#1 NBA Postseason Surprise Thus Far

To this point of the NBA postseason there have been many surprises. The number one team in the West, San Antonio, is on the brink of elimination, the reigning champion Lakers are being pushed by a depleted Hornets team, Brandon Roy has already given us one of the most unbelievable comebacks in postseason history, and the Hawks are exacting revenge on a Magic team that embarrassed them in the playoffs last year.

Though each and every one of these are surprising, to say the least, none of them have the surprise factor that the Indiana Pacers have brought to the 2011 playoffs.

At 37-45 during the regular season Indiana was considered one of the worst teams to EVER make it into the NBA playoffs, and many said that it was an embarrassment that the Pacers were in the playoffs. In the Western Conference the Houston Rockets missed the playoffs despite a 43-39 record, six games better than Frank Vogel's squad.

No one really thought too hard about the Pacers making any noise in the playoffs because they were facing the Chicago Bulls who boasted the league's second best record during the regular season, the likely MVP Derrick Rose, and a great supporting cast including Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and former all-star Carlos Boozer. Whereas the Pacer's starting line-up has a combine years experience in the league of 10, and had just one player, Danny Granger, average over 13.2 points per game during the season.

Granger will have to be huge if Indiana is to pull off
the improbable upset of Chicago
Courtesy of CJ Isherwood

Fast forward a week and a half and you will find that this "David and Goliath" match up has been surprisingly even. The Bulls hold a 3-1 series lead with home court advantage, but won the first three games by a total of just 15 points, and in game four Rose injured his ankle.

The Pacers have consistently been the more aggressive, and physical team throughout the series. This lead to former Bull great Scottie Pippen calling out Chicago's team.

"The Bulls have taken too many hard fouls in this series thus far, and have yet to give one. Being one of the No. 1 defensive teams in the league, at some point you have to make a stand and I think that’s what the Bulls have to do," Pippen said  on “The Sports Reporters” on ESPN 1000 on Saturday morning.

After the game four win Indiana appears to be even more confident they can upend the East's top seed. Coach Vogel even feels confident enough in his team to make a bold prediction that, if correct, could make the Pacers the biggest surprise in NBA history.

"We feel like if we win tonight, we'll win this series," Vogel told reporters after the Tuesday morning shoot around. 

Three Reasons the Portland Blazers Will Win Game 5

1. Brandon Roy is back!
 Roy went wild on the Mavs in the fourth quarter of game 4 scoring 18 of his 24 points in the quarter and lifting the Blazers to a huge comeback. Dallas held a 23 point lead at one point during the second half but was unable to find an answer for Roy and the raucous crowd in the final quarter. If Roy puts another performance like this on the board then Portland will be heading home for game 6 with a 3-2 series lead.

2. History repeats itself
In the 2006 NBA finals the Dallas Mavericks took a 2-0 series lead over Shaquille O'Neal, Dwayne Wade, and the Miami Heat. The Heat ended up winning the series 4-2 and breaking the backs, and hearts, of the Mavs and their fans. The Mavs headed to Portland with a 2-0 series lead and is now headed back to Dallas with the series tied 2-2. Not only that but having blown a 23 point lead with 13 minutes left in game 4 the Mav's morale cannot be high.

3. Kidd's magic is gone
Jason Kidd averaged a mere eight points per game during the regular season while shooting just 36 percent from the field. However in the first two games of the series Kidd averaged 21 points per game and shot 16-25 from the field. As the series shifted to the Great Northwest Kidd's numbers dropped to 8.5 points per game and shot 6-15 from the field. If Kidd puts up average numbers rather than eye-popping numbers the Blazers will take the game.

Roy will be huge in Game 5 for the Blazers to take the series lead.
Courtesy of The Oregonian