Post by Miege22 on Mar 23, 2015 20:31:45 GMT -5
They weren't supposed to be here. Not yet, anyway. After finishing last year 0-16, the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks expected to slowly make their way back to relevance. Many around the league thought they had the talent to get into the playoffs and possibly make some noise, but the finals? Well, that would would just have to wait. However, with the defending champion Brooklyn Nets struggling with injuries, the Bull Sharks could smell blood in the water. Behind the dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Bull Sharks held off the Nets to get back to the finals for the first time since 2012.
Their opponent, the Las Vegas Gamblers, will be making their first finals appearance in franchise history. After reaching the playoffs each of the last two years, injuries and the Kansas City Kings derailed any finals plans for the Gamblers. This year, with the Kings out of the picture and fully healthy, Las Vegas came in as the clear favorite to come out of the West. When the Houston Rockets knocked off three-time defending conference champion Utah, the West was guaranteed a first-time finals representative. After a knockdown, drag out fight for a week and a half, the Gamblers finally pulled away and left no doubt as to who was the best team in the Western Conference. The Gamblers look poised to win their first championship, but they'll have to get through the upstart Bull Sharks to do so.
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How They Got Here
Las Vegas is the #1 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 14-2. They were first in the Pacific Division. They defeated Oklahoma City in the first round, 6-3, and Houston in the conference finals, 5-4.
Tampa Bay is the #3 seed from the East. They finished 10-6 and won the Southeast Division. The Bull Sharks defeated the Celtics 6-3 in the first round and knocked off Brooklyn in the conference finals, 4-4-1.
Regular Season Meeting
These two faced off in week 14 (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), a 7-2 victory for the Gamblers
Key Injuries
Las Vegas - Gordon Hayward (collarbone)
Tampa Bay - LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb), Omer Asik (calf)
A Slow, Steady Climb
It's been a long, rewarding journey for this Gamblers team. Many of the key players on this team have been around for almost half a decade. Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, JJ Redick, Eric Bledsoe, and Gordon Hayward, the core of this team, have all been around for at least four years. In fact, it was a random December night in 2011 that may changed the fortunes of this franchise for good. The Gamblers traded Luis Scola, Nick Young, and a future pick for Gordon Hayward and the rights to Kyrie Irving. In hindsight, it was a remarkably lopsided trade (with Houston, ironically), and one that set the stage for Vegas' run this season. Kyrie Irving is playing the best ball of his career, and Gordon Hayward is finally the all-around statsheet filler some thought he could be. With Eric Bledsoe playing at an all-world level, the Gamblers are finally reaping the rewards of patient building.
Rooks Carry More than the Bags in Tampa Bay
It's common for rookies to go through some light hazing when they get into the league. Carry the veterans' bags, wear silly backpacks, carry around dolls, it's all in good fun, but it is done to make sure the young guys know they can't get too big for their britches. It often takes young guys a few years to find their footing in the league and help championship caliber teams. That hasn't been the case in Tampa Bay. The Bull Sharks' trio of rookies, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Adreian Payne have all seen their minutes fluctuate throughout the season. But here, on the biggest stage in basketball, they are all contributing, significantly, to Tampa's finals run. Payne opened the conference finals with a double-double. Wiggins scored in double figures every time out. And LaVine finished the series with some of his finest all-around efforts of the season. The Bull Sharks may be riding the backs of Westbrook and Aldridge, but the young guns are most certainly pulling their weight.
Their opponent, the Las Vegas Gamblers, will be making their first finals appearance in franchise history. After reaching the playoffs each of the last two years, injuries and the Kansas City Kings derailed any finals plans for the Gamblers. This year, with the Kings out of the picture and fully healthy, Las Vegas came in as the clear favorite to come out of the West. When the Houston Rockets knocked off three-time defending conference champion Utah, the West was guaranteed a first-time finals representative. After a knockdown, drag out fight for a week and a half, the Gamblers finally pulled away and left no doubt as to who was the best team in the Western Conference. The Gamblers look poised to win their first championship, but they'll have to get through the upstart Bull Sharks to do so.
CUE THE NBA ON NBC THEME MUSIC!
How They Got Here
Las Vegas is the #1 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 14-2. They were first in the Pacific Division. They defeated Oklahoma City in the first round, 6-3, and Houston in the conference finals, 5-4.
Tampa Bay is the #3 seed from the East. They finished 10-6 and won the Southeast Division. The Bull Sharks defeated the Celtics 6-3 in the first round and knocked off Brooklyn in the conference finals, 4-4-1.
Regular Season Meeting
These two faced off in week 14 (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), a 7-2 victory for the Gamblers
Key Injuries
Las Vegas - Gordon Hayward (collarbone)
Tampa Bay - LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb), Omer Asik (calf)
A Slow, Steady Climb
It's been a long, rewarding journey for this Gamblers team. Many of the key players on this team have been around for almost half a decade. Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, JJ Redick, Eric Bledsoe, and Gordon Hayward, the core of this team, have all been around for at least four years. In fact, it was a random December night in 2011 that may changed the fortunes of this franchise for good. The Gamblers traded Luis Scola, Nick Young, and a future pick for Gordon Hayward and the rights to Kyrie Irving. In hindsight, it was a remarkably lopsided trade (with Houston, ironically), and one that set the stage for Vegas' run this season. Kyrie Irving is playing the best ball of his career, and Gordon Hayward is finally the all-around statsheet filler some thought he could be. With Eric Bledsoe playing at an all-world level, the Gamblers are finally reaping the rewards of patient building.
Rooks Carry More than the Bags in Tampa Bay
It's common for rookies to go through some light hazing when they get into the league. Carry the veterans' bags, wear silly backpacks, carry around dolls, it's all in good fun, but it is done to make sure the young guys know they can't get too big for their britches. It often takes young guys a few years to find their footing in the league and help championship caliber teams. That hasn't been the case in Tampa Bay. The Bull Sharks' trio of rookies, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Adreian Payne have all seen their minutes fluctuate throughout the season. But here, on the biggest stage in basketball, they are all contributing, significantly, to Tampa's finals run. Payne opened the conference finals with a double-double. Wiggins scored in double figures every time out. And LaVine finished the series with some of his finest all-around efforts of the season. The Bull Sharks may be riding the backs of Westbrook and Aldridge, but the young guns are most certainly pulling their weight.