play very well. Philips Areana is hardly a bear pit for visiting teams but the Whiz, like red wine, don't travel all that well. Conventional wisdom says your not really up against it till you lose at home and the Hawks who are a good team win tonight and keep their chances above water. The Whiz defence isn't great and it lets them down tonight.

Raps @ Bucks Pretty much everything has been said. Of the core players most have been traded, benched or are being let walk in free agency. It's been strongly suggested that the coach and his staff be replaced mid series or, for longer term thinkers, have them whacked at the press conference if they lose. The firing of the coaching staff would also be the last act of the President and GM before he is put on an ice floe and pushed out to sea.
A win today reverses course 180 degrees.
The Raps dig in and come up with a win today and come back to the ACC tied.

[Demographic Shift]

True, though that's mostly been true of this celtics team and they still managed to win a lot in regular season. I can't remember if Rondo did a decent job guarding Isiah as I was watching Raps during their games. Reading celtics boards I get the impression they think Isiah is going to go crazy on Grant.

Bulls are still going to miss his court presence. This Bulls team in the playoffs was what I thought they'd do in regular season as well but didn't. Also I read somewhere that Rondo knows Celtic's offense well and was able to anticipate the ball movement / sets and disrupt it.

It is a shame because Rondo was finally playing well and playing "connected" with his teammates instead of him acting like the original coming of Westbrook.

It's the curse of Michael Carter Williams....singlehandedly taking the Bulls out of that game.
The timely turnover, the clutch air ball three and the momentum breaking late shot clock foul.
He has it all.

[Majesiu]

wtf are Bulls doing?! Man they miss Rondo

Yeah they do, he was amazing on the defense during first 2 games, reading plays on the fly and controlling the tempo. Still Butler had DeRozan in first half (-27 +/- overall) and with Boston having good rhythm on offense it had to end with BOS win. So better focus today, because with Celtics not yet defeated in the series, our loss will result in unending flow of memes about trash bros.

[Rand]

wtf are Bulls doing?! Man they miss Rondo

[Rand]

Tough one for the Bulls...Still though...the rebounding gap is really killing Boston and with or without Rondo that is something the Chowders don't appear able to solve.

True, though that's mostly been true of this celtics team and they still managed to win a lot in regular season. I can't remember if Rondo did a decent job guarding Isiah as I was watching Raps during their games. Reading celtics boards I get the impression they think Isiah is going to go crazy on Grant.

Bulls are still going to miss his court presence. This Bulls team in the playoffs was what I thought they'd do in regular season as well but didn't. Also I read somewhere that Rondo knows Celtic's offense well and was able to anticipate the ball movement / sets and disrupt it.

It is a shame because Rondo was finally playing well and playing "connected" with his teammates instead of him acting like the original coming of Westbrook.

[Demographic Shift]

Celtics got the luck of the leprechaun. Rondo broke his hand. They actually have a chance now.

Tough one for the Bulls...Still though...the rebounding gap is really killing Boston and with or without Rondo that is something the Chowders don't appear able to solve.

[Rand]

Celtics got the luck of the leprechaun. Rondo broke his hand. They actually have a chance now.

[Demographic Shift]

Well that was certainly sobering. If it could go wrong, it did for the Barneys last night and since we believe in science and Newton's third law, if it could go right for the Bucks it did. Pretty much every shot that hit the rim went in. When Beasley's three pointer hit every spot on the circle as it rattled around and finally rolled in it you knew it was going to be one of those nights.

Oaths were sworn, players traded or relegated to the bench forever, the coach ever the lightening rod for informed and reasoned critiscm is fortunate to be alive. It's over thank god.

However a day after Armageddon the Raps are down 2 games to 1 in a seven game series. Win on Saturday and your tied going home. Try thinking Dunkirk instead of Dieppe on last nights beat down.

So what's likely to happen in two days ?

1. The starting five is going to change and whoever starts won't let the Bucks build a big lead in the opening quarter.
2. Hopefully Kyle had a call your momma moment and will stash whatever baggage he is carrying in his head and play like he is a two time AllStar instead of someone else who is wearing number 7 on his jersey.
3. The Raps are the physically bigger team and will have to play with an edge. The Bucks are. If you want to keep your lunch money be prepared to push back.
4. There will be a positive and negative regression to the mean on shots going down. The Bucks won't make everything they throw up and the Raps won't miss everything.Yes some Raps shots are poor and contested but not all. DD who has been traded by a few is unlikely to go "oh-fer" from the floor again on Saturday.
5. JV has to play Maker off the court and at least hold his own against Monroe who has never played this good a defence in his life. Time for the Lithuanian to step up.

The Bucks are riding high but momentum is an in game thing and doesn't shift game to game. The Raps, just like any team in any sport at most any level of competition have to cowboy up. They will and head back home tied. One game at a time.

[Demographic Shift]

0-2. What a disaster tonight.

A total Hindenberg

Except I got the Griz taking one from the Spurs right after Fizdale stood up for his guys.

[psrs1]

I have always believed the pivotal games in series were always games 3 and 5. Game 7 of course is beyond question. In 3 and 5 you are either putting a choke hold on your opponent or getting back into it or pulling ahead by a game in tight contest. Tonight is no different in the road to the ECF.

Cavs @ Indy The Pacers are at home and they have to win. Have to. Good thing for them that they play really well at home. The Pacers have been close but haven't been able to close out the Lebrons in the first two. The Pacers can score enough but they are going to have to step it up on the defensive end a bit to beat the Lebrons. Tonight they do. Pacers W. Of note.. the Cavaliers are looking for a certified master electrician to fix a short in the switch they are supposed to flip for their defense. Its still shorting out.

Raps @ Bucks

Enough already. Enough about Giannas. Enough TNT looking for an upset target. Enough Kenny. Enough Shaq. Enough Matt Moore. The Raps are the better team. They show it tonight. Raps W.

The point of the video is about 45 seconds in.

0-2. What a disaster tonight.