In what's been a nothing-short-of ridiculous postseason so far, we've somehow managed to claw within hours of the Conference Finals without getting to check out a Game 7. Something had to be done, and stepping up to answer the call, as they did when we needed someone to force a triple-overtime thriller, and humiliate the Spurs in the first round before that, ladies and gentlemen; The Memphis Grizzlies.
It's Win or Go Home for both them and the Thunder, and Banter's crack team of resident hoops junkies have assembled to break down (and make fun of) the action. For this afternoon's Game Notes, I'll be joined by my boys The General; Official Thunder Bandwagon Captain, Streeze; Isaiah Rider enthusiast and Blue Chips extra, and Goodie; ruthless high-post assassin, and the subject of a $900 swing dependent on this game's outcome (let's say he's not rooting for the underdogs). The stakes (among other things) are high at Banter HQ, but nowhere higher than Oklahoma City Arena (...Really? That's the best name you could come up with?). Someone's going to end a season today, let's see who's got it in them:
The General: I'm expecting a big game from Kevin Durant...(If Westbrook passes him the ball)
- Meanwhile, Z-Bo's rocking a scowl in the shootaround like he just got told his contract's been voided. Kendrick better watch out.
- Kush in the air, time for tipoff. Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo (seriously) back in the starting lineup.
General: (on OKC's first possession) This is a good sign, Westbrook's touched it twice, and passed it twice
- Apparently, I'm the only one of us cheering for the Grizz, who've beasted their way to an early 10-8 lead. Gasol = The perfect center for a team named after a bear.
Goodie: (on OJ Mayo's real name) Was the " J' " really necessary? Like, "Anthony" is a real name...
Streeze: (on Zach Randolph's recent contract) God he makes so much money...Outside of basketball....Moving drugs.
- Memphis is bringing it early on the road; Conley buries a nice reverse lay-in to put them up 13-8 at the first break.
- Question of the day: What to do with Rudy Gay? (what do you say?)
- Doris Burke is wearing a totally horrifying outfit. It's like she realized Craig sager was stepping his suit game up a bit and saw a niche opportunity. Seriously, Don Cherry looked better last night.
- Kendrick Perkins is being completely overwhelmed by Gasol on both ends.
Streeze: The way he runs, no lumbers, makes me think he won't be around in ten years.
- Durant's doing his thing at the line (go with what works...), OKC up 21-17 as the 1st closes. Memphis and OKC are 7 and 8 for 22 from the field, respectively.
Streeze: How much do you think the people sweeping the floors get paid? I'd probably pay them to do that and get those seats.
- "Running Down A Dream" plays during the pre-break highlight reel. Streeze: Nobody on these teams listens to Tom Petty. Except maybe Nick Collison.
- Daequan Cook, welcome to the Mike Miller Club of wide-open jumpshooters who can't hit wide-open jumpshots. Goodie: When all you do is shoot how can you not just master the dribble-release?
General: Eric Maynor or Steve Blake?
Streeze: Blake was garbage this year... He just put on a headband and missed threes.
Streeze lightens up the commercial break: Which white player in the NBA do you think gets the most ass? General (immediately): Birdman...But Jimmer's gonna get the most handjobs.
Goodie (10 seconds before Westbrook sprints through Memphis on the break and hits KD for three): They're such a better team when Westbrook can get loose in transition
- OKC up 10 halfway into the 2nd; Memphis leads playoff teams with 3 wins after trailing by doubles in the 2nd half, so the Thunder had best not get lazy, or things are going to get unpleasant for me.
Perkins turns the ball over and blows a gasket;
Streeze: God, When you run out of milk, and you're Kendrick Perkins' wife... you're terrified
- As Westbrook careens out of control into Shane Battier, we get curious and find out that GRANT HILL of all people, at 38, after injuries robbed him of a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, put his body on the line to draw the charge more than anyone in the league this year. Way to go.
- Durant makes icy 30-footers look way too casual. 40-29 OKC, 2 left. "Goodie's paying for a stripper if OKC wins". Just a casual Sunday afternoon.
- Durant with 18 in the first half, leading OKC to a 42-34 edge. The Westbrook Factor's been minimal: 7 assists/8 shot attempts = series high.
- From Twitter: "At 3 AM, in a dimly lit bar, Tony Allen's jumper would still go home alone"
- Ovinton kicks off the third by getting under Westbrook's skin and drawing a T, then burying an icy jumper; 42-38. Goodie (on his beard): Harden's grandfathering you.
- Goodie's financial implications are now visibly wearing on his tone when he sincerely asks Russell Westbrook to "please, stop dribbling".
General: I heard they're trading Cold Aldrich and Daequan Cook for Dwight Howard
- Memphis, after a 3-assist first half, is getting back to what won them games and moving the ball well for an open Conley 3; 52-49 OKC
- Durant buries a bomb from 3 to put the Thunder up 8. Streeze: He's got swag for sale today
- Memphis keeps trying to hit home runs from 3. They need more doubles.
- Durant buries another bomb from 3, after Harden beats the shot clock with one, and the place goes buck as a 14-point hole forces a Grizzlies timeout. Westbrook's a bucket away from a triple double.
- James Harden is the most popular guy in this room as he keeps Memphis in their 14-point grave going into the 4th.
- OKC's bench holds serve to open the 4th, keeping the lead at 14 and sending Randolph to the bench lookin' like Charles Barkley after a Pizza Hut buffet.
- The crowd enthusiasm from the Thunder is amazing; They're all on their feet chanting "O-K-C!" with 8:30 left. Say what you want about how they got them (and there's plenty to be said), but these fans deserve this team.
- Russell Westbrook just notched the first Game 7 triple-double since Pippen in '92. #wow
- Memphis gets bailed out by a rare case of good officiating after a faulty shot-clock violation, but OKC's stellar post defense turns them away again. Still down 15 with 6 to go.
- If there was any doubt left, James Harden just killed it. Up 19 with 2:32 left, the Grizz are Thunderstruck.
- Durant leaves to a standing O; why not, he just killed the biggest game of his career on the heels of one of his worst.
- Book the win; 105-90. Durant = The Man. Westbrook = The Unsung Hero. Goodie's Wallet = swole.
Before we get onto the Conference Finals, a quick requiem for the Memphis Grizzlies; a team that wasn't supposed to do anything this year, was home to a midseason-card-game-brawl, lost one of its best players, and oh, only beat the best team in the West and came within a game of doing the impossible yet again. Enjoy your summer boys, if anyone's earned it, you guys have.
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