NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: Wednesday TV Coverage and Game 5 Picks
With a number of NBA first-round playoff series coming to a close, Wednesday's NBA slate features a pair of games that will have huge implications on Round 2.
Perhaps the two most surprising series in these playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies host the Portland Trail Blazers at 9:30 p.m. ET after the Brooklyn Nets travel to face the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. ET.
The Blazers' backs are against the wall, trailing three games to one in the series as a four seed. They'll face elimination on the road at the FedEx Forum—a building they haven't won in since Jan. 4, 2013.
The Nets, with their 38-44 regular-season record, have shockingly tied their series with the Hawks at two games a piece after Monday's Game 4 victory at home. The pressure now turns on Atlanta, who went 60-22 this season, to win at home and avoid facing elimination at the Barclays Center in Game 6.
| 7 p.m. ET | Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks | Tied 2-2 | TNT |
| 9:30 p.m. ET | Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies | MEM leads 3-1 | TNT |
Nets vs. Hawks
The Nets, who entered this postseason with the same record as last year's eighth-seeded Atlanta team did at 38-44, have already won more games than many expected them to against this year's first-place rendition of the Hawks. Wednesday, this Hawks team is surely hoping that Brooklyn doesn't follow in its footsteps from a season ago when it challenged the top-seeded Indiana Pacers in a near-upset—a series that went seven games.
Atlanta's path to the Eastern Conference Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers seemed smooth entering the postseason. But after Brooklyn hung around, despite losing, in Games 1 and 2, the two single-digit losses have seemingly propelled the team to take both of its home contests—the latter in overtime, a product of Deron Williams' best performance in years.
Williams beat Atlanta at its own game on Monday, draining seven threes on 11 attempts, totaling 35 points to go along with seven assists. Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll sank four three-pointers each for the Hawks, but Korver needed 13 attempts to get there.
The Hawks have only shot 33 percent from beyond the arc this postseason after finishing second in the league over the regular season with a 38 percent clip. They're coming off their best three-point shooting game of the playoffs in Game 4, though, when they landed 39.4 percent of their heaves from long distance.
When discussing the Nets' postseason success, SB Nation's Mike Prada wrote about why the Hawks' balanced approach isn't working as well as they'd hoped:
"This series illustrates how the Hawks are only the Hawks when all of the links are strongest. The Nets are shutting off Korver, which in turn forces Teague to do too much, which is especially difficult because Horford and Millsap are not themselves. The four All-Stars thrived because of their symbiotic relationship, but that also means they're only as good as the weakest link in the chain. Without DeMarre Carroll, the forgotten fifth starter that's having the series of his life, Atlanta would be losing this series.
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Paul Millsap and Al Horford are both shooting under 43 percent, and Kyle Korver is 12-of-36 from beyond the arc. Jeff Teague is out of his element at a 28 percent usage, according to Basketball-Reference.com—up from 25.3 in the regular season.
The Hawks will be at home, but against the defensive-minded Lionel Hollins, the Nets have proved that they're able to cut off what Atlanta does well. It will likely come down to the wire again, but when we're talking about a player who made 49.2 percent of his three-pointers in the regular season, it's only a matter of time until Korver begins to knock down tough shots and, in turn, opening the Hawks offense right back up.
Pick: Atlanta
Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies
It was expected to be an interesting contrast of playing styles, but not many predicted the Grizzlies to jump out to a three-game lead in the series. The Trail Blazers took Game 4, avoiding the sweep at home, winning 99-92. But the 3-0 series deficit is one that no team in NBA history has ever come back from.
The Grizzlies will presumably be missing Mike Conley, who underwent surgery for facial fractures on Monday and has no timetable for a return.
Memphis sorely missed its starting point guard in Game 4, when Beno Udrih and Nick Calathes shared the duties, combining for 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting and six assists in 24 minutes each.
More than anything, it was Damian Lillard who was responsible for the positive Portland outcome. The 24-year-old dropped 32 points to go along with seven assists. Conley is one of the better defenders at his position, and without him, Lillard was able to roam free. He shot 52 percent after averaging just 35 percent shooting in Games 1 through 3.
It was a timely breakout performance from Lillard, as LaMarcus Aldridge shot just 6-of-22.
The Blazers seem to have an opportunity here with Conley out of the lineup, freeing Lillard for more opportunities. C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard also came up big in Game 4, and if all these Portland stars align simultaneously, we may still have an interesting series on our hands at the Grind House.
Pick: Portland
