With a turbulent first round now in the books, the NBA Conference Semifinals are underway. Last night, the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers got off to strong starts as they picked up wins in their respective match-ups.
From Indiana, the Pacers looked nothing like the team that dominated the Eastern Conference throughout the year, falling 96-102 to Washington. The Wizards were able to harness the momentum from their 4-1 series win over Chicago and pick up their first second round win since 1982. You read that correctly: it's been over 30 years since a Washington team enjoyed this sort of success in the postseason. Leading the way for the Wiz was Bradley Beal with 25 points, while Trevor Ariza added 22 and shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the three point arc. Will Indiana be able to recover from this home loss and find a way to contain Washington's versatile offense? Catch Game 2 on Wednesday at 7PM to find out.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers rallied to a huge 122-105 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been struggling throughout the playoffs. With both teams coming into Monday night's came after Game 7 wins on Saturday, the Clippers managed to dominate throughout, outscoring OKC in every quarter but the fourth. Chris Paul was an absolute force for the Clippers, shooting 8-for-9 for three and dropping 32 points and 10 dimes in the huge W.
Postseason sneakers can change just as quickly as a team's momentum, so be sure to hit the jump to catch up on last night's best.
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
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Trevor Ariza Makes it Rain in the Nike Zoom HyperRev
Shoe: Nike Zoom HyperRev
Player: Trevor Ariza
Game: Washington vs. Indiana
Key Stat: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6-6 3P
$120
Troy Tulowitzki Blasts 2 Homers, 4 RBI in the Huarache Pro
Shoe: Nike Air Huarache Pro Mid
Player: Troy Tulowitzki
Game: Colorado vs. Texas
Key Stat: 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI
$140
Jamal Crawford Helps LAC in BrandBlack Signature Model
Shoe: BrandBlack J Crossover
Player: Jamal Crawford
Game: LAC vs. OKC
Key Stat: 17 points
Unavailable
Bradley Beal Leads Wizards to Milestone Playoff Win
Shoe: Nike Zoom HyperRev
Player: Bradley Beal
Game: Washington vs. Indiana
Key Stat: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals
$120
Chris Paul Sticks With the Standard CP3.VII in Win Over OKC
Shoe: Jordan CP3.VII
Player: Chris Paul
Game: LAC vs. OKC
Key Stat: 32 points, 10 assists
$125
David West Has Strong Night Despite Indiana Loss
Shoe: adidas adipure Crazyquick
Player: David West
Game: Washington vs. Indiana
Key Stat: 15 points, 12 rebounds
John Wall Struggles in the Crazyquick 2, Wiz Still Win
Shoe: adidas adipure Crazyquick 2
Player: John Wall
Game: Washington vs. Indiana
Key Stat: 13 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds
Marcin Gortat Holds Down the Paint in the Hyperdunk 2013
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2013
Player: Marcin Gortat
Game: Washington vs. Indiana
Key Stat: 12 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks
$90
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
RELATED: The Shoes That Won Last Night: Spurs Take 3-2 Lead
RELATED: The Shoes That Won Last Night: OKC Advances to Conference Semis
