NBA Playoffs 2012: Bold Predictions for Nuggets vs Lakers, Clippers vs Grizzlies
The city of Los Angeles will be shut out of the second round of the NBA playoffs. A stunning turnaround, given that both franchises once had a 3-1 series lead.
The Lakers will finish off their first-round collapse off with a Game 7 loss on their home court. The Clippers will at least have the decency to lose away from the Staples Center.
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are falling apart at the seams. This is not unusual. They do it a few times every season.
In the regular season, it is no big deal. They have bounced back from that sort of thing time and time again.
In the playoffs, it is a different story. We saw this last year, as they were destroyed by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, and we saw it the last time they were eliminated from the playoffs when the Celtics embarrassed them out of the finals.
In both those situations, Pau Gasol was pummeled into complete ineffectiveness, and that is exactly what has happened here. Gasol is completely worthless. In Game 6, he turned in what could easily be called his worst game in the NBA, with just three points and three rebounds.
He was only slightly better the game before, going for nine points and 10 rebounds. Gasol is not the kind of guy who can instantly turn things around, and he will fail miserably in his season finale.
Andrew Bynum will not pick up the slack either. Bynum has checked out of this series. He has been playing horrible team defense and not getting good position on offense. He has distanced himself from the entire team and wasn't even bothering to join the huddles at the end of Game 6.
It would be foolish to expect him to hop on board now and give the effort needed to help seal a win.
This isn't intended to take anything away from the Nuggets. They have been playing great team ball. It's just that the Lakers are doing a better job of beating themselves than any opponent ever could.
Gasol's Game 7 Stats: 8 points, 3-9 shooting, 8 rebounds
Bynum's Game 7 Stats: 5 points, 2-6 shooting 7 rebounds
Final Score: Nuggets 107, Lakers 94
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
The Clippers' loss will not be nearly as disturbing as the Lakers' loss. This is not a team that is falling apart; this is a young team with holes and some nagging injuries.
That said, this is still going to be a heartbreaking loss. You could feel the weight of that heartbreak set in as they blew a fourth-quarter lead, on their home court, with a chance to end the series.
That was their golden opportunity to end this series, and they blew it. Now, they have to travel to Memphis to take on a solid defensive squad that will force them into a bad offensive showing. The pressure on the Clippers will build as the Grizzlies' suffocating defense makes them struggle offensively.
Los Angeles is also having an increasingly difficult time containing the Grizzlies' frontcourt. This will lead to easy looks and buckets for Memphis as they get off to a fast start and never look back.
Zach Randolph's Game 7 Stats: 22 points, 9-14 shooting, 11 rebounds
Blake Griffin's Game 7 Stats: 15 points, 6-12 shooting, 6 rebounds
Final Score: Grizzlies 101, Clippers 90
