I’m dusting off the cobwebs and breaking out the first running diary recap of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. No explanation is needed really. Its game seven of the most compelling first round match-up of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Clippers vs. Grizzlies, let’s recap it!
1st Quarter
12:00- It has to be mentioned, this Memphis crowd is incredibly passionate. Maybe it’s because there isn’t much more to be excited about in Memphis… but their crowd almost always delivers.
11:20- Rudy Gay misses a long two point field goal attempt. I’m going to copy this sentence because I’ll have at least ten opportunities to paste it later on in this running diary. Kareem had the Sky Hook, Tim Duncan has the bank shot, and Rudy Gay’s signature shot is the 22 foot jumper.
10:36- Caron Butler puts in the first two points of the game with two free throws. Kudos to Butler for playing with a broken left hand. This is one of the many reasons why the NBA is so much better than college basketball. Guys just care more. Kendall Marshall missed two crucial games in the NCAA Tournament because of a broken right wrist (his off-hand by the way). Caron Butler was supposed to be out 4-6 weeks with a broken left hand (his off hand) and he missed only one game. Marshall proved not only he is a wuss (that’s me censoring myself), but also that his NBA Draft stock is far more important than a potential NCAA Championship.
6:25- Lionel Hollins wants a timeout for the Grizzlies. I think everyone needed that timeout after the offensive atrocity that took place over the first 5 and a half minutes. 6-5 Clippers lead. I know that they call the Fed Ex Forum the Grindhouse, but this is ridiculous.
2:50- A graphic flashes on the screen that Memphis is 4-17 and has 3 turnovers. That explains why they only have 9 points right now.
1:34- The Clippers squander a 3 on 2 fast break when Blake Griffin passes to Randy Foye in the corner, who happens to be standing out of bounds. This is a trend I really don’t like. Way too many 3 pointers, and they are being taken at really dumb times. There is a reason why scoring averages and field goal percentages were higher 20 years ago. Teams were taking better shots.
0:00- The Clippers lead 16-13 at the end of the first. I think this is the pace that Memphis and Chris Paul want to play at. It’ll be interesting to see if the tempo stays the same or if it speeds up once Chris Paul goes to the bench.
2nd Quarter
12:00- Interesting line-ups to start the 2nd quarter. Conley, Mayo, Pondexter, Speights and Randolph for Memphis; Bledsoe, Mo Williams, Young, Martin and Evans for Los Angeles. Am I the only one who finds it a little alarming that Los Angeles is playing 3 shooting guards right now? Let me rephrase: Am I the only one who finds it a little alarming that Los Angeles is playing 3 guards with a shooting guard’s mentality right now? This is where Chauncey Billups would be a huge factor if he didn’t tear his Achilles and pursue a coaching career for the Clippers.
9:20- On a 3 on 2 fast break Eric Bledsoe kicks it out to Nick Young who hits a 3. Well then! Forget I said anything.
8:55- A question for America- Do we really need American Idol, The Voice AND Duets? Isn’t that overkill? If you could sing, you could sing. I don’t think doing a duet with Robin Thicke is going to make anyone a superstar.
6:15- Great stretch for Chris Paul. Corner three, followed by a pull up jumper over Z-Bo. He is the only reason why I was even a tad hesitant to pick Memphis to win the series (and the West). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he is the best point guard I’ve ever seen play. I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that nobody better understands how to play the game of basketball than Chris Paul does.
4:03- Marc Gasol matches Paul’s great stretch with stretch of his own. A tough running one hander followed by an “And One” layup. Memphis desperately needed it. The aforementioned great Memphis crowd was getting quiet, and Los Angeles had expanded their lead to ten. It isn’t out of the question if the Grizzlies make an extended playoff run that Marc could take the conch from Pau as the best Gasol in the NBA.
2:48- This sequence will have some sort of effect on the game. Mike Conley drives to the basket and misses the lay-up. Z-Bo gathers the offensive rebound and gets fouled by Paul on the shot. After the foul, Z-Bo gives Paul a little bit of a shove to the face. One of two things is going to happen: The Memphis crowd will get back in the game and the Grizzlies players will become more engaged as well. Or, a pissed off Chris Paul is going to take over this game like only he could. Those kinds of plays are usually what take Chris Paul to the next level.
1:50- Rudy Gay misses a long two point field goal attempt. Yes, I did simply copy and paste this sentence.
0:00- End of the half Los Angeles leads 39-38. More important than the score, Zach Randolph collects a defensive rebound and bowls over Chris Paul as the buzzer sounds. Just like I said earlier at the 2:48 mark, this kind of interaction is going to set the tone for the 2nd half. Will the physical play be beneficial for Memphis, who definitely prefers to play the grind it out style, or will Chris Paul put on a brilliant/pissed off display of basketball?
3rd Quarter
11:20- Mike Conley connects on an awkward righty floater, and then Rudy Gay shies away from his go to shot and attacks the basket. Memphis goes up 3. Memphis definitely seems like the more energized team starting the 2nd half.
7:31- The team that wins this game is going to win for one reason: they want it more. Both teams are shooting 35%, and the way the game is going I can’t see the shooting percentages changing too much. 50/50 balls, rebounds, and hustle plays are going to win this game. It’s that simple. Clippers lead by 1 right now. In other news, I just ate roughly a pound of cream puff frosting. This could be trouble later on tonight.
