Conference semis are all fit to be tied
Parity has struck the NBA playoffs, where the conference semifinals are knotted at one game apiece. That's the first time that has happened in the second round of the NBA playoffs since the league went to its current format more than a quarter-century ago. For favorites like Miami, New York, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City, home-court advantage has disappeared, and now it's the underdogs who can control their own fates simply by taking care of business on their home floors.
Parity has struck the NBA playoffs, where the conference semifinals are knotted at one game apiece.
That's the first time that has happened in the second round of the NBA playoffs since the league went to its current format more than a quarter-century ago. For favorites like Miami, New York, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City, home-court advantage has disappeared, and now it's the underdogs who can control their own fates simply by taking care of business on their home floors.
A wild weekend is ahead, without question.
The Heat, Knicks, Spurs, and Thunder are four of the league's top five winningest road teams this season. That probably isn't being received as great news for Chicago, Indiana, Golden State, and Memphis, the lower-seeded clubs who will be hosting pivotal Game 3's when NBA playoff action resumes Friday and Saturday.
Warriors feeling it
The confident aura the Golden State Warriors are giving off right now might be the only thing brighter than those yellow shirts every home fan is expected to be wearing again for Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at ear-piercing Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
Maybe for good reason, too.
The Warriors have outshot, outrebounded, and outhustled the Spurs through the first two games of their Western Conference semifinal. And if not for an unprecedented collapse in Game 1, Golden State would be returning to the Bay Area with a two-games-to-none series lead in the best-of-seven series instead of being tied.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the hot-shooting Warriors have shown no signs of slowing down in the playoffs.
- Associated Press