2010 Playoffs: Day 1 Thoughts

Cavs / Bulls Game 1:

• Picked it up in the fourth. Enough time to see the Bulls get the once huge Cavs lead down to seven, and then fail to score on a few trips down, giving the Cavs the opportunity to regroup and pull away.

Nuggets / Jazz Game 1:

• I watched most of this game and really enjoyed it. It was sloppy early, but competitive throughout, with some exceptional performaces.
• J.R. Smith is unreliable as a starter (with a bad attitude to boot), but when he gets hot, it's scary. He put this game away, breaking open a tight contest with his set of threes back-to-back-to-back.
• Carmelo's jay was money all game long. 'Melo's been good for years and he has had several great single playoff game performances. He hasn't been able to put together a great playoff performance set yet. This year, like last year, he has a great team around him. How far will he take them?
• Boozer's jumper was on all game as well. I don't personally like the guy, but he looked really good out there.
• Deron Williams started slow but made up for it with his play after he warmed up.
• What a freak injury to Mehmet Okur. Torn achilles? Even on replay, it just looked like he slipped. I thought "Where's the injury?" as I watched. I figured he just tweaked his ankle.
• The Jazz looked under-manned during this game. Without Okur, I don't see how they do it now. I had already picked the Nuggets. Now I'm pretty sure.

Celtics/Heat Game 1:

• I watched a lot of this game, including the crazy conclusion.
• I wonder what was going through KG's mind. He was upset before Q Richardson said a word. He bumped Q and then once they got into it, totally lost it. He was rightfully ejected and rightfully suspended for the next game.
• Wade's performance was uneven as he was not clutch late, with mistakes and badly missed shots that were a lot of the reason why the Heat faltered.
• Despite what I just said, Wade was by far the best thing his team had going. O'Neal and Beasley crapped the bed and it was amazing that the Heat kept it close and even held decent leads for stretches of the game.
• Even this diminished Celtics team has an above average defense. The Heat slammed into that defense early in the fourth.
• Great adjustments as your team crashed and burned Coach Spolestra.
• As the Heat failed to score for minute after minute in the fourth, I remember wondering why Spolestra wasn't making changes.
• Big Baby Davis put in another strong playoff performance.
• I have no idea how game 2 will go. Both teams played so poorly. Losing Garnett should help the Heat, but their skill players have to show up.

Hawks/Bucks Game 1:

• I watched much of the first half. I have the second half on my TiVo to watch later.
• Brandon Jennings is a player you want to watch. He zips around the court at Allen Iverson speeds. He hit some crazy shots in the first half. I want to see how he got the rest of that 44 in the second half.
• Joe Johnson had his hands full covering Jennings.
• The Bucks defense made Josh Smith look like Tim Duncan in the post. Smith was abusing his defenders down low.
• Ideally, Al Hortford should be playing at power forward. He just isn't a center (He just plays one on television). Josh Smith should learn how to dribble the ball and play at the small forward spot. And Marvin Williams should learn how to sit on the bench. Regarding who should play center for the Hawks...probably somebody who isn't on their team right now.
• I don't think Mike Woodson is a very good coach.What I hear about him and see myself doesn't impress me.