NBA Playoff Bracket 2018: Latest Conference Semis Schedule, Odds and Picks

The second round of the 2018 NBA playoffs is in full swing, and teams have stepped up their intensity to win their respective semifinal series for places in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers stole a game on the road against the Toronto Raptors, the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, the Golden State Warriors went up 2-0 on the New Orleans Pelicans behind a resurgent Stephen Curry and the Utah Jazz pulled off a shocker, evening up their series 1-1 on the Houston Rockets' home court.

It's still early in the second round, but these playoff teams' identities are increasingly coming into focus, which means informed predictions can be made.

Here we will dive into the playoff bracket, examine key matchups and reveal the latest championship odds, according to OddsShark.

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NBA Playoffs: Semifinal Round Standings and Predictions

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors | Record: CLE 1-0 | Prediction: TOR 4-3

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers | Record: BOS 1-0 | Prediction: PHI 4-2

Western Conference

Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans | Record: GS 2-0 | Prediction: GS 4-1

Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz | Record: Tied 1-1 | Prediction: HOU 4-2

Championship Odds

Golden State Warriors -125
Houston Rockets +200
Cleveland Cavaliers +900
Philadelphia 76ers +1,000
Toronto Raptors +1,600
Boston Celtics +5,000
Utah Jazz +6,000
New Orleans Pelicans +15,000

          

Latest Buzz

Steph Gonna Steph

With Curry's history coming off an injury in the playoffs, no one knew what to expect when he made his return to action in Game 2.

His inspired performance answered any questions people might have had about his rustiness.

Fans in Oracle Arena knew their two-time MVP was back when he entered the game at the 4:20 mark in the first quarter, ran through two picks to get free on the wing and drained his first attempt, a three-pointer.

From that point on, it was apparent that Curry, plus the raucous home crowd, would propel the Warriors to victory.

He finished with 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench.

With Curry seemingly back to form, it looks like the champs are again the team to beat.

           

Who Is Terry Rozier?

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe was dismissive of breakout Boston Celtics star Terry Rozier in the teams' first-round series, claiming he didn't know who he was, even though the latter was scoring on the former at will.

Now everyone knows who Rozier is.

The third-year pro out of Louisville is playing otherworldly for a Boston team that many counted out when stars Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving went down with season-ending injuries.

Many expected the next player up would be Jaylen Brown, who has been solid this season, averaging 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in the regular season and 17.9 points per outing in the postseason.

But it's been Rozier who has been the heir apparent.

He's gone from averaging 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest in the regular season to 19 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the playoffs.

Rozier went off for 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Celtics' 117-101 Game 1 win over the favored Philadelphia 76ers.

His output is surprising to everyone except head coach Brad Stevens, who called on Rozier before the start of the postseason.

"He had his confidence in me and said I was just as good as anybody," Rozier told Andrew Mahoney of the Boston Globe. "So that's what I had in the back of my mind anyway. My confidence is sky-high. So I wasn't really scared of the moment. I was ready to get it started."

From the looks of it, neither the Bucks nor the Sixers were ready for Rozier to get started.

               

Rookie Redux

Someone forgot to remind the Utah Jazz forward Donovan Mitchell he's still a rookie.

Never mind the fact he ran roughshod over the league in his freshman campaign, averaging 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game during the regular season.

He's taken his play up another notch, posting 27.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and three assists per contest during the postseason.

And it's not just what he does; it's how he does it.

And even when things aren't going his way, he's mentally tough enough to impose his will on the game in other ways.

In Utah's surprising 116-108 Game 2 win over Houston, Mitchell racked up 11 dimes, setting a new team rookie record for assists in a postseason game, surpassing the 10 John Stockton dished out in 1985, per NBA.com/Stats.

The guy they call The Spida is special, so head coach Quin Snyder never stops challenging him.

"I've learned not to be content with him, to demand more and more from him," Snyder told Royce Young of ESPN.com. "Because that's what he wants."

If he continues to play like this, the Rockets are in for a long series.