NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: Dates, TV Info for Remainder of Conference Semifinals
The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers have breezed through the playoffs, with a combined 16-0 record through two series.
While it seems we're on track for an NBA Finals rematch, it's too early to overlook the other two matchups.
The San Antonio Spurs outlasted the Houston Rockets, 110-107, in overtime on Tuesday night to capture a 3-2 lead. It was a battle that featured 14 lead changes and a throwback performance by Manu Ginobili.
Pounding the Rock's Quixem Ramirez summed up the 39-year-old's night:
On Wednesday, the Washington Wizards visit the Boston Celtics looking to take a lead in the race to face the Cavs. That series is locked at 2-2.
You can find schedules for both of semifinals series below.
Schedule
| Western Conference | ||||
| Game 6 | SAS @ HOU | Thursday, 5/11 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Game 7 (if necessary) | HOU @ SAS | Sunday, 5/14 | TBD | ABC |
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| Game 5 | WAS @ BOS | Wednesday, 5/10 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Game 6 | BOS @ WAS | Friday, 5/12 | 8 p.m ET | ESPN |
| Game 7 (if necessary) | WAS @ BOS | Monday, 5/15 | TBD | TNT |
X-Factors
Western Conference: LaMarcus Aldridge
The Western Conference semis have not been kind to LaMarcus Aldridge.
After an absolutely disastrous four-point performance in Game 1's gruesome loss to Houston, Aldridge bounced back with 20.5 points, 7.5 boards and 3.0 blocks in Game 2 and Game 3, both Spurs victories.
He held his own in Game 4's 21-point loss, but LMA's early effort on Tuesday night drew criticism from media members like CBS Sports' Matt Moore and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News:
"They keep feeding Aldridge guarded by a small, but he’s just always going to go to that short-range turnaround, a low eff shot
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 10, 2017"
Mike D'Antonio loves going small, which forces big men like Aldridge to cover James Harden. That has not gone well:
Things didn't improve on Tuesday night:
In Game 5, Houston switched almost every screen, leaving Aldridge continually posted up against a guard, mostly Eric Gordon or Harden. One of his first assertive moves came under the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter to cut Houston's lead to 94-93.
Minutes later, though, with a chance to take the lead, LMA passed up what appeared to be an open layup for Patty Mills in the corner. He missed.
HOOP Mag's Josh Eberley passed along Twitter's reaction to Aldridge (Warning: NSFW language):
Aldridge finished with 18 points on 7-of-21 shooting to go along with 14 boards. Numberswise, that's respectable.
But in order to close out the series, Aldridge will have to play stronger down low to make D'Antoni pay for defending him with guards.
Eastern Conference: Markieff Morris
John Wall is the star, but Markieff Morris is the engine that makes the Wizards go.
His absence in Game 1 highlighted just how valuable the hard-nosed forward is. After turning an ankle, Morris had to watch the Boston Celtics rebound from a 20-3 first-quarter deficit to win 123-111.
In Game 2, Morris returned with a vengeance—so much so that Twitter erupted with conspiracies about his twin brother, Marcus, who plays for the Detroit Pistons, suiting up in his place:
Washington lost Game 2 despite a 16-point effort from Morris but defended its home court and captured Game 3 and Game 4.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Morris had a combined plus-48 net rating in those two victories.
"We're the better team, and we feel like we're the better team," he said this week, per Ben Standig of NBC Washington.
Standig also passed along an jarring stat about Morris' impact:
If Washington is going to steal one at TD Garden, Wall will need to continue piling up gaudy scoring and distributing numbers. But, perhaps more than most fans realize, the Wizards will also lean heavily on Morris, one of their best players on both ends.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
