NBA Playoffs 2017: Game Times, TV Schedule and Predictions for Sunday Matchups
On Saturday, the 2016-17 NBA playoffs started off with a tight contest between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. The defending champions prevailed, but the No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks upset the No. 3 Toronto Raptors in the following game.
The No. 1 seeds from both conferences will take the court on Sunday. Most people would like to see how well the Boston Celtics perform as the top team in the East. Others will key into the Golden State Warriors’ style of playoff basketball with forward Kevin Durant in the mix.
Sunday’s finale will feature MVP candidates Russell Westbrook and James Harden trading shots in Houston.
What’s the expected outcome of each game? Which key matchups should we look out for in these matchups?
| Matchup | Time | TV | Prediction |
| Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards | 1:00 p.m | TNT | Wizards |
| Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors | 3:30 p.m | ABC | Warriors |
| Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics | 6:30 p.m | TNT | Bulls |
| Oklahoma City at Houston Rockets | 9:00 p.m | TNT | Rockets |
Blazers Don’t Have Bigs to Expose Warriors
The Portland Trail Blazers have decided not to discuss whether center Jusuf Nurkic will play in Game 1 or not, likely for competitive advantage. Guard Damian Lillard offered, “no comment,” when asked about the 7-footer who’s been out since the end of March with a fibular fracture, per the Oregonian’s Mike Richman:
In an interview during practice, Warriors forward Draymond Green acknowledged that Nurkic’s presence changes the series:
The Blazers acquired Nurkic at the trade deadline, and he averaged a double-double (15 points and 11 rebounds) with 2.1 blocks per contest through March. As a presence in the paint, the Warriors would need a body on him to account for his rebounding on the defensive glass.
Without Nurkic in action, Golden State would comfortably play its small-ball lineup. Unfortunately for Portland, former Warriors center, Festus Ezeli hasn’t been able to play this season due to season-ending knee surgery.
The Blazers need size to have any chance of pulling off a first-round upset. A weak frontcourt fails to expose the Warriors’ lack of interior toughness and inside depth.
Veteran Experience vs. Novice No. 1 Seed
The Chicago Bulls have the overwhelming edge in playoff experience over the Boston Celtics. Guards Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo played intricate roles on championship teams. Swingman Jimmy Butler rose to stardom under former head coach Tom Thibodeau on a playoff-contending team.
Under head coach Brad Stevens, the Boston Celtics have lost consecutive first-round series matchups. The team’s newest key addition, forward Al Horford brings postseason experience from his days with the Atlanta Hawks, but he’s only played in the conference finals once.
Chicago played through a season with dissension and disaster, but scraped together enough wins to edge the Miami Heat for the No. 8 seed. The Bulls' veteran group will either implode against a well-coached Celtics team or their experience will even the playing field.
| Team | 3-Point Field Goals Made Per Game | Rank |
| Boston Celtics | 12 | 3 |
| Chicago Bulls | 7.6 | 28 |
The three-point shooting disparity between the two teams should decide the series. Boston ranked third with 12 three-pointers per game during the regular season. Chicago listed near the bottom of the league in three-point field goals averaging just 7.6 per game. With forward Doug McDermott playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, forward Nikola Mirotic will have to shoulder the load as the team’s top sharpshooter.
Russell Westbrook vs. James Harden
The hardcore basketball fan sees an intriguing Houston Rockets vs. Thunder matchup. Even the casual spectator heard about the battle for MVP between Harden and Westbrook. Both players will show their best during this series.
Triple-doubles don’t equal victories, so accusations about padding stats go out of the window. This series will boil down to the Thunder’s supporting cast pitching in to help Westbrook pull off an upset.
| Team | Points Per Game |
| Golden State Warriors | 115.9 |
| Houston Rockets | 115.3 |
| Denver Nuggets | 111.7 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 110.3 |
| Washington Wizards | 109.2 |
Throughout the season, we’ve focused on the Warriors and watched in awe of their juggernaut offense. In reality, the Rockets (115.3 points per game) nearly matched the Warriors' league-leading 115.9 points per contest. Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni unlocked this team’s offensive firepower.
The Rockets roster features several three-point shooters aside from Harden, in Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza, Ryan Anderson and Lou Williams. Unless Westbrook drops 50 points per game with efficient shooting percentages in the series, the Thunder don't have the scoring to keep up with D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense nor the defense to slow down their opponents.
Stats provided by NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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