NBA Playoffs 2016: Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Monday's Bracket Matchups
Where Sunday's first-round action of the NBA playoffs lacked for surprises, Monday might have even more in store.
Sunday was a ho-hum affair outside of the Detroit Pistons coming within five points of knocking off the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Monday, an already-in-the-hole Toronto Raptors team has to try to stop Paul George's epic tear, and two Western Conference favorites must live up to the hype.
Chippy, down to the wire and the future landscape of the Association hanging in the balance with so many soon-to-be free agents alive, Monday's slate isn't something to miss.
NBA Playoffs 2016 Monday Schedule
| Indiana vs. Toronto (-7) | 7 p.m. | NBATV | Indiana |
| Dallas vs. Oklahoma City (-13.5) | 8 p.m. | TNT | Oklahoma City |
| Houston vs. Golden State (-13) | 10:30 p.m. | TNT | Golden State |
Indiana vs. Toronto (-7)
Las Vegas sure feels confident in a home team already in an 0-1 hole after losing the first game of the series at home.
Indiana thriving against Toronto isn't so shocking, folks. The Raptors are a team seemingly incapable of making it out of the first round, and they simply don't match up well with a guy like George.
George, as in the guy who missed a year of basketball and just dropped 33 points in the first game to go alongside six assists, four rebounds, four steals and two blocks. CBSSports.com's Matt Moore put it best:
Granted, Indiana will have to improve in certain areas to pull off another upset.
While it's great the Pacers held the Raptors to a 4-of-19 mark from deep, they also allowed the home team to hit the charity stripe 38 times, but benefited as Toronto could only convert on 26 of those chances.
One can already get a sense of where this is going, though. Toronto might be the most well-established first-round choke artist in the league and hasn't made it out of the first round since the 2000-01 season. Look for George to feast on the wavering confidence and put this series away early.
Prediction: Pacers 101, Raptors 96
Dallas vs. Oklahoma City (-13.5)
What might be the least popular series of the postseason's first round earned the description in Game 1.
There, Dirk Nowitzki was the only Dallas starter to score in double digits with his 18 points while Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant combined for 47 and cruised to a 108-70 blowout.
"We've just got to show pride," Nowitzki said, according to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. "We obviously got embarrassed tonight."
It doesn't figure to get much better. J.J. Barea and Deron Williams don't sound like they'll be able to give it a go in Game 2, per MacMahon, meaning Westbrook will continue to run roughshod and help convince Durant that Oklahoma City is the best place to be.
Remember the comment in the intro about the future of the league? The summer of Durant is on approach. The Thunder are hungry not just for a title, but to convince Durant the small market is still right for him.
Such motivation showed in the first game. It absolutely will again as the Mavericks hobble into Round 2.
Prediction: Thunder 118, Mavericks 89
Houston vs. Golden State (-13)
This was the one series where maybe, just maybe, the large underdog could pull off a stunner and...
Fine, maybe not. The Houston Rockets were the most disappointing team in the league this year, the marriage between James Harden and Dwight Howard never quite working out, especially after the former missed time before the season with an injury.
But Houston is so talented—on paper—that there was a small semblance of hope the talent could mesh to make this interesting.
Instead, Golden State hit autopilot in the series opener, cruising to a 104-78 shellacking behind 24 points from Stephen Curry. It was so casual, yawn-worthy, in fact, that the biggest hype around the second game is Curry's nagging ankle issue, which he doesn't sound too concerned about, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Slam Magazine):
Honestly, Curry could sit and this one would still get ugly.
Whatever unidentifiable trait that has doomed the Rockets this year will persist. They shot 36 percent from the floor in the first game, 27 percent from deep and hit just 12 of 24 attempts from the line. Oh, and turned the ball over 24 times. And lost the rebounding battle. And committed 28 fouls.
It goes on and on. The Warriors are one of the best teams in basketball, and Houston continues to live up to its backed-into-playoffs status. Curry's going to suit up Monday, but expect him to see limited minutes in the second half. Golden State doesn't need him much for this one.
Prediction: Warriors 109, Rockets 92
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
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