NBA Playoffs 2015: Schedule, Predictions, X-Factors for Monday's Round 2 Games
The top seeds in each conference are having a much tougher go at these conference semifinals than most expected. The second round of the NBA playoffs was supposed to be a mild stepping stone for the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors, but their foes have rallied around injured star point guards to claim 2-1 advantages.
The Washington Wizards and the Memphis Grizzlies are the two peskiest teams left in the postseason, which is exactly the type of opponent you don’t want to see as a top seed. In Game 3, The Wiz got a buzzer-beating jumper from the ageless Paul Pierce, while Memphis once again stifled the Warriors, holding them to just 89 points.
Injuries have left each team in a particularly unique situation. Here is everything you need to know for Monday’s Game 4 matchups, including predictions, scheduling and X-factors who could have a monstrous impact on how the rest of each series plays out.
| Matchup | TV | Time (EST) | Series |
| Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards | TNT | 7 p.m. | WAS 2-1 |
| Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies | TNT | 9:30 p.m. | MEM 2-1 |
Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards (WAS Leads 2-1)
The Wizards mostly dominated Game 3 aside from Atlanta’s bench-fueled 17-0 run in the fourth quarter. Many assumed the absence of John Wall would result in an easy series win for Atlanta, but things have changed following that haymaker to the teeth Saturday.
Bradley Beal and Otto Porter have assumed much of the playmaking ability in Wall's absence, and Ramon Sessions has filled in adequately. All of a sudden, the Wiz look just fine without their star.
Washington was also able to capitalize on Paul Millsap's flu, getting Nene going for 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
There is something missing from this Hawks team right now. They look like a diminished version of their former selves. Sixty-win teams rarely look this out of sorts in the postseason.
Game 4 is not a must-win game for the Hawks, but it's close. Wall probably isn't going to play in this one, per a report from ESPN's Chris Broussard (via Scott Allen of the Washington Post). Because of that, Atlanta absolutely has to go get this game and put its road struggles in the rearview mirror (1-3 in the playoffs so far). Going down 3-1 wouldn't be the end, but the Hawks might need a miracle should it get to that point.
Jeff Teague has been capitalizing on Wall's absence, and Dennis Schroder did too in Game 3. Both must show up, along with Millsap, but Atlanta's performance in Game 4 will come down to the performance of its X-factor. That player is more important to the Hawks than any other X-factor in the playoffs.
Prediction: Atlanta 101, Washington 97
X-Factor: Kyle Korver
Kyle Korver is just 9-of-26 from three so far this series. Atlanta is extremely lucky that DeMarre Carroll is playing the best ball of his life, or this postseason could have ended a long time ago for the Hawks.
The sharpshooter turned the first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets around once he got hot. He connected on nine threes over Games 4 through 6, and Atlanta logged over 107 points in each, a number they've yet to hit in the semifinals.
Not only has Korver failed to light it up like he did all season, but his playmaking has taken a dip. He has just four assists through three contests. The Hawks could use a monster performance from him to keep the title quest on course.
Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies (MEM Leads 2-1)
The Memphis Grizzlies have done the unthinkable over the last two contests. They are completely stifling the 67-win Warriors and forcing the league's best team to play an entirely different style.
Memphis leads this series because it hasn't allowed the Dubs to turn the games into track meets. It held the league's best shooting team to 6-of-26 from long range in Game 2, an unthinkable number for a squad with Klay Thompson and MVP Stephen Curry in the backcourt. Surely, it could never be done again.
Then, Memphis held them to 6-of-26 again in Game 3.
The Warriors haven't been handcuffed like this all season. Game 4 will show exactly what they're made of. They have to come out swinging and prevent this from turning into another grind-it-out affair, because they simply cannot win that way. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are going to eat regardless, but Golden State cannot afford to shoot so horridly again.
The MVP has to start playing like it. He has eight threes and 11 turnovers in this series so far, and he connected on just 4-of-21 with Mike Conley in the lineup.
Draymond Green is another who has to step up. Randolph has been abusing him on both ends. A couple of early jumpers could be all it takes to set him off.
Frankly, the way Memphis is controlling this series is remarkable. It is too hard to bet against them until Golden State proves that it can counter the Grizzlies' attack.
Prediction: Memphis 102, Golden State 99
X-Factor: Mike Conley
This one is pretty obvious.
Memphis is 5-0 when Conley has been in the lineup this postseason. Without him, the Grizzlies are 1-2. He shut down Damian Lillard in the first round, and he is doing the same thing to Curry in the semifinals.
Conley has been called underrated so many times that it is no longer true in any fashion. He is a bona fide stud in the backcourt on both ends of the floor. Surely, he would put up bigger numbers on a different team, but it takes a special point guard to do what he does for Memphis on a nightly basis.
In fact, Conley is so underrated that, according to Diamond Leung of the San Jose Mercury News, the Warriors hadn't even prepared to see him in Game 2.
As long as Conley is getting his teammates going, the Warriors are in trouble. Conley is a difficult man to plan for because his presence alone is a motivating factor for his team. Suiting up with a sprained foot and a broken face has Memphis playing inspired, hard-nosed basketball unlike ever before.
Curry has to come out and drop a big first half on Memphis in Game 4, or the Warriors are in big trouble. If Conley and Tony Allen are once again allowed to control this entire game on the perimeter, there is no way Golden State can get going from deep.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
