The 2014 NBA Play-offs are in full motion, and the top eight Eastern Division and top eight Western Division have been narrowed down. Here are four things to know about what’s happening now in the the National Basketball Association’s postseason:
1) Two of the teams competing in the Conference Finals have just been announced.
The finals are upon us, and two of the teams that played in 2013 will be back at it this year. The San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat will face off, bringing back memories for many fans.
2) The Heat barely made it to the Conference Finals.
In their game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Heat won by a mere two points. They trailed by eight points near the end of the game and saved it just in the nick of time. The Spurs, on the other hand, beat the San Antonio Blazers by a substantial margin, and their score came in at 102 to 84. There’s no telling if this is foreshadowing for both teams’ performances during the Conference Finals.
3) The format of the finals has changed.
For the first time in 30 years, the finals will be placed in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Owners voted and approved the format change. The higher seed team will host the first two games, then the other team will host the following two. The final three games will rotate between hosts.
4) Critics are expecting more from the Heat.
Experts say the Heat aren’t performing at their best so far during the postseason tournament. After a narrow win over the Brooklyn Nets, many people are questioning if fans will get to see the Heat going full-force during the finals.
resources: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/5/15/5719116/nba-playoff-scores-results-highlights-heat-spurs