The 2013 NBA Playoffs will be on a brief hiatus. We know, it's disappointing. The action has been so good in the second round that it almost hurts to be without basketball for more than 24 hours. However, rest up and sleep regular human hours Thursday evening, because the action returns on Friday.
It will be the same four teams that enchanted us Wednesday evening: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors. Here are the times and where to watch as the NBA playoffs resume with Game 3's.
Heat vs. Bulls
In case you missed Wednesday's game, this series really took a turn for the worse. No, just kidding, it got more interesting as over 50 fouls were handed out, nine techs, a flagrant and two ejections highlighted the evening as the frustrated Bulls lost their cool after trailing by as many as 46 points in Game 2. Joakim Noah said it best, there was nothing "zen" about the Bulls on Wednesday evening. Noah was tossed, Taj Gibson immediately followed.
Instead of the physical Bulls making the Heat feel uncomfortable, the Heat poured it on in the second half. Things got so bad, the referees got under the Bulls skin and that's when Ray Allen completed a six-point play. Noah got a tech, which was his second of the game followed by back-to-back techs on Gibson. These three free throws were added to Allen's free throw as he was simply trying to complete a three-point play.
It was that kind of night for the Heat on Wednesday. They cruised to a 115-78 victory over the Bulls, tying the series and stealing the momentum. Now the Heat travels to Chicago where they will play in the hostile United Center, Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
Spurs vs. Warriors
The Spurs messed up and they messed up badly. If any Spurs says that they're glad Stephen Curry didn't beat them, then they are lying because Klay Thompson obliterated them with 34 points in Game 2. Suddenly, Game 1 doesn't look like it was a one-time thing where the Warriors controlled the tempo and the scoreboard.The Warriors might not be the clear favorite yet because everybody figures Gregg Popovich will adjust, but Mark Jackson and Golden State would be a very confident bunch if they are up 3-1 by the time they return to play Game 5 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Between Curry and Thompson, they scored 56 of the Warriors' 100 points. It's interesting to point out that Thompson fouled out of Game 1, which immediately resulted in the Warriors offense going into disarray. How would the series be now had Thompson stayed in the game?
Game 3 will be at the ORACLE Arena Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET. Parents, don't put your kids to bed, let them stay up and enjoy this one.
