Going Seven

 The two most interesting NBA playoff series--Denver/MN in the West, NYC/Indiana in the East--started with each team winning two games in a row, before settling down to the usual back and forth, to both be tied at 3-3, and game seven ahead.  The West series was even crazier--MN won the first two in a row in Denver, the Nuggets won their two in a row at MN.  

Unless one team is superior enough to win in 4 or 5, the playoff pattern is based on adjustments.  Teams have at least one off day to plot adjustments for the next game.  Denver had several days after the first two to make assignment and other adjustments to blunt the smothering defense of MN.  Their offense came alive, and Jokic finally had an MVP performance in the fifth game.  But MN came roaring back at home in game 6--downright extinguishing the Denver offense and shooting the lights out at their end, helped by plenty of steals and other turnovers as well as missed shots to get out and run.  

Denver lost the sixth game by 45 points, the biggest margin in playoff history, while scoring the fewest number of points.  But in terms of wins and losses, that loss is the same as it would have been had they lost by 1 point at the final buzzer of double overtime (except that their starters will be much better rested--they sat out much of the second half.)

  Now Denver has several days to adjust to the MN adjustments, and they'll be at home for game 7.  After the first four contrarian games, each team reverted to the usual pattern of winning their next home game.  So Denver looks to have the edge.

 But no matter what adjustments are devised, in a game seven everything hinges on how players play, who is hitting shots, who has the defensive energy and intensity, who keeps composed and handles the pressure.  Denver is the champ, the veteran of these moments, but with these two teams anything can happen.  Game 7 is Sunday afternoon.

The Knicks and Pacers series has more closely followed the traditional script of evenly matched teams: they each won their three games at home.  So game 7, also on Sunday afternoon, is in New York.  Even after being blown out in Indiana, the Knicks have the home court edge, maybe. For the thing about playing in New York is, everybody gets juiced to win there.  So this also will be sui generis, depending on performances, the timing of runs, etc. 

The chief difference between these two series is that the winner of the West series is likely to emerge as the favorite for Conference champ, but the winner of the East series is likely to be the underdog in the next round, against the Boston Celtics who have already won their series.

Meanwhile, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors won the Magic Johnson Award, voted on by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, for the combination of on-court performance and off-court performance with the media.  It was his second.  A few days earlier, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr won the coaches version awarded by the same group.  Curry previously won the Clutch Player of the Year for the NBA just concluded season.