Denver and Cleveland First Teams to Reach Conference Finals

Denver and Cleveland First Teams to Reach Conference Finals

5/14/2009
Author: Brian Stankich
http://www.BasketballDailyNews.com, U. S. Sports Media, Inc

Basketball is a game of two's. Two points for a basket. Two teams on the court. Two franchises who will play in the NBA finals. Two cities hoping to ascend the championship mountain.

Two teams who have experienced little NBA playoff success are celebrating victories and preparing for their respective conference finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers ousted the Atlanta Hawks four games to none to remain undefeated in 2009 postseason play and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Denver Nuggets handled the Dallas Mavericks four games to one to move on to the Western Conference Finals.

Neither team has a great history in the NBA playoffs, but these two teams have by far looked the best this postseason. LeBron has his Cavalier cast of role players playing out of their minds. Chauncey has his Nuggets mining for playoff gold. Both LeBron James and Chauncey Billups are leading their respective teams to unexpected heights this season and their fans love it.

Two more teams, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers hope to close out their playoff series tonight to join the Cavaliers and Nuggets in the NBA final four. Both franchises are the traditional NBA powerhouses but both have struggled mightily in the playoffs. Neither franchise has played their A games yet, but they have stepped up to make big plays in the big moments in order to win the big games to keep advancing towards the big goal.

Still two more teams are holding on for their playoff lives. The Orlando Magic have dominated Boston in four out of five games but have lost three of those games. The Magic are clearly the better team but they have been unable to hold leads and close out games. They not only need a killer instinct, they need to mature, and fast, if they are to advance to play Cleveland. Houston has played well against the Lakers, even without the injured Yao Ming. But they don't have enough to oust Kobe.

Two games tonight may determine this weekend's conference finals matchups. If Boston or LA wins, the conference finals will begin this weekend. If Orlando or Houston wins, games 7 will be played.

Whatever the outcomes, the Cavaliers and Nuggets are resting their weary bodies and preparing their determined minds continue their respective marches to the same goal: an NBA championship.

Source: http://www.BasketballDailyNews.com, U. S. Sports Media, Inc