Destiny Eventually Comes to Fruition ……. Or Does It?

Round one of the NBA playoffs started in an unpredicted fashion, but the favorites eventually have come around. Well … for the most part.

In the Western Conference, the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies went into the Alamo and took it to the top-seeded Spurs something fearsome in game one of their series. The Spurs were fortunate enough to even the series in game two, but Memphis came out with reckless abandonment in game three, to take a 2-1 series lead, headed by Zach Randolph’s 25 points, which included a clutch 3-pointer as time was expiring. Randolph had made a total of 8 3-pointers out of 43 attempts all season. Game four last night saw a virtual repeat of game three, as the underdog Grizzlies rode a second-half wave to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Back to San Antonio the squads go, but the conclusion may already be foretold. Hold the ball and cry to the gods, Dikembe, we might very well be in for an epic upset once again.

The seventh-seeded New Orleans Hornets have more than surprised the second-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, They have hung in the series quite effectively, tying it at 2 games-apiece with game 5 back in Los Angeles tonight. The Lakers need a remedy to combat the virus that is the pick-and-roll penetration of Chris Paul. Look for Los Angeles to employ some sort of quasi-zone defense to affront this issue, and end up getting over, not only tonight, but back in Nola for game six, and eventually wrapping up the series and advancing. Kobe’s ankle issues could run the series to seven, but Bryant has always played through injuries such as this, and even given his advancing age, I see the Lakers lighting a fire and burning this series out in anticipation of the Dallas/Portland winner.

The third-seeded Dallas Mavericks melted down during game four on Saturday, blowing a 23-point, second-half lead en-route to allowing the Blazers to execute one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoff history. Amidst a Brandon Roy 24-point performance, one in which he scored 18 points in the fourth quarter alone, Dallas wilted under the feverish pressure the Rose Garden puts on its visiting opponents. Game five back in Dallas saw the Mavericks man-up, behind the veteran Dirk Nowitzki’s 25 points and 8 rebounds, as the Mavs took a 3-2 series lead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been tabbed as the team that nobody wants to encounter in this year’s Western Conference playoff scene, have all but dominated the fifth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first three games of the series. The three-headed monster of point-scorer Russell Westbrook, MVP-canidate Kevin Durant and defensive stalwart Kendrick Perkins have proven to be too much for Denver. The question here is not regarding this matchup, but rather whether or not Oklahoma City will prove as too much to any potential opponent for the remainder of the Western Conference tournament. Denver showed a glimmer of hope last night in a game four win, albeit with their collective backs against the wall, as Ty Lawson poured in 27 in a desperate effort, but expect the Thunder to close this mismatch out in five back home.

Top-seed Chicago is a popular pick in the Eastern Conference. However, a lot of “nay-sayers,” such as myself, believe that the greatness that is the Bulls relies entirely too much on one player. MVP-to-be Derrick Rose has shown an amount of vulnerability in the Bulls’ first round series versus the Indiana Pacers. Hired thugs such as Jeff Foster and Tyler Hansborough have beaten up the head of the snake, which has reaped some benefits for the Pacers, while not in victory, in the first three games. During game four, in which this tactic was imposed, the strategy proved positive. Now holding a 3-1 series lead, Chicago heads back home with a game five victory in their sights. While Indiana has a limited chance to last in this series, they have given future oppenents of the Bulls a gameplan on how to slow down the on-going trend of Rose. Look for Orlando or Atlanta in the next round, or Miami or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals to employ the same schemes that Indiana has shown to help them strike an upset over the top seed.

The second-seeded star power of the Miami Heat have come out on fire versus the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. The Doug Collins-aimed Sixers came into the series with visions of upset dancing in their heads. These dreams quickly turned into a nightmare. There seemed to be more Wade to LeBron alley-oops than there were solid possessions by Philly. That being said, the Sixers didn’t lay down after a three games to none deficit, as they exuded their pride in a game four win, in which they finished the game on a 10-0 run resulting in victory. The series shifts back to Miami for game five Wednesday. While Miami will eventually advance, the lack of their ability to hit a shot in the clutch could prove as a vital hitch in future rounds.

Things were being said about the Celtics coming into the playoffs, most notably referring to how they could be over the hill, or that New York could cause them some issues. I don’t know why. Yes, Chauncey Billups was absent from this series, if you want to call it that, and Amare Stoudamire gave a half-hearted effort due to nagging injuries, but how closely the Knicks played Boston in the first three games should have reaped them at least one victory. Turns out it didn’t. Even Carmelo’s 42 in game two couldn’t salvage a “W.” The chowds ended up sweeping the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, but the Knicks are still, without a doubt, a work in process. The dominance of the Celtics shouldn’t be garnered as a true measuring stick because of this fact. Boston easily advanced to the next round, but New York will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come, given Carmelo, Amare, and their big-market money.

Pundits swore up and down that Orlando was the the squad to take out the supposed, over-hyped Chicago Bulls in the second round, but this foregone conclusion has absorbed a wrench in the works. The Hawks managed to steal one in Orlando, and have held court for both games back in Atlanta, to take a 3-1 series lead heading back to Disneyworld for game five. It seems upon the eventual, first-round defeat, the “Stan Van Jeremy, master-of-panic” regime should be reevaluated. Top-seed Chicago will have a much easier time with Atlanta than they will with Orlando and the threat that Dwight Howard presents. The Bulls may have just dodged a bullet if Atlanta wins out. Game five tips-off early today.

Enjoy, and check back in, because these NBA playoffs have shown us all that “seeds” mean little and desire reigns ultimate.