The NBA Playoff Bracket is almost complete in the third round, better known as the Conference Finals. The San Antonio Spurs are the latest team to get in while the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies were the first two teams to advance to their conference's finals. The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers battle for the final spot available in the NBA Playoffs.
Here's what the playoff bracket looks like as of Friday:
West:
San Antonio Spurs (2)
vs.
Memphis Grizzlies (5)
East:
Miami Heat (1)
vs.
Knicks (2)/Pacers (3)
The numbers next top the Pacers and Knicks relate to their playoff seedings, but ironically, they also stand for the games they've won this series. The Pacers couldn't put the series away Thursday evening in Madison Square Garden. The Knicks led from the opening tip, they played defense and their bench looked capable of holding leads after starters sat out.
The Grizzlies completed the upset over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Russell Westbrook played a huge part in the loss because he wasn't available. Patrick Beverly's Game 2 play as the Thunder were calling a timeout looks bigger than ever as the Thunder were never the same after Westbrook left the playoffs with his knee injury.
The Heat and Spurs were a part of the more memorable series in the 2013 playoffs. The Spurs survived a red hot Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes, as the three youngsters took turn to burn the Spurs. The Heat survived a very physical series and were lucky to have none of their stars injured in the process. The Heat look dangerous as they have length with Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen, a great bench and the best basketball player in the planet.
The Knicks and Pacers play of Saturday as Indiana will have another chance to put this series away. However, do the Knicks have another battle left in their tank as they go into the Fieldhouse to play the Pacers in Game 6? Let's see if this bracket will be completed after Saturday.
Here's how the playoffs have developed since Apr. 20 when the postseason began.
First Round
(1) Heat
vs. 4-0 2nd Round
(8) Milwauke Bucks---- (1) Heat: 4
(4) Brooklyn Nets ----- (5) Bulls: 1
vs. 3-4
(5) Bulls
(2) Knicks
vs. 4-2
(7)Boston Celtics ----- (2) Knicks: 2
(3) Pacers
vs. 4-2
(6) Atlanta Hawks ----- (6) Pacers: 3
----------------------------------------------------
First Round
(1) OKC Thunder
vs. 4-2....................................2nd Round
(8) Houston Rockets---------- (1) Thunder: 1
(4) Los Angeles Clippers ---- (5) Grizzlies: 4
vs. 2-4
(5) Grizzlies
(2) Spurs
vs. 4-0
(7) Los Angeles Lakers ------ (2) Spurs: 4
(3) Denver Nuggers ------- (6) Nuggets: 2
vs. 2-4
(6) Warriors
