NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: Last-Minute Odds & Predictions for Saturday's Games

The 2012 NBA Playoffs kickoff on Saturday. Four games will be played on Saturday. These must be examined, analyzed and predicted before the action commences. 

Here is how these games stack up.

*Odds according to Bovada

Philadelphia (+9) v. Chicago 

The Bulls will begin their sweep of the Sixers on Saturday. Chicago will win this game, cover the spread and move on to Game 2 with a victory in their pocket. 

Chicago's depth and defense neutralize Philadelphia's greatest assets.

The Sixers rely on their bench scoring to earn them an advantage against teams but the Bulls will match their production with the likes of C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson. 

Derrick Rose is not in game shape yet, but it will not take him long. This is a perfect tuneup for the Bulls' star point guard. 

Even so, this Bulls team is used to winning without Rose leading the way. Their defense will overwhelm this young Sixer team and stifle any chance at a Philadelphia victory.

Chicago is destined for a run to at least the Eastern Conference Finals, and Philadelphia is not going to stand in their way.

New York (+8.5) v. Miami

The Miami Heat will overwhelm the Knicks on both ends of the floor. The Heat are hungry for an NBA title and this Knicks team stands no chance.

New York does not play the defense necessary to slow down this electric Miami attack. Tyson Chandler's interior presence won't do much to disrupt Miami's lethal perimeter, and Carmelo Anthony hasn't shown over any extended period that he can hang defensively with the top perimeter players in the league. 

The Heat play defense, plain and simple. They buy into the team concept and have the athleticism to overwhelm unfocused opponents. 

The Knicks got hot down the stretch and finally started playing to their potential, but the Heat are a freight train whose track ends at the finals. 

Miami wins this one by double digits. 

Orlando (+9) v. Indiana

The Magic would have their hands full with Dwight Howard on the court. Without him, the Magic will get rolled in Game 1—and every subsequent game. 

Indiana is an extremely underrated squad with experience being their only major weakness. They play tremendous team defense and have several players capable of scoring. 

Orlando is going to rely on Ryan Anderson to lead the charge, and while Anderson has had an excellent 2012 campaign, he is not ready to lead this team in the postseason. 

The Pacer defense will exploit Howard's absence. The Magic will have an extremely difficult time scoring and Roy Hibbert will have a field day without Howard patrolling the paint. 

Indiana is underrated but not for long. They will win this game, sweep the series and turn some heads along the way. 

Dallas (+7.5) v. Oklahoma City

The Mavericks may be the defending NBA champions but they do not have a prayer against the Thunder, arguably the NBA's most talented squad.

Oklahoma City's readiness going forward is questionable but they will not have any problem against the aging Mavericks. The Thunder's firepower will overwhelm Dallas defensively because of a major disparity in athleticism.

Critics question Russell Westbrook's ability to lead this team down the stretch, and though his maturity has come a long way, Westbrook still has a habit of playing me-first basketball. 

Oklahoma City is still extremely young, but undeniably talented, and though their youth will hurt them against the likes of San Antonio, it will not hamper them in this series. 

Oklahoma City wins this game and takes care of this first-round series rather quickly.