NBA Playoffs 2016: Saturday TV Schedule, Odds and Bracket Predictions
While Sunday will feature two Game 7 clashes in the first round and the start of a second-round series, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will have the spotlight all to themselves Saturday.
Despite the fact that the first round is ongoing, OKC and San Antonio are tasked with kicking off the second round with what promises to be an entertaining series between two of the most talented teams in the NBA.
The Spurs are favored to advance to the Western Conference Finals, but a team boasting the combination of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can't be disregarded.
Ahead of Saturday night's Game 1 tilt, here is everything you need to know about when and where to watch, as well as predictions for how the contest will play out.
Saturday Schedule
| Saturday, April 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Western Conference Semifinals Game 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | San Antonio Spurs | TNT | SA (-6.5) |
Bracket Predictions
| 1 | Eastern | Charlotte Hornets | Miami Heat | Heat in 7 |
| 1 | Eastern | Indiana Pacers | Toronto Raptors | Pacers in 7 |
| 2 | Western | Oklahoma City Thunder | San Antonio Spurs | Spurs in 7 |
| 2 | Western | Portland Trail Blazers | Golden State Warriors | Warriors in 6 |
| 2 | Eastern | Indiana Pacers (projected) | Cleveland Cavaliers | Cavaliers in 5 |
| 2 | Eastern | Atlanta Hawks | Miami Heat (projected) | Hawks in 7 |
Thunder Player to Watch: Serge Ibaka
While all eyes are usually on Durant and Westbrook when it comes to the Thunder, the biggest key to OKC's success in Game 1 and in the series overall may reside on the front line.
Big man Serge Ibaka enjoyed a strong first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and a team-high 1.4 blocks per game. He'll have his work cut out for him in the second round, though, as he will clash with the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan in the paint.
Based on the Congo native's recent history against the Spurs, he figures to be up to the task.
According to Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman, the Thunder were a much better team than the Spurs in their head-to-head meetings this season when Ibaka was on the floor:
Oklahoma City's core group of players has dealt with injury woes quite often in recent years, but when Ibaka, Durant and Westbrook are all healthy, the Spurs don't enjoy much success against the Thunder, per NBA.com's John Schuhmann:
"OKC has won 12 of last 18 games vs. SAS (including playoffs) that Durant, Westbrook & Ibaka have all played, going back to '12 conf. finals.
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) April 26, 2016"
Ibaka is a key player on both ends of the floor. His presence opens things up for his teammates offensively and deters the opposition from attempting to attack the rim.
The battle between Ibaka and Aldridge could very well be the one that defines the series, especially if Ibaka is able to hold the perennial All-Star in check.
Durant and Westbrook will get the accolades, but Ibaka has to be at his best in order for OKC to win Game 1 and the series as a whole.
Spurs Player to Watch: Danny Green
The Spurs are a team laden with big names such as Aldridge, Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but the unheralded Danny Green could be among San Antonio's biggest difference-makers in Game 1.
Green's production was modest in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies with just 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, which was somewhat representative of what he did during the regular season with just 7.2 points per game on a mere 37.6 percent shooting.
He also shot just 33.2 percent from three-point range after connecting at a rate of 41.5 percent or better for four straight seasons.
One area in which Green has excelled, though, is as a perimeter defender. Leonard is arguably the best in the game in that regard, which will come in handy against the dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook.
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News is of the belief that Green's success against the Thunder defensively puts the Spurs in the driver's seat for the series:
In addition to that, Green has the right attitude entering the series, as he made it clear that he doesn't intend to allow the Thunder to get in his head, unlike the Mavericks in the first round, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News:
Green's defense will be of the utmost importance in the series, as will his ability to knock down shots from long range.
Although the trifecta has betrayed him this season, he shot 48.2 percent and 47.5 percent from downtown in the Spurs' runs to the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The Thunder are going to put up some points regardless of how strong San Antonio's defense is, but if Green can find his touch from beyond the arc and become a playoff weapon like he has been for much of his career, then the Spurs figure to have the upper hand.
Game 1 Prediction
While the Spurs won 12 more games than the Thunder during the regular season, the stats suggest that the teams are quite evenly matched.
As seen in this graphic courtesy of NBA TV, they split their regular-season series at 2-2 with each team winning twice on their own home floor:
The latter stat is important for Game 1 and the series as a whole due to how dominant the Spurs were at the AT&T Center during the regular season.
San Antonio went a ridiculous 40-1 at home and won both of its home games in the first round against the Grizzlies as well.
OKC went just 23-18 on the road during the regular season, and the numbers suggest that nowhere is tougher to play than San Antonio.
The Thunder performed better against the Spurs than any team other than the Golden State Warriors, however, and the triumvirate of Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka will undoubtedly cause some issues for a Spurs team that was never tested in the first round.
While Game 1 figures to be a close one, and the Thunder will find a way to cover the 6.5-point spread, San Antonio's dominance at home and abundance of big-game experience will lead it to victory and a 1-0 series lead.
Predicted Score: Spurs 101, Thunder 98
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