Last time on The New Millennium, the Chicago Bulls returned to their favorite spot as the best team in the East, while the Los Angeles Clippers surprisingly became the best in the West. Both of these consistent underachievers looks to finally shake the critics, but have a long road ahead of them. Who will claim the ultimate prize and win the 2012 NBA Championship?
First Round
The Clippers would have no problems in the first round, easily sweeping the Jazz. The other Los Angeles team would not fare as well, as the Lakers went down to the Nuggets in the third straight match-up between the two, with Denver winning the decisive Game 4 thanks to 48 combined points from big men Kevin Love and Sherman Conway. The Grizzlies would need all hands on deck, and just had enough to oust the pesky Trail Blazers, winning in five games. And in another five game series, 38 points in Game 5 wouldn't be enough for Kevin Durant to get his Timberwolves through, as Minnesota was upset by the Houston Rockets.
Out East, the Bulls blew past the Pistons in four games, avenging their first round defeat from two years ago. The Hawks took out the 76ers thanks to 39 and 32 point games from LeBron James in Games 3 and 4, both wins for Atlanta. The favored Indiana Pacers struggled for offense against the Boston Celtics, as they scored under 90 points in Games 3 and 4 to be sent packing. And after one big upset last year, the Washington Wizards were on the hunt for another, pushing the Nets all the way to five games. But in Game 5, early season signing Rudy Gay scored a clutch 33 points to send New Jersey through.
Second Round
The Bulls' post season struggles continued, as they ran up against the Hawks, who won in 5 despite a generally poor series from LeBron James. Meanwhile, the young Boston Celtics faced a Nets team who were hopeful to reach their fourth NBA Finals in a row. The Celtics pushed it all the way to seven, and in Game 7, New Jersey came up empty, scoring only 85 points as LaMarcus Aldridge posted a double-double to send Boston to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Out West, the Nuggets were looking for another great playoff run, pushing the Clippers all the way to seven games. In Game 7, Dwyane Wade and Pau Gasol were quiet, but Kevin Martin was not, dropping 20 points to keep the Clippers in the hunt. They would be joined by another low seeded surprise, as the Grizzlies could not contain young Blake Griffin, who scored 28 points to win Game 6 as the Rockets searched for their second title in The New Millennium.
Conference Finals
Against his former team, Paul Pierce turned back the clock, as LeBron took a backseat while Pierce dominated, sending the Celtics packing in just five games. In the West, the Clippers would face a much tougher challenge, as Blake Griffin and big man partner Al Horford dominated in the paint. Down 2-1 in Game 5, Dwyane Wade refused to let his team go down that easily. Wade dropped 33, then finished the Rockets off in Houston with 27 more, as the Clippers advanced for a showdown of the ages with LeBron and the Hawks.
NBA Finals
Game 1 in LA was a duel between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, as former teammates in real life had it out. In the end, Wade proved to be the better overall player, getting 12 assists and 3 steals to pick up the win. LeBron was held in check in Game 2, but out of nowhere, 21 year old Jrue Holiday put on a show, dropping 27 points to even the series.
Game 3 in Atlanta was a tight defensive battle, that came all the way down to the wire. But in the biggest moment, LeBron rose to the occasion, blocking Pau Gasol's hook shot to pull off a narrow 90-88 win. Defense gave way to offense in Game 4, and King James reigned supreme once more, scoring 37 points to put Atlanta a win away from a title.
The stars shine brightest in Hollywood, and they certainly shone bright for the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5. LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Dwight Howard, Anton Kozlov and Jrue Holiday combined for 115 points, nearly out-scoring the Clippers all on their own. In the end, Wade, Gasol and company had no counter, as they and the fans in attendance could only watch on, as the King lifted his very first title. The Atlanta Hawks are the 2012 NBA Champions!
NBA Finals MVP: LeBron James(24.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 7.2 apg)
For the second time, the Clippers come up short in the NBA Finals, but the big story here is the turnaround of the "super team" in Atlanta. They were eliminated in the first round last year, and return with a vengeance, losing only three games on their path to their first title in Atlanta. It's obviously a big moment for 28 year old LeBron James, who cements his claim as being one of the greatest of all-time. Join me next time on The New Millennium for the 2012 offseason.
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