For the first time in NBA history, there will be three game 7s on Saturday, and we almost would have had another trio of Game 7s on Sunday had Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard not had other ideas, as shown in the video above. The series was fun to watch and Saturday and Sunday night will all look to have epic endings as the first round gets set to conclude.
Let's take a look at the five upcoming Game 7 match-ups.
Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks
This will be the first Game 7 of the weekend, one of the least memorable and the most head scratching seven-game series in all my years watching the NBA.Forgotten in a period of time where we shame Roy Hibbert every chance we get is the production of Paul George. He is still averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds to keep the Pacers from an embarrassing first round exit to a 38-win team.
If the Pacers blow this Game 7, what changes do they make their team? Lance Stephenson and Evan Turner are both on expiring contracts and the NBA's newest laughingstock in Roy Hibbert is due $15 million next year.
Good thing the Pacers do not blow this game, as I think Paul George puts up 30 and the Pacers win by 10 to advance to the second round and face the Washington Wizards.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies
With the suspension of Zach Randolph and the injury to Mike Conley, the Grizzlies are put in an extremely tough situation lineup wise.If they want to contain Kevin Durant, they will have to play Tony Allen extended minutes (if he does play) and risk killing their offense altogether in hopes that OKC becomes stagnant offensively. If they try to go offense instead of Allen, Durant and Westbrook could run the Grizz out of the gym with ease.
If history has taught us one thing in this series, it is that if the Thunder make a four-point play in the fourth quarter during a furious rally, it will not end well.
So as long as no Thunder players get hacked and nail a 3-pointer, the Thunder advance and that is just who I am taking.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors
The best series in the playoffs deserves a dramatic ending to it, right? The Spurs-Mavs series had the Vince Carter buzzer beater, the Blazers ended the Rockets season on a Dame Lillard dagger and the Thunder have had fourth quarter rallies in every game it seems.This series, despite all of its entertainment with Lob City, the Splash Brothers and Klay Thompson's comments on Blake Griffin, has mostly been overshadowed by controversy with the Donald Sterling incident and the questionable officiating in Game 1 and 3.
Both teams have won close, last-second games on the opponents' court and have blown out their opponent, so choosing a winner in this game is almost unfair.
Nonethless, I believe Steph Curry and Andre Igoudala have big performances and Golden State gets a big upset that leaves the Clippers with another long summer.
Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets
Despite the offseason moves and championship or bust mentality that the Brooklyn Nets has had all year, the pressure seems to be placed onto the Raptors to deliver in their Game 7.With jabs from the Toronto newspaper, Raptors fan Drake making fun of Brooklyn native Jay Z and general manager Masai Ujiri chanting "f*** Brooklyn" before a game, how embarrassing would it be for the old vets in Brooklyn to shut the Raptors up once and for all on the Raptors home court?
While the duo of Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry have had outstanding seasons, Brooklyn has outplayed the Raptors in the majority of the last five quarters, and I believe the old heads send the Raptors fishing.
San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks
Another series where the favorite looked vastly superior to its opponent and is fighting for dear life in Game 7. How heartbreaking would it be for the Spurs to blow this series after having 62 wins without a player playing over 30 minutes?The Mavericks were picked by some to miss the playoffs and stand just one win away from ending their rivals' season. Though the Suns fan in me hates to say it, the Spurs seem to always be the most trustworthy postseason although definitely not the flashiest.
The Clippers, Thunder, and Blazers may have more talented starting fives, but the Spurs depth and steady contributions from throughout their roster are too much for the Mavericks.
