The beginning of the first round of Western Conference Playoffs provided us with a few surprises, and once again examines the question of competent officiating by league referees.
Surprise No. 1: The L.A. Clippers, a conference fourth seed, opened up their series with a loss to the lower-seeded Utah Jazz on their home floor.
The Jazz, a fifth seed, beat the Clippers, which had Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, the fourth best team in the Western Conference standings. The loss, although only by two points, was a defeat on the Clippers home court in Los Angeles, and without the Jazz’s center Rudy Gobert, who sustained an injury in the very first seconds of Game 1 of the opening round. His return to the rotation is uncertain.
Gobert, 7-foot-1, averaging 14 points and 12.8 rebounds during the regular season, sprained his left knee in a collision with an opposing player. That leaves a void for Utah. In Game 2 Tuesday night, a game that the Clippers won, they scored 60 of their 99 points in the paint, the area that Gobert defends, tying the series 1-1. Saturday’s home loss gives Utah the home court advantage. Three out of the remaining five games will be played in Utah, but it should be noted that during the regular season, the Jazz were beaten by L.A. three out of their four games, two in L.A. and one at home. Their series resumes in Utah tomorrow (Friday), and then Sunday.
Surprise No. 2: The Oklahoma Thunder are playing the Houston Rockets, a third seed versus a sixth seed, Russell Westbrook versus James Hardin, the two leading candidates for this season’s MVP award.
Westbrook has bolstered the debate on his behalf by tallying 42 triple doubles, meaning 10 or more points, 10 or more rebounds and 10 or more assists, steals or blocks in a game, an NBA record during the season. Harden’s play countered Westbrook’s by leading his team to a 55-win season, 14 more than last year, propelling the Rockets from an eighth seed in last season’s playoffs to a fourth seed in these playoffs. His numbers in Game 1 were more impressive in points totaled than Westbrook’s, but balance out in rebounding and assists: 37 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds for Harden compared with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists for Westbrook.
The Memphis Grizzlies versus San Antonio Spurs series brings up questionable calls by the game’s officials. Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard finished 19 for 19 in free-throw shooting, more free throws than the entire Memphis team, a disparity that infuriated David Fizdale, in his first year as a head coach. Memphis only shot 15 free throws during the entire game.
“We don’t get the respect that these guys deserve,” said Fizdale, who has to now find a way to overcome being two games down against the second-best team in the conference. “I’m not going to let them treat us that way. I know Pop’s [Spur’s longtime head coach Greg Popovich] got pedigree, and I’m a young rookie, but they are not going to rook us. That’s unacceptable. That was unprofessional.”
He felt an imbalance of calls clearly benefited the Spurs Monday night. Their series resumes in Memphis tonight (Thursday) and continues Saturday. Two more Memphis losses in this series advance the Spurs to the next round.