NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: TV Coverage, Live Stream Info for Tuesday Matchups

Tuesday night is set to be a key evening in the NBA playoffs as one team fights to stave off elimination and two others look to take a key victory in Game 5 of the postseason's most even series to this point. 

Let's break down the schedule, viewing information and preview all the action. 

Schedule

Time (ET)	Matchup	Watch
8 p.m.	Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks	TNT
10:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs	TNT

The games can be streamed at TNTDrama.com.

Preview

It's going to be tough for the Dallas Mavericks to get back into this series. The Houston Rockets have arguably the two best players in James Harden and Dwight Howard, two more home games and only need to win one more game to close things out. 

But the Mavericks were impressive in Game 4, in large part because Monta Ellis went off for 31 points. If they are going to get back into this series, Ellis has to continue to attack and put up points. He seems to know as much, as he told Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com:

"

We have to continue to stick with the game plan to attack, attack, attack. 

If we get into the paint, we make a lot of great things happen. It's more beneficial to us. It gets us going. It gets a lot of guys involved because the other team has to suck in and we have so many guys who can make plays, shoot 3s and drive the basketball. That's what we want to do.

"

Indeed, attacking before Houston sets its defense will be a key. That, in turn, means the Mavericks will need to ratchet up their own defensive pressure and try to play in transition whenever possible. It's tough to outscore the Rockets, sure, but at this point, the Mavs don't have much else of a choice except to outgun their opponents. 

I'm not so sure they are up to the task. I see the Rockets ending this series tonight. 

And then there is the crucial Game 5 between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs. For the Spurs, winning tonight would give them a chance to end things at home in Game 6. For the Clippers, winning tonight would guarantee them a return trip to L.A. for Game 7 even if they lost in San Antonio. 

It might take a pretty epic performance from Blake Griffin for the Clippers to take the crucial 3-2 lead. In Game 4, he went for 20 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists, almost single-handedly willing the Clippers to victory. The Clippers will also need Chris Paul to avoid foul trouble and continue to attack the basket, while DeAndre Jordan must have a bigger impact than he did in Game 4. 

It's so hard to bet against the Spurs, though. Kawhi Leonard is a star, the Spurs have so much experience in these key postseason games and they have excellent depth. I believe the Spurs will win this series, so my inclination is to assume that they will win this game, too. 

Expect a battle. Expect the Spurs to win it.