5:08- I love Chris Paul’s nastiness! He is absolutely fearless out there. He just went nose to chest with Marc Gasol. He’s scaring the hell out of me for picking Memphis. I’m almost quivering.
1:45- Rudy Gay misses a long two point field goal attempt.
0:40- As Marc Gasol nearly hits a three that would’ve blown the roof off of the Grindhouse, I realize that Hamed Haddadi looks like a darker skinned Vlade Divac/Rony Seikaly hybrid. I love playing the lookalike game.
0:00- Before Mo Williams almost connects on a 70 footer, Rudy Gay banks in a floater with 2 seconds left to put Memphis up one. This game has been far from pretty, but it’s the most compelling game I’ve watched this year. I picked a good one to do a running diary recap for. You’re welcome!
4th Quarter
12:00- Keys to the fourth quarter: Winning the battle for 50/50 balls and the Clippers need someone besides Chris Paul to produce offensively. If Nick Young, Mo Williams and Eric Bledsoe can outplay the Memphis perimeter players, the Clippers have a shot to win. If Memphis controls the boards and stops the Clippers supporting cast, then they advance.
11:08- Insert a Nick Young trifecta with Chris Paul on the bench, and the Clippers suddenly have a 4 point lead.
10:15- Gilbert Arenas is in the game, and he is going to do something. Agent Zero will make a play.
9:45- Gilbert Arenas drives into traffic and takes a shot where he was not looking at the basket. I told you he would make a play. I just never said it was going to be a good play.
8:41- Los Angeles leads by 8 and Lionel Hollins is forced to take his 2nd timeout of the quarter. The Clippers bench has way more confidence than the Grizzlies bench. K-Mart, Eric Bledsoe and Nick Young > Dante Cunningham, Gilbert Arenas and OJ Mayo.
7:00- Mo Williams hits a wide open 3 to put Los Angeles up 10. Trust me, he never hit those shots in the playoffs when he was in Cleveland. I’m now going to walk outside and slam my head against a palm tree.
6:16- Chris Paul comes back in the game. This might not seem like a noteworthy statement, but in game six Vinny Del Negro waited a little too long to put Paul back in and it cost the Clippers the game. Clippers up 8 right now.
4:05- Marc Gasol hits a weird looking Dirk Nowitzki fall away to cut the Clippers lead to six. It didn’t look nearly as good as Dirk’s version. Must be the Spanish version is a little different than the German one. Timeout Clippers. Interesting note: Z-Bo and Blake both were on the bench. If I’m Del Negro, I want Paul, Mo Williams, Nick Young, Evans and Martin out there. I like K-Mart’s experience and Evans’ energy right now more than what Blake brings to the table. If I’m Lionel Hollins I’m playing Conley, Allen/Mayo (offense/defense scenarios), Gay, Randolph and Gasol.
1:01- Way too much action going on. I keep losing track of what I want to type because something else important happens. The most important sequence: With the Grizzlies down 6 with two minutes left, OJ Mayo strips Chris Paul (rare), misses a fast break lay-up and somehow Paul and Reggie Evans are the only two players back for either team. No Grizzlies ran to the other end! That is absolutely unacceptable. It could’ve been a 4 point game with momentum totally in Memphis’s favor. Instead, Clippers are up 7 with 1 minute to go. For a team that is all about hustle and grind, the Grizzlies just got beat at their own game.
0:00- I have a stomach ache. I don’t know if it’s because my Western Conference finals pick is out, or if it’s that pound of chocolate frosting I ate earlier. Five closing thoughts:
1: Congratulations to the Clippers for outplaying the Grizzlies at their own game, on the road nonetheless. Chris Paul wasn’t spectacular (19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 turnovers) but his attitude was reflected by his teammates. Nick Young, Kenyon Martin, and Eric Bledsoe played fearless basketball.
2: I’m disappointed in the Grizzlies. They lost a grinder at the Grindhouse. Unacceptable. I shouldn’t have picked against the best player in the series.
3: I’m also disappointed that I didn’t get to see LeBron James accept his 3rd NBA MVP Award. If I was going to miss it, the Clippers/Grizzlies game could’ve at least had a more dramatic finish.
4: You know who isn’t disappointed? The San Antonio Spurs. I guarantee they wanted no part of the Memphis Grizzlies. Last year wasn’t a fluke, I don’t care what anyone says.
5: I hope Chris Paul absolutely eviscerates Tony Parker in the 2nd round. Why? Because I hate Skip Bayless. I’ve been tweeting Skip for a few weeks now, basically responding to any idiotic comment he makes. Trust me, I have plenty of opportunities. I no longer watch ESPN First Take because I can’t stand hearing his voice and I don’t see the point in watching a show where two people yell back and forth at each other without making any relevant arguments. I follow Skip Bayless on Twitter for one reason: I want to debate him. I want one 15 minute segment to debate the NBA with this guy. It doesn’t even need to be on LeBron. Anything relating to the NBA works for me. I want to prove that the only reason Skip Bayless is an ESPN employee is because he knows how to get a rise out of people. Congrats Skip, you’ve successfully gotten a rise out of me. But I’m not going to stop tweeting you or the Twitter account for ESPN First Take until I get my debate. I will come to First Take and eviscerate you in an NBA debate in a very calm manner because that is how people who know about the NBA handle themselves.
Follow me at @SonnyCG
#SonnyVsSkip
LaterNamed 