Win game five, win the series? #NBAPLAYOFFS

Both conference finals are tied up 2-2 between the Heat vs Celtics and Spurs vs Thunder. So how BIG is game five? I say its HUGE! If the road teams (Celtics and Thunder) where to win on the road in game five it would set them up to take the series in game six at home. If either one of them loses game five then there only other chance to steal one on the road would be in game seven, and I don't think either of them want that.

If the home teams (Heat and Spurs) take care of business in game five and protect there house then it would relieve a lot of pressure off of them putting them back in the drivers seat again. All they would have to do after that is just win one of the next two games and take the series.

This is why game five is so important to all four teams, its the last real turning point in the series.

For the Celtics they will need their bench to play as well as they have played the last two outings. They don't need Rondo to go off like he did in game two, but they need some triple doubles out of him down the stretch. Pierce will need to stay in games and stop fouling out, and Allen ankles will have to hold up down the final run.

Keys for the Heat will be getting Bosh back in to game form, He's supposed to be coming back for game five but will there be any rust and will be at 100%? Wade will have to be more consistent, there have been long portions of the game where he's been non existing. James seems to be carrying this team, but when he goes to the line it hasn't been pretty. Chalmers has played well in the thus far and will need to keep it up.

Thunder's keys will be to play some defence on the road, the last game in San Antonio the Spurs hung 120 on them. There a young team who hasn't been in lot of these situations before unlike the Spurs so down the stretch they will need to keep there heads in the game. Being the younger team though will give them some energy help in a game six or seven (there less likely to run out of gas)

Spurs won 20 games in a row before losing the last two to the Thunder, so there's no question they no how to get it done. That's going to be there key factor leaning on there experience, they have been here many times before. I think they will need to be able to extend there defence out a little bit from last game the Thunders bigs where left all long time after time from about 15' feet out.

Right now it's to hard to call a winner in any of these games, but which ever teams win game five I think will hold a very strong advantage and history will back me up on that.

-Patrick Pierce

Follow me on Twitter @Patrickp13