NBA Playoffs 2018: Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Monday’s Bracket Matchups


JJ Redick is coming off a 28-point effort in Game 1 against the Heat.Nell Redmond/Associated Press
Just how good are the Philadelphia 76ers?
After winning their final 16 games of the regular season and overpowering the Miami Heat in the second half of Game 1 of their playoff series, it’s a legitimate question.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers struggling, the Toronto Raptors bringing an ordinary playoff history and the Boston Celtics having to deal with major injuries, the Sixers may just be the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference.
They get another chance to show off their strength, talent and drive when they host the Heat in Game 2 of the series Monday night.
NBA Schedule: Monday, April 16
8 p.m. ET on TNT: No. 6 Miami Heat at No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers; Philadelphia leads series 1-0
10:30 p.m. ET on ABC: No. 7 San Antonio Spurs at No. 2 Golden State Warriors; Golden State leads series 1-0.
NBA Playoff Schedule
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards, Toronto leads series 1-0.
Game 1: Toronto 114, Washington 106
Game 2: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 17 at 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 3: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Game 4: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 22 at 6 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 29 at TBD
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks, Boston leads series 1-0.
Game 1: Boston 113, Milwaukee 107 (OT)
Game 2: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 17 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 22 at 1 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 5: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 28 at TBD on TNT
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Miami Heat, Philadelphia leads series 1-0.
Game 1: Philadelphia 130, Miami 103
Game 2: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 16 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 19 at 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 4: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 28 at TBD on TNT
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers, Indiana leads series 1-0.
Game 1: Indiana 98, Cleveland 90
Game 2: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers: April 18 at 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 20 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers April 29 at TBD
*If necessary
Western Conference
No. 1 Houston Rockets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston leads series 1-0.
Game 1: Houston 104, Minnesota 101
Game 2: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 23 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 29 at TBD
No. 2 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs, Golden State leads series, 1-0.
Game 1: Golden State 113, San Antonio 92
Game 2: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 19 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 4: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 5: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 28 at TBD on TNT
No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers vs. No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans, New Orleans leads series, 1-0.
Game 1: New Orleans 97, Portland 95
Game 2: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 19 at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 4: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 21 at 5 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 28 at TBD on TNT
No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City leads series, 1-0.
Game 1: Oklahoma City 116, Utah 108
Game 2: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 18 at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 21 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 29 at TBD
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
In their Game 1 victory, the 76ers scored 130 points in a playoff game for the first time since 1986.
According to @EliasSports, Ben Simmons’ 14 assists are the 2nd most in NBA history by a player in his playoff debut, trailing Magic Johnson (16 in 1980). https://t.co/JS4EKMiz3M
The Sixers and Heat battled on relatively even terms during the first half of Game 1 with Miami having a four-point lead, but the second half was all Philadelphia. The 76ers outscored the Heat 74-43 in the final 24 minutes and turned the game into a runaway.
JJ Redick had 28 points to lead the Sixers, and they also received a huge contribution off the bench from Marco Belinelli, who made nine of 17 field goal attempts and scored 25 points. Rookie Ben Simmons had a major contribution with 17 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds.
Kelly Olynyk scored 26 points coming off the bench for the Heat, but Miami will need a better performance from its starters if they are going to be more competitive with the Sixers.
Philadelphia is a 6.5-point favorite in the game, according to OddsShark.
The Sixers have gotten encouraging news regarding injured big man Joel Embiid, who has missed the last nine games with a broken orbital bone. He could be back in the lineup later in this series, and he averaged 22.9 points and 11.0 rebounds during the season.
His return will make them that much tougher to beat.
NBA @NBA
Klay Thompson scores 18 of his 27 PTS in the 2nd half and shoots 11 of 13 from the field to propel the @warriors in Game 1! #DubNation https://t.co/nrnDZ4fvzr
The Warriors have been a dominant team in the postseason, with three straight trips to the NBA Finals and two championships.
They were in their usual form in their playoff-opening rout of the Spurs, and they will attempt to dominate their opponents in Game 2 Monday night.
Veteran forward Manu Ginobili explained that the Spurs have to be more focused in their attempt to even the series.
“We’ve got to regroup, feel hurt, upset, kind of desperate,” Ginobili said, per Stats LLC (h/t ESPN.com). “We don’t want to go home 0-2. So we’ll fight as hard as we can in Game 2.”
Golden State turned up the defensive pressure and held San Antonio to 40 percent shooting. Leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge was limited to 14 points as he was pressed hard by JaVale McGee.
The Warriors are playing without injured guard Steph Curry, but Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant easily handled the scoring responsibilities with 27 and 24 points, respectively. McGee added 15 points in addition to fulfilling his defensive responsibilities against Aldridge.
Golden State is favored by 9.5 points in Game 2.
Predictions
It’s difficult to see the Sixers slowing down any time soon. This is a team that is ready to string explosive efforts together as they made significant progress this year and were especially hot at the end of the season.
Philadelphia is a dominant team at home, and the Heat don’t have the offensive firepower to threaten their opponents for 48 minutes. The Sixers win the game by double-digits and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
if the Spurs were playing with Kawhi Leonard—he’s not even sitting on the bench—they would have a much better chance of hanging with the Warriors. He played just nine games this season. The Warriors are a much better team without Curry than the Spurs are without Leonard, and Game 2 will not be close.
Golden State puts the Spurs away by the end of the third quarter and rolls to another victory.
NBA News
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April 16, 2018 at 08:01AM