A whole different ballgame: NBA 2K18 playoff simulation log

Conference Finals:

Cavaliers 4-Sixers 2:

What a remarkable story. The Sixers host the Eastern Conference Finals in their first playoff appearance since the start of The Process. LeBron nearly averaged a triple-double as the Cavs edged the precocious Sixers in another close series. Philly laid the smackdown on Cleveland in Game 1, erupting for 132 points against the often hapless Cavs defense. The teams went on to split the first four games of the series, with some big games from LeBron on the Cleveland side as Joel Embiid and Robert Covington carried the Sixers.

The Cavs and Sixers then delivered two classics in Games 5 and 6. Cleveland pulled out an overtime thriller away in Game 5, eeking by the Sixers 104-100.  Jeff Green led the team in scoring off the bench with 20 points… yup, Jeff freaking Green! LeBron also recorded his second triple double of the series. Game 6 also seemed poised for overtime, as the teams were  knotted up at 114 in the dying embers of the game. In a bizarre last 45 seconds, Embiid committed a turnover in the post, Jeff Green subsequently got swatted at the rim by Saric, and then Markelle Fultz threw a terrible pass to give Cleveland the ball with 15 seconds left.

With a trip to the NBA Finals hanging in the balance, LeBron came up huge on the game’s last possession. He crossed up Robert Covington, and then nailed a mid-range jumper at the buzzer to send Cleveland to a fourth straight Finals after another roller coaster ride of a season. That makes eight straight Finals appearances for the King.

Rockets 4-Warriors 2:

Given all the playoff demons of Harden, Paul and D’Antoni, a 39-point home loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was a disconcerting way to kick off the series to say the least. Matters only worsened in Game 2 as Harden completely fell apart, going 3 of 16 from the field while Steph went for a playoff career high 46 points. The Warriors took that game 119-88.

Yet, in a display of toughness and perseverance nobody thought possible from a D’Antoni team, the Rockets came back from the dead.  Weathering a firestorm of 3-pointers from Steph, who stayed hot all series, the Rockets beat the Warriors four straight times. The only game that was particularly close was Game 5 in Houston, in which the Rockets jumped out to a big lead in the 3rd quarter and Golden State staged a frantic comeback in the fourth that fell just short. Houston triumphed 118-114 despite another bad shooting night from James Harden. Gerald Green was the spark plug that Houston needed however, stepping up and catching fire off the bench. He contributed 18 points in 17 minutes. contributing 15+ points in each of the last three games of the series.

The Rockets closed out the defending champs in Oracle Arena, winning 120-109, behind monstrous games from James Harden and Eric Gordon. Harden dropped 30/7/8 and  Gordon poured in 21 points in 26 mins. Curry went for 39, but it just wasn’t enough. Draymond Green fell off a cliff in this series, shooting 32% and only once cracking double digits in scoring. Klay Thompson faded after a strong showing in the first three games. And the Warriors bench was a total disaster with the exception of gulp… JaVale McGee.

After one of the most dominant four year runs in league history, the Warriors have taken home two titles in four years. You can’t help but feel like that’s a bit of a disappointment. Queue the “Warriors blew a 2-0 lead” memes.