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2013 NBA Playoffs Game of the Day: Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat

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May 22, 2013

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Today’s Games (All times are Eastern):

 

Time (ET) Visitor Home Prediction
8:30 PM Indiana Pacers Miami Heat Heat

The Miami Heat will host Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive season when the Indiana Pacers visit South Beach in today’s NBA Playoff Game of the Day. This will be a defensive battle and the team that can find a way to break through and score on a somewhat consistent basis will have a distinct advantage.

During the regular season, Indiana had the league’s most efficient defense (96.6 points per 100 possessions) while limiting opponents to 90.7 points per game on 42.0 percent shooting from the field. If Indiana hopes to have any success in this series, they will have to be solid and consistent on the defensive end of the floor possession after possession. Defense and rebounding will be the key to this series for the Pacers. Indiana, who outrebounded the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks by 9.8 boards per game in the first two rounds, will have to continue to own the glass to have a chance in this series. This is particularly true given the efficient manner in which the Heat have gone about their business this postseason.

Miami’s defense has been absolutely stellar during the playoffs. The Heat, who have not surrendered 100 points to a single postseason opponent, are leading the NBA in defensive efficiency (93.4 points per 100 possessions), opponent points per game (84.7), and opponent field goal percentage (40.9 percent) heading into these conference finals.

In addition to being the top defensive team during the playoffs, the Heat have been super-efficient on the offensive side of the ball. En route to an 8-1 playoff record, Miami has scored an incredible 109.1 points per 100 possessions and 1.36 points per shot while averaging 98.6 points per game on 49.1 percent shooting.

The Heat were incredibly efficient against the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls in the first two rounds of the playoffs. If Miami plays with that type of efficiency—particularly offensively—against the Indiana Pacers, the Heat will have a very good chance of making their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance.

Yesterday’s Results:

 

Visitor Home Prediction Result
Memphis Grizzlies 89 San Antonio Spurs 93 Grizzlies Spurs

Random NBA Fan’s Record in Yesterday’s Games: 0-1
Random NBA Fan’s Record for the Playoffs: 46-23

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2013 NBA Playoffs Game of the Day: Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs

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May 21, 2013

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Today’s Games (All times are Eastern):

 

Time (ET) Visitor Home Prediction
9:00 PM Memphis Grizzlies San Antonio Spurs Grizzlies

After being demolished 105-83 by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, the Memphis Grizzlies will try to rebound in Game 2. If the Grizzlies can recover from that Game 1 debacle and win Game 2, they will earn an all-important split on the road and snatch home-court advantage from the Spurs.

The Grizzlies will have to shore up their defense, particularly around the three-point line, if they hope to head home to Memphis with a 1-1 split. Memphis allowed San Antonio to hit a franchise playoff-record 14 three-pointers in Game 1. The 42 points that the Spurs scored behind the three-point arc represent 40% of San Antonio’s Game 1 offense. With San Antonio getting so many wide-open three-point attempts, one would think that the Grizzlies probably did a decent job of defending the paint. However, looking at the shot chart, one would find that the Spurs made a host of shots right at the front of the rim en route to their 30 points in the paint.

Although Memphis failed to adequately protect either the paint or the three-point arc, the Grizzlies did do a decent job of defending San Antonio’s mid-range jumpers. The bulk of the Spurs’ misses came from between six and 20 feet from the rim. The Grizzlies have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA all season long and I fully expect their defense to have a much greater presence in Game 2 than it did in Game 1.

San Antonio got—and converted—so many wide-open three-point opportunities because of its excellent ball movement. The Spurs had 28 assists on 40 made field goals and all 14 of their three-point baskets were assisted.

Defensively, San Antonio’s bigs did a great job of neutralizing Memphis’ big men. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined to make just eight of their 24 field goal attempts (33.3 percent), and the Spurs limited the duo to a combined total of just 17 points and 14 rebounds.

If San Antonio can find—and make—open shots and neutralize the effectiveness of Gasol and Randolph like they did in Game 1 tonight, the Spurs will give themselves a great chance to take a 2-0 series lead.

Sunday’s Results:

 

Visitor Home Prediction Result
Memphis Grizzlies 83 San Antonio Spurs 105 Grizzlies Spurs

Random NBA Fan’s Record in Sunday’s Games: 0-1
Random NBA Fan’s Record for the Playoffs: 46-22

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2013 NBA Playoffs Game of the Day: Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs

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May 19, 2013

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Today’s Games (All times are Eastern):

 

Time (ET) Visitor Home Prediction
3:30 PM Memphis Grizzlies San Antonio Spurs Grizzlies

Today’s NBA Playoff Game of the Day will showcase two Southwest Division rivals when the Memphis Grizzlies visit the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Two years ago, these teams met in the first round and Memphis defeated San Antonio to become just the second number eight seed to upset a number one seed in a seven-game series. The Grizzlies earned their first playoff win in franchise history in Game 1 of that series.

