NBA Playoffs 2016: Updated Conference Finals Schedule and Picks Entering Weekend
A weekend full of intriguing sports events only acts as an appetizer to the main course that is the NBA's conference finals, featuring LeBron James, Kevin Durant and many more.
Horse racing, Indy 500 qualifying and more only lead up to the Association's playoff bracket over the weekend, where the Toronto Raptors will look to dig themselves out of a 2-0 hole against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors will look to break a tie.
It's high drama and high stakes, with implications swinging much farther than a title shot with the summer featuring Durant's trip to free agency.
Here's a look at the full playoff bracket with predictions after the jump.
2016 NBA Conference Finals Schedule and Results
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | CLE 115-84 | ||
| Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | CLE 108-89 | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors | Sat, May 21 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors | Mon, May 23 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | Wed, May 25 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors | Fri, May 27 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | Sun, May 29 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| Oklahoma City vs. Golden State | OKC 108-102 | ||
| Oklahoma City vs. Golden State | GS 118-91 | ||
| Golden State vs. Oklahoma City | Sun, May 22 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| Golden State vs. Oklahoma City | Tue, May 24 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| Oklahoma City vs. Golden State | Thu, May 26 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| Golden State vs. Oklahoma City | Sat, May 28 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| Oklahoma City vs. Golden State | Mon, May 30 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
The Picks
Cavaliers Get the Sweep
Toronto has to hope a return home spurs some sort of pulse from the roster.
Kyle Lowry and Co. had nothing of the sort over the first two games of the series in Cleveland, 115-84 and 108-89 blowouts in favor of the Cavaliers.
In the first encounter, DeMar DeRozan posted 18 points but nobody else on the roster went past 12. In the second, DeRozan led all Raptors again with 22 while no other player could surpass 11.
It's why Lowry took to the podium Saturday and stressed the importance of a home stand, according to the Raptors:
""Now that we're home and we make a run, hopefully they feel that pressure." - @Klow7 on the role of their home fans. pic.twitter.com/gaKQ0t1C6X
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 21, 2016"
The biggest advantage the Cavaliers have in any venue against these Raptors comes underneath the basket. It's an odd thing to see crop up after another somewhat odd showing from Kevin Love this year in which he managed just 16 points per game, a downtick in production.
Alas, the Raptors are without center Jonas Valanciunas and it has shown on the glass. In Game 1, Cleveland grabbed 54 rebounds to Toronto's 35. Game 2 was more of the same with Cleveland winning the battle of the boards 59-44.
Take it a step further—Cleveland has scored 50 or more points in the paint both games.
Valanciunas won't be on the court for Game 3, either, according to the team's media relations account:
Were the Raptors healthy it would make sense to suggest pride and desperation would help the team win at least one game in front of their home fans.
This isn't the case, though. And James isn't about to allow his team to suffer a hiccup now, especially not with the Cavaliers needing as much rest as possible to potentially exploit a talented, deep Western Conference foe.
Warriors Outlast Thunder
The first two encounters between the Warriors and Thunder served as the perfect example as to how the entire series will unfold.
Durant and Co. pulled off the unexpected win in Game 1, 108-102, getting 27 points from Russell Westbrook and 26 from Durant himself while shooting 47 percent from deep. Only Durant upheld his end of the bargain in a 118-91 Game 2 loss, though, scoring 29 while Westbrook added 16 and the team shot 30 percent from downtown.
The long ball seems to be the key, as do simple adjustments. Golden State shuffled the lineup in Game 2, getting a big performance from Festus Ezeli underneath the basket with his 12 points.
Defense doesn't hurt, either. Golden State has unleashed Draymond Green to pester anyone and everyone from Durant right on down to players the paint, but especially Durant—who mustered six points in the second half of Game 2.
“They were sending three guys,” Durant said, according to Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post. “I was trying to make the right pass. I was turning the ball over playing the crowd … so maybe I just got to shoot over three people.”
It's a weakness that will eventually gift this series to the Warriors, an exploit Golden State has uncovered at just the right time. Oklahoma City's roster simply doesn't have a shooting guard who can draw attention away from Durant. In Game 2 Golden State ignored the spot and Dion Waiters still shot 3-of-11 from the floor with seven points and Andre Roberson and Randy Foye both scored five points.
This is a chess match of a series so Oklahoma City will try to solve this latest riddle with a counter move. But it's debatable a counter exists and these Warriors only figure to get better the longer the series drags on, with Game 7 taking place at home.
Look for the Warriors to close this one out in Game 7 via in-rhythm shooting and the final necessary counter to advance.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Odds via Odds Shark.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
