All it takes is a couple of impressive games by our boring old pals in Detroit and San Antonio, and everyone is ready to forget the rest of the NBA Playoffs and just go straight to the Finals.

But, as Phoenix and Cleveland showed last night, they’re not going to go quietly.  If at all.

Things got physical in San Antonio as the Suns leveled their increasingly bitter second round series with the Spurs, and emotions also rose in the swamp as the Cavs out-lasted the Nets to take a 3-1 lead.

Chucks

Amaré Stoudemire

Yes, the Spurs have found something the rest of the League has not been able to accomplish over his 5 years in the pros; a way to stop Amaré.  Trouble is, it’s entirely dependant upon the officials, not the players.  Picking up his 3rd personal foul with 11 minutes left in the first half, Stoudemire spent much of the rest of the game out of the action, but he still found time to win his team the game.  Down 95-88 with 3:58 to go, Mike D’Antoni checks in Stoudemire, with 5 fouls.  Layup, Suns down 5.  With 1 minute left, Phoenix have cut the lead to 1.  Layup, take the lead.  Stop.  Layup.  Timeout.  26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals in 31 minutes.

LeBron James

Lest you think that LeBron responded to his first ever sub-20 point playoff performance with an end-to-end display of pull-the-trigger basketball, he lead his team to victory by controlling the pace, not forcing it. LeBron only attempted 1 field goal in the first quarter, content to allow his teammates to find their rhythm – both offensively and defensively. Then, in decisive spurts during the second and third terms, he pulled his team away from the home-town Nets, and finished with a classy 30 points on 9-16 shooting, 9 rebounds and 7 assists as the Cavs eked out a tense 2 point win.

Chumps

Bruce Bowen

Is he dirty?  Of course.  Is he a good defender?  Of course.  Everyone who’s ever played the game knows the two conditions are not always mutually exclusive.  Bowen often crosses the line between legitimate body contact and downright gamesmanship, but it’s a credit to the man that he can survive - nee thrive - in this modern age of outlawed hand-checks and high-octane offense.  However, Bowen is no Sidney Moncrief, or even Michael Cooper, when it comes to contributing with the ball; he simply doesn’t score enough.  3 points, 1 field goal and no rebounds in 33 minutes?  Not acceptable in a must-win game at home.

Jersey’s Offense 

It wouldn’t be fair to single out either Kidd, Carter or Jefferson for this dubious honor, as they all played so poorly.  And it certainly isn’t appropriate to pick on poor Jas0n C0llins (those are zeros, by the way).  So let’s give it to all of them.  For stretches throughout this series, New Jersey’s much vaunted offense had gone astray – loose balls, bad shots, no movement, no points.  When Jason Kidd is on, he makes scoring look so easy, but when he’s not, the result is an ugly sight – for Net fans and for readers of boxscores.  Jersey shot 36%, missing 48 field goals in 48 minutes.  Kidd 15%, Jefferson 25%, Carter 26%.

Ruminations

It’s been said of Jason Kidd that he’s the only player in the L who can shoot 3 of 10 and still dominate a game.  How about 2 of 13?

Both the Nets and the Cavs made 27 field goals.  Jersey’s came off 75 attempts (36%) and Cleveland’s off 65 attempts (.42%).

The Nets made just 3 field goals in the 4th quarter.

Anderson Varejao, a 57% career free throw shooter,  has not missed from the line this series.

In a remarkable display of officiating even-handedness, LeBron attempted 15 free throws and VC 14.  Both superstars made 10.

Carter, Kidd and Jefferson made 11 field goals.  Combined.  Mikki Moore made 11 field goals.  Himself.

Cleveland’s starting front-court had 30 rebounds to New Jersey’s 9.

Collins, after scoring 19 points on 80% shooting in the 6 games against Toronto, has slumped to just 7 points on 43% in the 4 games of this series.

Maybe the Nets need more Free Agents, not fewer – Carter and Moore both scored 25 points.

Drew Gooden made just 1 of 6 field goals.

Nice to see Eddie House was fit enough to make a stereotypical appearance – hit a long jumpshot, and committed a turnover, in 4 minutes.

Larry Hughes had 2 steals and 2 blocks.

After averaging 11.9 points and 7.7 boards over the regular season, Zyndrunas Ilgauskas has elevated his game in the playoffs – 15.1 points and 10.8 boards.

Marvis Williams played just 3 minutes.

Can you believe that New Jersey had a 10-game home winning streak?

Kidd made just 1 of his 7 threes.

Jersey & Cleveland had 25 combined turnovers.

Memo to Lawrence Frank – if you’re looking like bowing out in game 5 Wednesday, please give Uncle Cliffy a run.

Kidd had an amazing 17 rebounds…

…but was 3 assists and 5 points away from another triple double.

Despite Stoudemire already being on his feet, he still faces possible suspension – along with Boris Diaw – for leaving the bench during the Horry / Nash melee.  You’d think Stu Jackson, after letting Bowen off for his wayward knee in game 3, would treat the Suns leniently, but that’s not always the way the league works.

The Suns outscored San Antonio 16-3 in the final 3:36.

What happened to the Spurs’ league-leading points-allowed defense?  Phoenix have scored 100 or more points in each of their 4 games.

Both teams hit 38 field goals.

The difference, in the end, was free throws – the Suns attempted more than twice as many as the Spurs – 29 to 14.

Parker had 23, Duncan 21.

In Phoenix’s 2 wins, Nash has had 31 assists, and in the 2 losses 19.

Horry had 3 blocks, 5 assists, and 0 points.  You can’t make game-winning threes from the showers.

4 of Phoenix’s starters shot .500 or better from the field, and Raja Bell was 5 of 11.

Brent Barry played perhaps his finest ever playoff game – 12 points and 2 assists in 15 minutes.  But it wasn’t enough.

Kurt Thomas continues to excel in his starting role; 14 points, 5-10 from the floor, 4-4 from the lines, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers.

The Spurs had just 6 offensive rebounds despite missing 42 field goals.

Nash had 8 turnovers.  Duncan 6.

Finley hit 4 of 10 threes.

After starting the first 8 games of the Spurs’ playoff run, Gregg Popovich decided to bring Francisco Elson off the bench, and gave Fabricio Oberto first try against Thomas and Stoudamire.

Bell had a tech foul but no personals.

Bring on game 5.

PS;  Did anyone else find it odd that Nowitzki was named MVP, but 2 other guys gained more First Team voted in the All-NBA Teams that were released over the weekend?  Both Nash and Kobe had more votes, and more total points.  And the last MVP not to win a playoff series was Moses Malone in 1982, so at least there is a precedent.

PPS;  Game 5 Bulls / Pistons 7:00pm Central.