2013 NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference:
#1 Toronto vs. #2 Orlando
Western Conference:
#2 Dallas vs. #5 Portland
We won the series again 2-1 but after last playoff series I’m not putting any stock into that.
2013 Eastern Conference Finals Orlando vs. Toronto
Point Guard
Reggie Williams vs. Rajon Rondo
19.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists vs. 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 12.6 assists
Reggie Williams is 6’6 and definitely not a PG but they need someone to slot there and they think that they can overcome this problem with flat out scoring. Rondo had a small dip in production but still has a 9.7 a/t ratio.
Winner - Toronto
Shooting Guard
Jamal Crawford vs. Shane Battier
18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists vs. 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Battier doesn’t score very much, that’s DeMar DeRozan’s job, but Battier is in the starting line up because of his defense. Look for Crawford to have a down series.
Winner - Draw
Small Forward
Stephen Jackson vs. Kevin King
18.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists vs. 24.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists
Even though Stephen Jackson is an average defender and Kevin King is coming off a down series I’m putting my money on King to have a big series. Jackson is one of four Magic players to average 18 points or more in this year’s playoffs.
Winner - Toronto
Power Forward
Rashard Lewis vs. Antawn Jamison
11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists vs. 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Lewis is the odd one out in the Magic starting line-up but he is out there to stretch the floor for Dwight Howard and hit 3s. Pretty much what Jamison does for Kevin King, so this is a bit of a wash.
Winner - Draw
Centre
Dwight Howard vs. Tim Mozgov
18.4 points, 14.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists vs. 16.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists
No one has been able to stop Dwight Howard and Tim Mozgov has had to go against 2 very good centres in the past two series. If Toronto is to win this, they need to slow down Howard.
Winner - Orlando
Bench
Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Daniel Orton vs. Sam Dalembert, Ed Davis, DeMar DeRozan
Both sides have very good depth, and Nelson can give a calming influence to the team as he is an actual PG.
Winner – Draw
Prediction – Orlando in 6
I’m not sure about 6 games, but I’m worried that they are right about Orlando winning.
A barn-burner of a first game as we win 122-113 in Toronto. Kevin King has a huge game with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists and Rajon Rondo shows Reggie Williams how to be a point guard with 15 points, 19 assists and 8 rebounds. Williams didn’t embarrass himself as he had 25 points but 6 turnovers. The biggest stat line was Dwight Howard’s: 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks. A rare triple double with blocks. Luckily we held on to the win.
Toronto leads 1-0
Dallas wins their first game 101-83 to take a 1-0 lead over Portland.
We go 2-0 up as we win easily 105-90 behind Kevin King who had 33 points. Tim Mozgov shuts down Dwight Howard (or as much as you can shut Howard down) with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks helped by Rajon Rondo’s 17 assists. Dwight Howard shot 3/10 from the field for only 9 points, but he did have 17 rebounds and 8 blocks. Rashard Lewis had 25 points for the losers.
Toronto leads 2-0
Dallas again wins, this time by only one point, 96-95 to take a 2-0 lead.
Dwight Howard has 19 points, 16 rebounds and only 3 blocks but it isn’t enough as we go to one game of the NBA Finals with a 107-101 win in Orlando. Three of our bench players had 10 points or more, and Sam Dalembert had 12 rebounds. Shane Battier does a Howard impersonation with 4 blocks.
Toronto leads 3-0
Portland finally gets one back with a 117-102 win behind LaMarcus Aldridge’s 35 points to have the series at 2-1.
Having the ability to sweep the Magic to get into the NBA Finals is very tense, and it’s harder when Dwight Howard has 16 points, 14 rebounds and 7 blocks. However, Orlando shoots 32% from the field as we embarrass them 111-75 as our largest lead was 37. Kevin King goes off for 35 points and Sam Dalembert fills in for foul prone Tim Mozgov with 10 points and 14 rebounds. The Raptors are playing for the NBA Championship!!
Toronto wins series 4-0
The Western Finals is locked at 2-2 as Portland wins 99-90.
Another win to Portland and puts them on track for back to back NBA Finals appearances. They win in Dallas 102-91.
But Dallas has other ideas as they win in Portland 103-93 behind Dirk Nowitzki’s 33 points and 11 rebounds.
The game 7 goes into overtime, Chris Kaman has 19 rebounds, Brandon Roy has 25 points and 11 rebounds but Dirk Nowitzki saves the day for the Mavericks with 30 points as Dallas wins 108-102 to play us for the ultimate glory.