NBA Playoffs 2015: Postseason Live Stream Info, TV Schedule and Odds
They’re here—at long last, the conference finals have arrived. You can almost feel it in the air.
None of the remaining teams have been much of a surprise. The Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers were the East’s top two teams in the regular season, and the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets were the best in the West.
LeBron James is really the only name with big-time championship experience. James Harden was a part of the Oklahoma City Thunder team that fell to LBJ’s Miami Heat in the 2012 Finals, but he’s steering his own ship now.
Who will write the next chapter in NBA history? Will it be baby-faced, fan-favorite MVP Steph Curry and the Dubs? Could ATL’s team-oriented approach win out against the biggest superstar in sports?
Odds Shark believes one of those things to be true. Let’s take a look at the rest of the championship odds as well as a viewing guide.
Odds
| Golden State Warriors | 4/7 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 13/5 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 9/1 |
| Houston Rockets | 10/1 |
How to Watch
| Game 1 | Cavaliers at Hawks | May 20 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 2 | Cavaliers at Hawks | May 22 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 3 | Hawks at Cavaliers | May 24 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 4 | Hawks at Cavaliers | May 26 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 5 (if needed) | Cavaliers at Hawks | May 28 | TBD | TNT |
| Game 6 (if needed) | Hawks at Cavaliers | May 30 | TBD | TNT |
| Game 7 (if needed) | Cavaliers at Hawks | June 1 | TBD | TNT |
| Game 1 | Rockets at Warriors | May 19 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 2 | Rockets at Warriors | May 21 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 3 | Warriors at Rockets | May 23 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 4 | Warriors at Rockets | May 25 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game 5 (if needed) | Rockets at Warriors | May 27 | TBD | ESPN |
| Game 6 (if needed) | Warriors at Rockets | May 29 | TBD | ESPN |
| Game 7 (if needed) | Rockets at Warriors | May 31 | TBD | ESPN |
Which Rockets Team Will Show Up?
The Rockets have been a team of extremes throughout these playoffs. They either run their opponent out of the gym or get stomped on in emphatic fashion.
Houston was so much better than the Dallas Mavericks in Round 1, so that series only lasted five games. But against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Rockets lost Games 3 and 4 by a combined total of 58 points.
LAC, of course, went up 3-1 and appeared to be cruising to the franchise’s first ever conference finals appearance. The Rockets blew the doors off the disinterested Clips in Game 5 but appeared to be dead as Game 6's third quarter came to a close.
Somehow, with the MVP runner-up on the bench, Houston destroyed the Clippers in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 40-15. Corey Brewer and Josh Smith both totaled more points than L.A. in the final period.
In Game 7, the Rockets came out with more fire and more firepower than the Clippers and smacked them around for much of the afternoon. Houston made history on its home floor, as relayed by InsideHoops.com:
So, now that the dust has settled, here’s the real question: Which Rockets team will show up against Golden State?
There is a strong chance that the Warriors could break out the brooms and sweep this thing up in four games if it’s the sluggish Rockets. Coach Kevin McHale will have to get super creative in how he handles defending Curry and Klay Thompson.
Because despite his penchant for poaching inbound passes, Pablo Prigioni just won’t cut it.
Harden will have to be spectacular, as his play usually sets the tone for the rest of his team. But as evidenced in Game 6, his supporting cast carried the load while he dealt with the flu, per ESPN’s Calvin Watkins:
Still, it was Harden who scored or assisted on 12 of his team’s first 14 points in Game 7. He’ll have to play like an MVP against the Dubs for his squad to even stand a chance.
That’s the other narrative here—it’s the MVP versus the No. 2 vote-getter. Harden needs to turn his second-place finish into a source of motivation against Curry and Golden State.
“It's tough,” Harden said after the winner was announced on May 4, per CSN Bay Area. “But it's the second round of the playoffs, I got more, better things to worry about and that's the Clippers...It didn't work out...I heard it and that was it. It was nothing.”
CSN also noted that Harden “did not congratulate Curry for taking home the hardware.” And why would he? The Beard had Curry beat in points, rebounds, offensive and defensive win shares and did so on a less talented team.
Harden told NBA.com’s Fran Blinebury what he thought about his chances on April 9:
“I feel as though I am the MVP,” Harden said bluntly and accurately. “I think the MVP is the most valuable player to your team. Obviously you have to be winning and be one of the top teams in this league and we are.”
That’s the attitude he needs to have. Harden must go into this series with his eyes set on not only outplaying his rival, but dethroning Curry's team.
Golden State is deeper and better than the Rockets. Harden proving that he’s the Most Valuable Player in the league is probably Houston’s only hope.
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