NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: Picks and Predictions for Wednesday's Games

The 2012 NBA playoffs have been nothing short of incredible. That will continue tonight with two more epic matchups between fierce rivals playing for the rights to advance to the Conference Finals.

Let’s take a closer look at each game and pick some winners.

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers – Game 3, 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT

After just two contests, this series has the feel that it will be going all seven games.

Both teams are capable of rallying late and blowing big leads down the stretch. It makes for unpredictable and exciting games for fans and excruciating ones for the coaches.

Since Boston lost their home court advantage in Game 2, look for them to come out motivated and try to steal one in Philly.

Paul Pierce had one of his poorest playoff games, going for just seven points and turning the ball over five times. The C’s were also looking small on the glass, getting just 36 total rebounds compared to 47 by the Sixers.

If Kevin Garnett can play big in the middle, PP can get some buckets and Rondo continues to be excellent, this will be an easy win for the Celts.

Prediction: Boston 89 – Philadelphia 82

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder – Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Los Angeles looked flat out awful in Game 1 of this series, but has had two days to sit around and think about their performance.

If anyone is getting motivated to show up to Game 2 on the Lakers, it’s Kobe Bryant. Black Mamba had a respectable 20 points, but his team was down double digits before he even had a chance to impose his will on the game.

Expect him to man up and take the toughest defensive assignment in this contest and do everything to will his team to a victory.

Everyone knew Russell Westbrook was going to be impossible to stop, and in Game 1 he looked every bit of it. He had 27 points on 10-15 shooting with 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Look for Kobe to mark him for most of this game in an attempt to shut his production down.

However, with Metta World Peace still playing like a lunatic and Kevin Durant dialed in, there is no way that OKC lies down and loses a critical Game 2 at home.

Prediction: Thunder 99 – Lakers 95