WATERCOOLER CHAT: HEAT AND BULLS UP BY 2, ROCKETS STRANGE TEAM
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More NBA Playoff Action.
First up, it was LeBron, D-Wade, and Bosh against the 76ers. Despite a loss, the Sixers kept Game 1 close, but could they keep up that pressure? The Heat were ready for the Sixers in Game 2. They were faster, stronger, and more ready to play. Dwayne Wade had migraines, but he still wreaked havoc. The Heat took care of business to take a 2-0 lead in the series.  LeBron was the man of the evening, finishing the night with 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Game 3 heads back to Philly. Can they change the momentum? Miami 94, Philly 73.
Then, it was Game 2 between Derrick Rose and the #1 seed Chicago Bulls vs. the #8 Indiana Pacers. People couldn’t believe how much of a fight the Pacers put up in Game 1. They even almost won the game if not for a miraculous effort by Rose in the final 2 minutes. But could they keep it up in Game 2? Well, yes. They hung in there with the Bulls point for point, even hitting a long-range 3-pointer to tie the game at 67 going into the 4th quarter. It was even close to the finish, but in the final minutes, Derrick Rose made it happen and sealed the deal for a Game 2 win. He finished with 36 points, and the series now heads to Indiana with the Bulls up 2-0. Chicago 96, Indiana 90.
Finally, in the NBA, the Houston Rockets have been a very strange team these past 5 years. Earlier this decade they paired Yao Ming with Tracy McGrady in what was supposed to be a championship team. They even brought Shane Battier in town to help out on defense. That clearly didn’t work out, and they’ve had a couple forgettable playoff appearances the past few years (except when they brought the Lakers to 7 games). They were playing extremely well towards the end of this season, but a few key losses kept them from the playoffs. Now, after 4 years at head coach, they are removing Rick Adelman. Usually when a team gets rid of its head coach, it intends to do a rebuild in direction, clientele and strategy. The Rockets need just that. At the same, time, this is a great time for an up-and-coming team (maybe the Washington Wizards or Sacramento Kings — who had Adelman before) to hire a fantastic coach.
