Playoff Histories: Eastern Conference Finals

05/15/2011

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#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #2 Miami Heat

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Previous Meetings
2007 East First Round: #5 Bulls 4 - #4 Heat 0
1997 East Finals: #1 Bulls 4 - #2 Heat 1
1996 East First Round: #1 Bulls 3 - #8 Heat 0
1992 East First Round: #1 Bulls 3 - #8 Heat 0

    The Eastern Conference’s top 2 teams were able to hold serve and reach the conference finals. Will Chicago’s dynamic Derrick Rose and defensive pressure put them in the NBA Finals? Or will it be Miami’s dynamic duo of James and Wade and its defensive pressure?  The history between these two teams in the playoffs does not bode well for Miami at all. This may very well be the most lop-sided historical match up in NBA history.  Four times they’ve met before and Chicago has won 14 games, Miami 1. Let’s recall the bludgeoning.

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Playoff Histories: Western Conference, Round 2

05/02/2011

 

#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #3 Dallas Mavericks

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Previous Meetings:
1988 West Finals: #1 Lakers 4 - #3 Mavericks 3
1986 West Semis: #1 Lakers 4 - #4 Mavericks 2
1984 West Semis: #1 Lakers 4 - #4 Mavericks 1

    Amazingly, this will be L.A. and Dallas’s first matchup since 1988. Of course during the 90s, Dallas was quite possibly the worst NBA franchise and missed the playoffs from 1990 to 2001. But back in the mid-80s, these two teams met in the playoffs three out of five seasons. L.A. won every series and you could see a young Mavs team rise and fall apart.
 

Playoff Histories: Eastern Conference, Round 2

05/01/2011

 

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #5 Atlanta Hawks

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Previous Meetings:
1997 Eastern Semifinals: #1 Bulls 4 – #4 Hawks 1
1993 Eastern First Round: #2 Bulls 3 – #7 Hawks 0
1970 Western Semifinals: #1 Hawks 4 – #4 Bulls 1
1967 Western Semifinals: #2 Hawks 3 – #4 Bulls 0

    These teams have met a few times in the playoffs, but never has the series been all that compelling and given the hamstring injury to Atlanta’s PG Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose just may be poised to make this series a yawn. Or maybe the Hawks will muster up a surprising stand. All of that lies ahead of us, however, let’s see how these teams have handled each other before.