NBA Playoffs 2015: TV Schedule, Live Stream Guide and Picks for Monday's Games

Following two full days of NBA postseason play, Monday's slate lessens to two evening games. Neither series produced a climactic Game 1, leaving the underdogs in need of a victory to keep any upset hopes alive.

The Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors both took care of business on Saturday. They'll now return to cement a 2-0 advantage on their home courts, which would place the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans in distinct holes.

Although the NBA rarely hosts first-round upsets, these dangerous lower seeds can at least generate competitive games before going home. Here's a sneak peak of Monday's pair of bouts.

Time (ET)	Away	Home	TV	Pick
8 p.m.	Milwaukee Bucks	Chicago Bulls	TNT	CHI
10:30 p.m.	New Orleans Pelicans	Golen State Warriors	TNT	GS

Live Stream: Watch TNT

Chicago Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Hoops fans clamoring for offense were told to look elsewhere from this series. While the Bulls have established a reputation for playing tenacious defense under Tom Thibodeau, the budding Bucks finished the season fourth in defensive rating.

Chicago, however, was having none of that narrative. During Saturday's Game 1 victory, the Bulls scored 103 points, converting a dozen three-pointers through 32 attempts.

Making his postseason return, Derrick Rose led the way with 23 points and seven assists. Analytic enthusiasts will appreciate his shot selection, as noted by ESPN Stats & Info:

Rose, whose last playoff run ended when he tore his ACL during Game 1 of the opening round three years ago, gave a positive health report to ESPN.com's Nick Friedell after his triumphant return:

"

It felt good. It felt normal. I'm grateful to be playing again, playing with my teammates that I have right now. They're allowing me to play the way that I normally play, and it's an honor, man. I'm really fortunate because I think anywhere else it wouldn't be the same, and they're giving me motivation. They're pushing me, and it feels good.

"

Meanwhile, Milwaukee went 4-of-16 from downtown, and its shooting woes will likely persist on Monday night. The Bulls' 33.5 opposing three-point percentage ranked second behind the Houston Rockets during the season, and the athletic Bucks don't have the perimeter shooting to match.

They'll need much more efficient scoring from Michael Carter-Williams and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who each went 4-of-13 during Game 1. But the offensively challenged club must first stifle Rose and Jimmy Butler, who registered a game-high 25 points on Saturday.

In order to pull off an upset, Milwaukee needs to keep the score below 100 and force Rose into turnovers it can convert into fast-break buckets. With Rose and Butler healthy, the Bulls boast the matchup's superior offense for the first time in a while.

Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans

It may only last four games, so let's enjoy Anthony Davis before the Warriors send his Pelicans home.

With Game 1 seemingly out of hand, he rallied New Orleans to cut the final deficit to seven. During the losing effort, he registered 35 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. NBA.com/Stats noted the significance of the 22-year-old's first postseason foray:

Including two regular-season meetings, Davis is now averaging 31.1 points and 3.3 blocks against the Warriors. His 18-point fourth quarter gave a glimpse of the superstar's ability to single-handedly frighten the Western Conference's No. 1 seed.

Weary of repeating the "scrimmage" fiasco from two weeks ago, Andrew Bogut sung Davis' praises to USA TODAY's Sam Amick. Bogut said:

"

He's going to get his points. We're not going to keep Anthony Davis to zero points or five points. He's going to get his numbers. He's an All-Star. He's one of the best players in the league. ... He's a top five player in this league, up there with LeBron [James] and those guys.

"

Getting more than one point from Tyreke Evans would help New Orleans' chances, but the Pelicans will be hard-pressed to steal more than one victory from the NBA's best squad. That shouldn't stop everyone from appreciating Davis.

The Warriors won despite playing a suboptimal game. Klay Thompson struggled from the floor (6-of-17), and Stephen Curry missed nine of 13 attempts from behind the arc. The bench only offered 12 points, eight from Andre Iguodala.

Having sat out several fourth-quarter blowouts during the season, Golden State's starters are rested, and head coach Steve Kerr will now heavily lean on his top unit. Davis will derail any Round 1 blowouts, so the Warriors will want to eliminate him in short order to avoid early fatigue.

With better shooting from the Splash Brothers, that shouldn't be a problem.