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When I first signed up to host today's thread, I did it prior to Friday with the anticipation that this thread would cover at least one Game 7. Well bummer, that did not happen, but hey, the second round starts today, and hey, these series are interesting!
The first series we see open today is the Memphis Grizzlies playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder may be the best team in the league, but they are without Russell Westbrook and the Grizzlies are not any slouches. The Thunder did struggle against an admittedly good Houston Rockets team without Westbrook, and could very well struggle against Memphis as well. I wish the Sixers had a frontcourt like Memphis's. Actually come to think of it, I just wish the Sixers had a frontcourt. I will take Memphis in 7 games. Today's game will be seen on ABC at 1:00 ET with Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown on the call and Heather Cox will be satisfied with canned answers as the in-game reporter. For more on this series, check out Welcome to Loud City and Grizzly Bear Blues.
Then after that game, perhaps definitely the more intriguing Eastern Conference second round match-up gets under way when the Pacers tip off at MSG against the Knicks. While the narrative of the Celtics-Knicks series centered around the Celtics coming back and making a series of it, everything in that series really revolved around how much like ass the Knicks played in those final games, especially in Game 6 when the Celtics stormed back into the game. I want to pick the Knicks, but I just can't do it after that Celtics series. Pacers in 7. Today's game will be seen on ABC at 3:30 ET with Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy on the call with Doris Burke conducting meaningless interviews. For more on this game and this series, check out Posting and Toasting and Indy Cornrows.