2014 NBA Playoffs: Clippers, Grizzlies and Hawks win to take 2-1 series leads
It was another exciting three-game night in the league on Thursday, with the match-up between the first seed Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks being the only game involving East teams. It was time to change towns for the first time in the 2014 NBA Playoffs as the series moved to the home of the lower seed for Game 3, the first of two consecutive.
Here’s all you need to know about the first Game 3′s played:
Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks (Hawks win 98-85 and lead series 2-1)
Hawks’ point guard Jeff Teague’s play has been the difference for the Atlanta Hawks in this series
Every time the Pacers let Hawks point guard Jeff Teague play his game of penetrating into the teeth of the defence and making layups or kicking out to an open shooter, they will suffer. After letting him play an excellent game and recording a Playoff career-high 28 points in the first game, the Pacers did a good job on Teague in Game 2, shutting up down and restricting him to only 14 points. But in Game 3 they let him free once again and paid the price as Teague went on to post his post-season career high in assists with 10, to go along with 22 points.
Lance Stephenson (21 points and 13 rebounds) and Paul George (12 points and 14 rebounds) both posted double doubles but neither could lead the Pacers to victory owing largely to the Hawks’ free-flowing offence. The huge Pacers front line constructed to go to battle against the best in the league only had a small lead of 38-26 among the points scored in the paint. A torrid shooting performance of 32 from 85 didn’t help the Pacers’ chances either.
Roy Hibbert’s dip in form, coupled with the team’s collective disappointing effort to play the level of defence that many associated with the team in the early part of the season, have sent the Pacers’ chances of winning a title this season into a downward tailspin. But let’s put the championship hopes away for a moment, because the Pacers have a serious task on their hand just to move to the next round as they have already lost home court advantage and their record in the Philips Arena isn’t too encouraging.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies (Grizzlies win 98-95 in OT and lead series 2-1)
Tony Allen was the difference maker on both ends of the floor but largely on defense for the Grizzlies.
FedEx Forum, better known as the Grizzlies grind house, played host to the second consecutive overtime contest in Game 3 in the series between the Thunder and Grizzlies. The Grizzlies won a thriller to put themselves in position to take control of the series in Game 4.
With 7:43 left in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies leading by 17, nobody expected that the game might go to overtime. But the Thunder went on a 21-4 run to force overtime with the scores tied at 85 apiece. Tony Allen, the difference-maker in this game along with Mike Conley, came up big in the overtime to seal the deal for the Grizzlies.
The thunder started hot on offence in Game 1 but in the two games since the series has been dictated by the Grizzlies defence. They have let Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant combine for more than 60 in the last two games but in both cases the duo has had inefficient shooting performances. No other player apart from Serge Ibaka and the duo recorded double digit points as the Thunder reserves were outmatched 34-9 by the Grizzlies bench.
Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies’ balanced offence where 6 players scored double digit points, with a double double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder have already lost home court advantage but would be determined to pull some momentum their way by winning Game 4 before they head back home.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors (Clippers win 98-96 and lead series 2-1)
Clippers Big 3- the Impact players of Game 3
The Clippers regained home court advantage and now lead the series 2-1 after fending off a Warriors’ rally late in the fourth quarter to win a pivotal close Game 3 98-96 at the Oracle Arena.
The only way the Clippers will find a way past the Warriors is if their starting big man duo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan play just the way they did in this game. Griffin had a game high 32 points to go along with 8 rebounds on 15 of 25 shooting while Jordan had a box score reading 14 points, 22 rebounds and 5 blocks, his fifth consecutive 5-block game in this series. Chris Paul contributed a double double of his own too with 15 points and 10 assists.
The Warriors can beat the Clippers when they are playing a small ball line-up with Jordan sitting for the Clippers and knocking down shots from long distance. They must make adjustments to their offence in order to allow everyone on the team to get their shooting rhythm.
Curry had an impressive 16 points and 15 assists as he knocked down to tough clutch three pointers in the final couple minutes of the play. Klay Thompson had 26 points to lead a Warriors side that was struggling to make their shots from beyond the arc, an art the team is known to be dangerous for. Draymond Green had the huge assignment of Blake Griffin and he delivered not only on defence but also with a double double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, impressive for a player coming off the bench.
Don’t count out the Warriors because Clippers have won two on the trot; this series is still very much alive.
Top 5 plays of Thursday night’s action:
http://youtu.be/42P82VZmtQc