NBA News: On the Brink
So what do you do when your backed into a corner? Your opponent is practically an inch from bringing the hammer down on you.......Do you stand there and accept defeat? Do you prepare for the inevitable? Do you buy into the critics thoughts that your opponent has far more superior fire power then you? These are questions that both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Chicago Bulls are probably asking themselves? You see both teams at this point and time have something in common, they are both down 1-3 in their perspective conference playoff series and one loss away from elimination. The irony for both teams is scary.....Going into game 4 the Thunder had the opportunity to knot their series with the Dallas Mavericks Monday night. With a little over 5 minutes left in the final period the Thunder were up 15-points and seemingly had the game in the bag......Well that is what everyone thought......Led by Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd the Mavs mounted a comeback to tie the game in regulation and then overtake the Thunder in overtime 112-105.
The Bulls suffered a similar fate last night in their game 4 match up against the Miami Heat. Chicago also had the opportunity to tie the series but Derrick Rose failed to hit a game winner at the end of regulation and the Heat over took the Bulls in overtime 101-93. Looking at both series you have to ask yourself are the Bulls and the Thunder not on the level of Dallas and Miami or are they just a victim of their own mistakes. Okay you can say youth and lack of playoff experience has something to do with it, but looking at both teams they have a fair share of guys who have prior playoff experience in there. I don't think there is a guy on either team that is suffering from any deer in the headlights syndrome. In the Thunders case its obvious their two superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are not on the same page. They both insist that things are cool between them and they are not bumping heads on who is the man for this team. Listen that "Alpha Male" crap is stupid, if you want to win you take all the fire power you can get. The Thunder have a very strong supporting cast anchored by Kendrick Perkins who has a championship to his credit. The Thunder do have enough to compete against the Mavericks, but their strategy is flawed and they are not maximizing their strengths. I blame Head coach Scotty Brooks for that. If you want to throw the inexperienced card around, its the coach not the players.........
As for the Bulls their problem is they are letting the Heat take advantage of their silly mistakes. I'll give the Heat credit they are playing good ball, but the Bulls gave those games away, the Heat didn't take them as they would like to have you believe. Between the numerous turnovers and lack of execution down the stretch the Bulls have become their own worse enemy. It may sound like I'm making excuses for the Thunder and the Bulls, and not giving the Mavs and the Heat the credit they deserved.......However we know there are players both on the Mavs and the Heat who have been known to tank it in previous playoffs and they are going through their own redemption period right now. Guys like Nowitzki, Kidd, and Lebron James come to mind.........So the Bulls and the Thunder have a choice, win or go home.......nuff said