This afternoon, Memphis, who will be making its first conference finals appearance, will match up against a Spurs team that will be making its eighth trip to the Western Conference finals in the last 16 seasons. And just as they did two years ago, the Grizzlies will be looking to steal home-court advantage from San Antonio. Since that Game 1 win in the first round of the playoffs two seasons ago, Memphis has lost six straight to the Spurs in San Antonio. The sooner the Grizzlies can put an end to their losing streak in San Antonio, the better their chances of having success in this series.

The Spurs, who will be making their second consecutive appearance in the Western Conference finals, can advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007 by simply protecting their home court. A task they could not complete in last year’s Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Southwest Division will represent the Western Conference in this year’s NBA Finals. Whether it will be the Spurs, who have been there and done that, or the Grizzlies, who are looking to extend the best playoff run in franchise history, remains to be seen.

Yesterday’s Results:

 

Visitor Home Prediction Result
Indiana Pacers 106 New York Knicks 99 Pacers Pacers

Random NBA Fan’s Record in Yesterday’s Games: 1-0
Random NBA Fan’s Record for the Playoffs: 46-21

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2013 NBA Playoffs Game of the Day: New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers

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May 18, 2013

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Today’s Games (All times are Eastern):

 

Time (ET) Visitor Home Prediction
8:00 PM Indiana Pacers New York Knicks Pacers

If George Hill’s concussion keeps him out of Game 6, the Indiana Pacers will need D.J. Augustin to be more productive than he was in Thursday night’s Game 5 if they hope to close out their series with the New York Knicks tonight. Hill, who missed Indiana’s 85-75 Game 5 loss, will be a game-time decision for tonight’s Game 6.

Augustin, who started Game 5 at point guard in Hill’s absence, played 39 minutes, scored 12 points, committed two turnovers and dished out “zero” assists on Thursday night. A zero-assist performance for a starting point guard in 39 minutes of a closeout playoff game is not only unfathomable—it is inexcusable. And after failing to close out the series in New York, the Pacers hope that a return to the familiar surroundings of Bankers Life Fieldhouse will help Augustin pass off for at least one or two assists tonight.

To avoid a seventh and deciding game in New York on Monday night, the Pacers must protect their home court tonight. Either a George Hill showing or a better floor game from Augustin would improve Indiana’s chances of closing out the Knicks and moving on to the Eastern Conference finals.

If the Knicks hope to extend this series and force a Game 7 back in New York, they will have to find a way to earn a win in Indiana for the first time this season. In fact, including Games 3 and 4 of this series, the Knicks have dropped their last five trips to Bankers Life Fieldhouse by an average of 13.8 points. New York has averaged just 84.8 points against the Pacers in those games, and in these playoffs the Knicks have averaged just 76.5 points in Indiana.

During the postseason, New York is leading the league in defensive efficiency (93.2 points per 100 possessions) while holding opponents to an NBA-best 84.1 points per game. However, despite their superb defense, it will be the Knicks’ offense that will ultimately determine whether this series will see a Game 7 or be closed out tonight.

Thursday’s Results:

 

Visitor Home Prediction Result
Indiana Pacers 75 New York Knicks 85 Pacers Knicks
San Antonio Spurs 94 Golden State Warriors 82 Spurs Spurs

Random NBA Fan’s Record in Thursday’s Games: 1-1
Random NBA Fan’s Record for the Playoffs: 45-21

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2013 NBA Playoffs Game of the Day: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors

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May 16, 2013

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Today’s Games (All times are Eastern):

 

Time (ET) Visitor Home Prediction
8:00 PM Indiana Pacers New York Knicks Pacers
10:30 PM San Antonio Spurs Golden State Warriors Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs will be looking to advance to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive season when they visit the Golden State Warriors in today’s NBA Game of the Day. However, if the Spurs want to win Game 6 and close out the Warriors tonight they will have to become the first team to win consecutive games in this series. Through the first five games of this Western Conference semifinal matchup, San Antonio has won the odd-numbered games while Golden State has won the two even-numbered matchups.

If the Spurs can break that cycle and win this final even-numbered game, they will close the series and move on to the Western Conference finals where they will face the Memphis Grizzlies. But before they can even think about any potential conference finals date with the Grizzlies, the Spurs have to figure out a way to win one more game against the surprising, fearless and resolute Warriors.

Including Tuesday night’s 109-91 Game 5 loss in San Antonio, Golden State has lost five games this postseason. The Warriors successfully rebounded from those first four losses and will try to duplicate that feat at home tonight. And if they want to continue their surprising run, the Warriors have no choice but to do just that.

Yesterday’s Results:

 

Visitor Home Prediction Result
Chicago Bulls 91 Miami Heat 94 Heat Heat
Memphis Grizzlies 88 Oklahoma City Thunder 84 Thunder Grizzlies

Random NBA Fan’s Record in Yesterday’s Games: 1-1
Random NBA Fan’s Record for the Playoffs: 44-20

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