SnoTap NBA Playoffs: LMA's Dominance, Heat Hang on & Road Mavs?

I am a man of the people. I realized our NBA Playoff recap blog posts where not really popping as they suffered in hits, but story of this blog's life for 2014. I want to try something different with the hopes that maybe this is more what people want versus having to rely on three different blogs. We are going to try to include a GIF or video for each recap, but I cannot make any promises. We will also rank the games because why not?

1. Portland 112 Houston 105 (Blazers lead 2-0) - LaMarcus 'Don't call me LAM, call me LMA' Aldridge dominated for the second straight game with 43 points with eight rebounds. Aldridge is averaging an insane 44.5 through the first two games of the playoffs. Aldridge will be even more of a household name tomorrow morning. Good for LMA though. He is a really good player that doesn't get credit for being great sometimes, and he will get his due. It really seems like Houston has no answer for him, and Aldridge knows damn well this is the case. Fascinating to see how he plays for the reminder of the season.

As for Houston, Dwight Howard played his ass off with a 32 points, 14 rebounds performance although most of it came in the first half when Howard wasn't in foul trouble. Howard still looked like a guy ready to put the team on his back. James Harden is starting to develop a reputation of disappearing in the playoffs a la Tracy McGrady and others. Harden has missed 30 shots from the field already, and it will not get easier heading into a fired up Rose Garden.

Approrirate Video: Robin Lopez ended Jeremy Lin's life. (h/t @cjzero) 



2. Miami 101 Charlotte 97 - Honestly, Miami did not play well at all in this game besides LeBron James, but that's all it takes for Miami to win basketball games. Heat are the only home team with a 2-0 lead which is crazy to think about given the lack of parity in the NBA. James delivered 32 points, eight assists and six rebounds which is also known as another night at the office. Chris Bosh played well with 20 points as well. Charlotte needed a better late game shot down three. Gary Neal got the ball and tried to be the hero leading him passing the ball to Chris Douglas-Roberts whose asshole was tighter than a wet cat on a rain barrel. It should be Kemba and only Kemba who showed a Big East glimpse hitting a big shot late from the top of the key. Yet he struggled from the field as Al Jefferson and him combined to go 14/41 for the game.

Approrirate Video: Josh McRoberts throat chops LeBron. WHO SAYS THIS SERIES CAN'T GET CHIPPY. McBob landed a pretty nice shot to James' Adam Apple. (h/t Sports Illustrated) 



3. Dallas 113 San Antonio 92 - Um what the hell?  This was a series expected to last four or five games, but maybe the Mavericks want to throw it back old school where we have these teams playing seven with some ridiculous games thrown in.  Dallas had four players score more than 15 points last night - Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Monta Ellis and Devin Harris, were all great for the Mavs at some point. They used a balanced attack to take down San Antonio and make this a more intriguing series. For the season, Harris or D-Ha if you're from Wauwatosa, averaged right under eight points, he is averaging 18.5 in two games versus San Antonio. He is an obvious problem for them.

Another big issue for San Antonio was the turnovers. Spurs gave away the ball 22 times which is very un-Spurs like. Tim Duncan only had eleven points with shooting five times. That cannot happen. Duncan needs to get way more involved to ensure a deep run for San Antonio. If you want one bright spot, Manu Ginobli looked like his old self with 27 points making five threes and only missing three shots for the game He had 17 on Sunday so it appears there might be a bit of a mismatch problem.

Charlie.