Unbeatable

Like I predicted in game 7 against the sixers, Rondo went off.  He had 18 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds making him the only other Celtic besides Larry Bird to have a triple double in game 7.  Not bad company for the oft-criticized point guard. 

Game 1 against the Heat

Kevin Garnett continues to evade father time, posting a 23 point 10 rebound game.  The good news stops there for the Celts.  They shot 39 percent from the field and were blocked 11 times by the smaller Heat squad.  Pierce, Allen, and Rondo combined to shoot 14-45 from the field.  Terrible.  Even though LeBron and Wade dominated again, the real story is that this Celtics team looks overmatched completely.  Pierce and especially Allen do not look healthy and when you combine that with the loss of Avery Bradley to season ending shoulder surgery, things look grim indeed if you are a Boston fan.  The Heat shot a miserable 5-25 from beyond the arc with Shane Battier shooting 1-5 and Mario Chalmers 0-6.  Don't expect them to shoot so poorly next game.  And finally, the most telling stat is that Boston scored 35 points in the second quarter, and 44 in the other 3 quarters combined.  Doc Rivers is even openly talking about sitting Ray Allen for every other game.  Sorry Celtics fans, this looks like the end of an era.  Bring out the brooms. 
Not-so-bold prediction: HEAT in 4 games. (5 if the veterans get tired of losing and feed off the energy at home in Boston).

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Now lets talk about the future 2011-2012 NBA Champions, the San Antonio Spurs

Winners of 20 straight....out of the last 3 teams to do that, 2 have gone on to win the championship.
As much as I would love to see the Heat winning, I just don't see it happening unless they sweep Boston, Chris Bosh comes back, and the Spurs series goes to 7 games.  2/3 of that seem possible, and until I watched game 2 of the Western Conference finals, I thought all 3 were possible. 

Game 1

Manu Ginobili was the star, going for 26 points on 9-14 shooting, 3-5 from the 3 point line.  He outplayed James Harden, perhaps trying to show him up for stealing his 6th man of the year award.

This game looked to be in control for the Thunder as they were up 9 going into the 4th quarter before Pop's now famous "I need to see some nasty" speech.  If I was the Thunder, I'm disappointed but ready for the next game because they could have won this game.  But especially in the playoffs, stealing a game on the road is crucial to the outcome of the series.  Just ask Memphis or Indiana.

Game 2

Tony Parker. 34 points, 16-21 from the field, 7 assists. That is all you have to say.  K. Leonard (who might be my new favorite player, I really want his t-shirt jersey) also had 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The big three of the Thunder combined for 88 points, 17 assists while shooting 56% from the field.  The rest of the team scored 23 points on 21% shooting.  Since December 2010, the Thunder were 39-1 when scoring 110 or more. chalk up another loss.

The spurs are simply unbeatable.  They could easily be the first team in history to go undefeated in the playoffs, that would not suprise me at all. 

The only way the Spurs do not win the Championship is if they get bit by the injury bug.  Or Dwade, and LeBron keep playing at this level, with a healthy Chris Bosh.  And at this point, that doens't even seem like it will be enough.  They have no weak point.  End of story.