NBA Playoffs 2015: Live Stream, TV Schedule and Saturday Matchups Guide
Two NBA teams enter Saturday on the cusp of elimination, with another two fighting to avoid a deadly 3-0 hole.
Although the postseason's opening round has produced exciting and competitive games, most series are lopsided in the win-loss column. After escaping with overtime victories on Thursday night, the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors can each cement sweeps. Entering Game 3, the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies can move one step closer to the same result.
Time is running out for the underdogs looking to shock the world. In order to preserve any chance of orchestrating an upset, they'll need to turn the tides on Saturday.
| 3 p.m. | Atlanta Hawks | Brooklyn Nets | ATL 2-0 | TNT |
| 5:30 p.m. | Chicago Bulls | Milwaukee Bucks | CHI 3-0 | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans | GS 3-0 | ESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | Memphis Grizzlies | Portland Trail Blazers | MEM 2-0 | ESPN |
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets
The Hawks took care of business at home, as a No. 1 seed should against a sub-.500 club. Yet the Brooklyn Nets didn't go down easily in either matchup.
Atlanta had to claw its way through two close victories, winning Game 1 by seven points and Game 2 by five. That's hardly the dominance one expects from a 60-win organization rewarded a 38-44 opponent to feast upon.
During the season, the Hawks scored 102.5 points per game and 106.2 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com. They failed, however, to hit 100 in either of the opening two bouts. While the lethargic offense has offered enough to derail Brooklyn, it's discouraging from a title contender.
On the bright side, Paul Millsap looked healthy during Game 2, registering 19 points and seven rebounds through 34 minutes. He even caught fire from behind the arc, an outlier Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy noted:
After letting the Nets hang around at their house, the Hawks must go for the jugular at the Barclays Center.
Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks nearly made this series interesting, but they suffered a disheartening double overtime defeat to push their campaign one step closer to the coffin.
Milwaukee faces its demise because of Derrick Rose's revival. In perhaps his best showing since tearing his ACL three years ago, the former MVP tallied 34 points, eight assists and five rebounds. His postseason stats reflect the superstar of old, only more efficient scoring the rock:
| 37.7 | 24.0 | 47.2 | 45.5 | 92.3 | 8.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
Yet the oft-injured point guard recorded another high number that causes some concern, per ESPN Stats & Info:
How will the 26-year-old's legs respond to the heavy workload? He downplayed the issue to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson:
"It's playoff basketball. I'm still trying to catch a rhythm and just trying to push myself. Sometimes I still get winded. But I'm just playing, no expectations. I'm having fun. And I love competing.
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Although the Bulls hold a tight grip over the series, Saturday's game is one the Bucks can steal. The younger, more athletic squad is better equipped to bounce back from a double overtime thriller, and Rose has only excelled in short stints during his recovery tour.
Western Conference
Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans
Up 20 entering the fourth quarter, only 12 minutes separated the New Orleans Pelicans from a huge upset that would place the Warriors on notice. Before the clock hit zero, Golden State engineered one of the great comebacks in NBA history—third-greatest, to be exact, according to ESPN:
The Warriors scored 39 points in the fourth quarter and another 15 in overtime, rallying to erase any hopes the Pelicans harbored. Stephen Curry entered NBA Jam mode down the stretch, draining several key three-pointers, including a tightly guarded equalizer in the corner.
The team's official Twitter page shared the magical moment that sent the game into overtime:
"You know how big of a deal it is to come back from a deficit like that in the playoffs on the road, in a game we knew was very important for us to really take control of this series," Curry said in an Associated Press report, via ESPN.com. "So I think we should celebrate the accomplishment."
Buried underneath the unbelievable finish, Anthony Davis continued his remarkable postseason debut with 29 points, 15 boards and three blocks. He's now averaging 30 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks during the series.
It's easy to picture a dejected New Orleans accepting its fate and toiling through Game 4, but don't let the momentum narrative offset a competitive slate of games with a seven-point margin of victory.
The Pelicans have fought valiantly against the NBA's gold standard, but Curry and Co. have proved too much to handle.
Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers
At least other teams are losing with grace. The Memphis Grizzlies, however, are demolishing the Portland Trail Blazers.
After dropping a 14-point loss to open the postseason, Portland mustered 82 points during Wednesday's 15-point defeat. Memphis has stifled Damian Lillard, who played the hero during last year's opening-round triumph over the Houston Rockets.
ESPN Stats & Stats monitored the Grizzlies' defensive assignments, noting their success regardless of who has defended the explosive point guard:
Known for their interior muscles, the Grizzlies converted eight of Game 2's 16 three-point attempts. While that deep prowess is likely unsustainable, they can instead relish in Mike Conley and Marc Gasol playing well despite injury concerns.
The first round's most lopsided series is also the most likely to turn. Portland went a mediocre 19-22 on the road but a much better 32-9 at home. Battles between Nos. 4 and 5 seeds are most susceptible to sudden swings, so don't eliminate the Trail Blazers just yet.
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