NBA Playoffs 2016: Updated Championship Odds, Bracket Picture and Predictions

At long last, the 2016 NBA Playoffs are underway. The first round is usually viewed as dull and uneventful, but this year's opening act has provided us with plenty of intrigue. 

Steph Curry missed the second and third games against the Houston Rockets, and the Rockets were able to steal a win in his absence. But as Marc Stein of ESPN reports, Curry should be ready to go for Sunday's Game 4.

There's also been some excitement in the East, where the seventh-seeded Indiana Pacers are all knotted up with the second-seeded Toronto Raptors at two games apiece. The Pacers thrashed the Raptors in Game 4 at home, taking a 100-83 victory. The Pacers held the Raptors to just 36.5 percent shooting in that game. 

But one of the most pleasant surprises has been the Charlotte Hornets. Yes, the Hornets are down in the series 2-1 to the Miami Heat, but that one win was the franchise's first playoff win in 14 years. As ESPN Stats and Info notes, the Hornets were trotting out some names you haven't heard in a while the last time they won a playoff game.

Here's a look at the updated playoff bracket, courtesy of NBA.com.

Curry being hobbled by a bum ankle hasn't changed the minds of oddsmakers much. The Dubs are still the runaway favorite to win the title. Here's a look at the title odds for a few of the teams. You can find the full list at Odds Shark.

Team	Title Odds
Golden State Warriors	-135
San Antonio Spurs	+325
Cleveland Cavaliers	+375
Oklahoma City Thunder	+1400
Los Angeles Clippers	+1800

Clearly those who set the odds expect Curry to return to form sooner rather than later. The Warriors are certainly the smart play, but keep your eye on the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, they have two players who are capable of being the best on the floor on any given night. If they put it all together and go on a tear, those +1400 odds could end up paying off.

We could be in for a few interesting second-round series if everything continues the way it's going. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks seem destined to meet in the second round, and that would surely make for a gritty series.

There is no love lost between these two teams. They were the Eastern Conference finalists just last year. You can bet that Al Horford and Kyle Korver haven't forgotten Matthew Dellavedova's aggressive play that led to a Korver injury and a Horford ejection in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Joe Noga of Cleveland.com can get you up to speed on that if you're out of the loop.

And out West, we could potentially be in store for another round of Clippers-Warriors and Spurs-Thunder. It seems like the Spurs and Thunder meet in the playoffs every year, and it is always competitive. With Durant set to hit free agency after this season, you can bet the Thunder will try to make as deep a run as possible to give him as many reasons as they can to stay.

You probably already know about the rivalry between the Clippers and Warriors. Well, as Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN notes, it's not much of a rivalry since Golden State has dominated the recent matchups between the two teams.

Either way, these two teams do not like each other. The matchup itself makes the series interesting, but watching Curry and Chris Paul go at it would make each game appointment television. Paul is one of the most aggressive and physical defenders at the position, and he would surely make Curry earn every bucket he gets. Curry's health will be something to monitor closely should that series come to pass.

Speaking of which, let's get to a few predictions for the rest of the first round, shall we? With Curry back, there's no way we are going against the Dubs. The Spurs and Thunder are also in control of their respective series, and we don't expect that to change.

The only one that could go either way out West is the Clippers and Blazers series. The Blazers are on the board after a win Saturday night, and that could be all they need to flip the momentum of the series. However, look for Paul to find a way to lead his team to a couple more wins with some help inside from Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. There's no question they want another crack at the Warriors.

In the East, the Cavs may let the Pistons get one, but there's no way that series goes more than six games. We'll also take the Hawks and Heat to pull away. The Celtics and Hornets just aren't ready yet. The Raptors-Pacers series is interesting, though. The Pacers looked dominant in their Game 4 win. If they continue to play defense like that, they can shock the Raptors and move on to the second round. Having a two-way stud like Paul George also helps, as he can take a game over any time he wants. Give us the Pacers in seven games.