By: Christopher Hall
christopherhallsc.2010@gmail.com
The stage is set for the Conference Finals in this year’s NBA playoffs with Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers set to take on the Atlanta Hawks for the Eastern Conference Title. Over in the west, it’s the Golden State Warriors led by league MVP Stephen Curry facing off against the Houston Rockets.
With the field now set, Golden State has emerged as the favorite to bring home the trophy according to the experts over in Las Vegas. In order to do that, they’ll have to find a way to get past Houston. A team that just stunned the L.A Clippers coming back down three games to one, to take the series in Game seven behind a 31-point performance from James Harden.
The Rockets became part of an elite group of nine teams that have overcome a 3-1 advantage in a best-of-seven series and won the series in game seven. Harden said after the game it was simply the team’s determination and refusal to give up that made the difference.
“It was our will to win, we didn’t give up,” Harden said. “We’ve faced adversity all year so we just kept fighting.”
L.A. was sitting pretty after three double digit blowout wins over the Rockets. They had even built a 19-point lead on their home court with a chance to close things out and advance to the Western Conference Finals in game six.. However they would fold—and fold in a major way—inexplicably letting game six get away from them and unable to withstand the Rocket’s momentum into game seven. But let’s get back to the teams still vying for the hardware.
You have to tip your hat to the Rockets and how they were able to do the unthinkable. With their backs against the wall, against a squad that had dominated the series nonetheless. It would have been easy to lay down and accept defeat. But Houston continued to battle and Harden, MVP runner-up, continued to make big plays.
In the West, it will be a battle between the MVP Stephen Curry and the Runner-Up, James Harden. Four times in the last 20 seasons, the MVP winner and runner-up have met in the playoffs.
In two of the last three meetings, (Lebron James/Kevin Durant in 2012, Michael Jordan/Karl Malone in 1998) the MVP prevailed and won the series.
I’m very interested to see who will rise to the occasion with both guys playing at a high level and putting their teams in position to win ball games.
Over in the East, there is plenty to discuss as well. First, and what most people might draw to, is Cleveland. The Cavs are four wins away from playing for the title. It would be the first for the Cavs franchise.
I don’t think I need to explain how big it would be for Cavs fans for James to return home and come through with his promise of a tile in only his first year back in Cleveland.
ESPN with their obsession with Lebron James and bandwagon fans everywhere would lose their minds. SportsCenter would ultimately become LebronCenter at least until football returns. (Which seriously can’t get here fast enough!)
But before Cleveland can start lighting fires and rioting in the streets in celebration, first they’ll have to find a way to retire the Atlanta Hawks. Talk about another team that is beyond desperate for a World Title for one of their beloveded Pro Sport teams, you’ve got that right here. As rough as times have been for the Cavs and Browns it hasn’t been all that pretty for the Falcons and Hawks, either.
Atlanta is set to play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time ever and chasing the 1st title since the franchise moved to ATL from St.Louis in 1968. While the Hawks know they are the underdogs, they don’t mind it.
Furthermore, they know they took care of business against this very team three out of four times during the regular season. That has to give them even more confidence as they enter this series.
When you throw the health of the Cavs into the mix with Kevin Love out for the post-season and Kyrie Irving battling injuries as well, the Cavs are definitely a little fragile right now. This could be a one-time opportunity for the Rockets; will they be able to take advantage?
Outside of the games themselves, which are already pretty intriguing in my book, there are plenty of storylines surrounding the Conference Finals matchups. Whether it’s the battle of cities chasing history in the East bracket or Curry v.s. Harden in the West, I’m sure the media outlets in Atlanta, Cleveland, Oakland and Houston will have plenty to discuss as we approach the NBA Finals.
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