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fuckyeanba:

Both the Western Conference Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals are tied up 2-2. In each conference they’re traveling to a new city for a psychologically decisive game 5. After both the Thunder and Celtics defended their home court in games 3 and 4, it’s anybodies ball game. Game 5, if you weren’t already aware, is extremely important edge. If a team loses a game 5 when they’re tied 2-2, that means they have to win out to advance. A game 5 is the crux of an evenly matched 7 game series and the first victory in a best-of-3 finale that’s already giving me a tingling sensation in my arms and legs (I have a physiological response to the NBA playoffs).

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Tonight, the Thunder travel back to San Antonio to try and keep their winning streak going. They’ll tip off, but instead of the Thunderous rush of excitement from their fans, the Oklahoma City team will be facing the (I’d guess) more experienced crowd by the Alamo. These Spurs fans have been so used to winning, they’re probably shocked the teams even came back at all; it’s a testament to how dominant the Spurs have been through the first two rounds of the playoffs. But they’re back and this a crucial game 5 for a San Antonio team that’s suffered its first losing streak after going 50 straight days without a loss. It was all peachy before, but we’ll find out how tough Popovich’s boys really are and on the other side we’ll see if the momentum the Thunder have built up can last past a plane ride. The Thunder have never been this far (they only one a single game against Dallas in last year’s WCF), the Spurs have been here many times before.

Who you got in the Western Conference Final game 5 readers?

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Over in the Eastern Conference, we have a pair of teams with a brief rivalry that dates back to last year’s 5-game exit by the Celtics at the hands of the Heat in their first year together. It’s not just last year’s Conference Semifinal match-up that makes these teams natural enemies. For LeBron James, the Celtics been the proverbial monkey on his back since his time in Cleveland. If he thought he’d exorcised that demon in last year’s series, he’d be wrong. This year’s team, with a healthy Rajon Rondo, is an entirely different beast. Yes, reports are coming out Chris Bosh will be suiting up for game 5 back in Miami, but the abdominal strain that’s kept him out of all but the first round of the playoffs, is likely to hamper him in his bid to help the Heat. Can the dynamic duo of LeBron and Wade incorporate Bosh back into the Heat’s offensive fold, and also get back to their heroics in games 1 and 2, or will Rajon continue to hold court like he has since his game 2 explosion he then continued into Boston? The Celtics feature a series of high performing manipulations in a device where Rondo and Doc turn the keys. The Heat are a balance of super stardom between two towers of offensive elegance. What perfect foils they offer each other. 

Who you got in the Eastern Conference Final game 5 readers?

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I’ve been doing this basketball blog thing full-time-ish for more than a month now, so lets take a trek down memory lane and track all 4 teams journey through the playoffs up until this point.

All four teams are on the cusp of the NBA Finals: this is where players are either BIG™ or head home; this is where legends are first made or continued; this is where all the narratives we love to debate are given their highest credence; this is where reputations are forged in the furnace of the latter stages of the NBA playoffs. It does not get any bigger than this. From here on out, we’re witnessing a legend-in-the-making or a failure that will intensify the burning desire for next year’s chance to claim the Larry O’Brien trophy. Which one will it be? 

This is the big boy leagues. We’ll see which teams and which players are prepared, but are you gonna be ready?

Here’s how they got here:

San Antonio Spurs

Round 1 Vs. the Utah Jazz

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W

Conference Semifinals Vs. the Los Angeles Clippers

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W

Conference Finals (up until now)

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 L
• Game 4 L

Oklahoma City Thunder 

Round 1 Vs. the Dallas Mavericks

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W

Conference Semifinals Vs. the Los Angeles Lakers

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 L
• Game 4 W 
• Game 5 W

Conference Finals (up until this point)

• Game 1 L
• Game 2 L
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W

Miami Heat

Round 1 Vs. the New York Knicks

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 L
• Game 5 W

Conference Semifinals Vs. the Indiana Pacers

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 L
• Game 3 L
• Game 4 W
• Game 5 W
• Game 6 W

Conference Finals (up until this point)

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 L
• Game 4 L

Boston Celtics

Round 1 Vs. the Atlanta Hawks

• Game 1 L
• Game 2 W
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W
• Game 5 L
• Game 6 W

Conference Semifinals Vs. the Philadelphia 76ers

• Game 1 W
• Game 2 L
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 L
• Game 5 W
• Game 6 L
• Game 7 W

Conference Finals (up until this point)

• Game 1 L
• Game 2 L
• Game 3 W
• Game 4 W

See you later tonight because these 2012 playoffs are to be continued…