NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: TV, Live Stream Coverage for Wednesday's Semis
Raise your hand if you hate injuries.
OK, thanks. That’s enough, every basketball fan in the world.
With our feet barely wet in Round 2 of the 2014-15 NBA playoffs, health issues have become a prominent storyline. From Chris Paul to John Wall to Mike Conley to Kevin Love, some of the league’s most irreplaceable players have been banged up.
Their teams’ respective results without them have been mostly negative with a few bright spots, but something has become clear: In order to win the title this year, health will be huge.
How to Watch
| Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 p.m. | TNT | 1-0 CHI |
| Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets | 9:30 p.m. | TNT | 1-0 LAC |
Live streams for Wednesday’s second-round contests on TNT can be found here.
The PG/PF Predicament
The Los Angeles Clippers somehow overcame the absence of superstar point guard Chris Paul on Monday night and took a 1-0 lead in the conference semifinals over the Houston Rockets.
CP3 tweaked his hamstring in Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs, and while he was able to tough out an Isiah Thomas-like performance that night, Clippers coach Doc Rivers shut him down for Game 1 against Houston.
Even though Paul, if it were up to him, probably would’ve played, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times:
Blake Griffin exploded for his third triple-double of the playoffs and helped carry the Clips to a shocking Game 1 victory. Rivers even gave a few Rockets fans an earful before the final horn.
But can L.A. survive again sans CP?
Probably not. Houston played lazy and clearly underestimated its opponent. Simone Eli of KPRC 2 (NBC) gave us an idea of Kevin McHale's displeasure following Monday's embarrassing loss at home:
In Game 2, the coach is likely to have his guys ready to go.
During the postgame show, Charles Barkley and the TNT crew all agreed that Rivers would be wise to sit Paul again in Game 2. Worst-case scenario, the Clippers head back to L.A. after splitting the first two games on the road—so, basically, they’re playing with house money.
It’d be better to lose the game than Paul for the season.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle relayed quotes from the head coach that indicate CP3 isn’t all that likely to suit up in Game 2:
If only the Cleveland Cavaliers had that type of luxury.
Without Love, who is sidelined for the rest of the postseason, and J.R. Smith, whose suspension will last through Game 2, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had limited room to move in the paint, which was cluttered by the Chicago Bulls' big men in Game 1.
James kept leaving his feet and couldn’t find an outlet for the ball, which resulted in six costly turnovers. Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick got LBJ’s take on his blunders:
Why was Chicago so effective inside? Without the threat of Love (or even Smith) on the three-point line, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah were perfectly content to set up camp by the rim.
James and Irving will need to show up in a big way the rest of the series if the Cavaliers are to overcome the absence of their star power forward.
It won’t be easy, but they can at least find some inspiration in the Clippers.
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