Holding serve…

Amazing.
Never before have I witnessed such an advantage to be had of holding homecourt.
The last 8 games in these playoffs have been won by the home team. You have to go back to May 10th where Detroit beat Orlando on the Magic’s home turf. Of the playoffs thus far, 49 home games won, 15 on the road won.
And the Conference semi-finals have been even more lopsided. The Detroit Pistons – currently sitting back and relaxing – are the only team who’ve won a single game on the road during the Conference semi-finals.

After a very tight first half, Boston yet again looked dominant-in-white during a third quarter where they out-scored Cleveland 29-17.
For the first half, it was looking like LeBron was going to have that breakout game everyone’s been expecting, but it was not to be as he chilled during the second half.
I’m not sure what arguments the “LeBron-is-the-best-player-in-the-NBA” crowd are going to put forward, but the facts speak for themselves: Boston have had answers for James throughout this series – thus far. It’s actually been the rest of the Cavs that have kept them involved (at least during home games).
Still wouldn’t surprise me if he erupts for a big one – Celtics-fans had better hope it’s not during game 7… would anyone place anything on Boston being able to win game 6 in Cleveland? Highly doubtful.

From my perspective, it seemed that LA & Utah were competing to see who could throw the game away more completely. Fortunately for us Laker-fans, Utah prevailed in that battle. Both teams missed easy layups, and both teams had too many turnovers. Despite my prediction during the game over at Fanhouse’s live-blogging of the game that Kobe Bryant would go ‘off’ somewhere inside 9 minutes in the last quarter, Kobe didn’t shoot the ball once (tho he did get a few from the charity stripe). Maybe Kobe felt ‘off’ was quite literally meant.
Oh well.
Lamar Odom was huge, providing some damn good dunks at damn appropriate times… Phabulous Phil should definitely pull Sasha Vujacic off the hardwood when he’s laying so much masonry out there… but another home game won.
Not sure about anyone else, but the Lakers/Jazz series has been quite tight – it wouldn’t surprise me to see LA win in Utah… at least, that’s what my crossed fingers are hoping for.

In tomorrow’s game:

1. New Orleans at San Antonio – First of some very, very high pressure game 6s. Is the end nigh? Or do we follow suit and San Antonio holds serve? Given the ease with which the Hornets handled the pressure of game that was *supposed* to be on them in game 5, it will be interesting to see how the Spurs respond.