NBA Playoff Bracket 2018: Game Times, TV Schedule and Odds for NBA Finals
After a few blowout finishes, the conference finals come down to dueling Game 7 matchups. Players on all four teams will leave blood, sweat and tears on the court for a ticket to the NBA Finals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics defended home court in their series, but it's safe to say the pressure of Game 7 evens the playing field when the visiting team has a significant edge in postseason experience.
However, a well-coached Celtics club with savvy veteran Al Horford may have enough to hold off the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions.
The Golden State Warriors saw their 2017-18 season flash before their eyes in the first half of Game 6 but bounced back with a strong finish against the Houston Rockets.
What are the odds that we see the defending champions fall in defeat at Toyota Center on Monday? Finally, check out the tipoff times for the last two conference finals games to catch the action.
Odds to Advance to 2017-18 NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors: -150
Houston Rockets: +1,000
Cleveland Cavaliers: +500
Boston Celtics: +1,000
Odds according to OddsShark.
2018 NBA Conference Finals TV Schedule
Game 7: Cleveland at Boston: Sunday, May 27 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 7: Golden State at Houston: Monday, May 28 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT
Boston Celtics
Boston fell to 1-7 on the road during the postseason in a 109-99 loss at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday. Fortunately for the Celtics, the series shifts back to TD Garden, where they're undefeated at 10-0.
The narratives about a Celtics team too young, inexperienced and undermanned to reach the NBA Finals faded with strong home performances against the defending Eastern Conference champions. Now, this group must focus on doing what it has done through April and May: defend its court.
The Celtics' young wing players, Jayson Tatum (20) and Jaylen Brown (21), have been high-end consistent contributors in the conference finals, averaging 16.8 and 20.8 points per contest, respectively. Both are shooting at least 47 percent from the field.
Boston needs Horford to rejoin the playoff action after disappearing in Game 6 on the offensive end with just six points. More importantly, he must stay active in the paint on both ends of the court. The Celtics have lost the battle on the boards in four out of six outings against Cleveland. In a game that could turn into a defensive battle, extra possessions could tilt the balance in favor of either team.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland kept the series alive without Kevin Love on the court, and Jeff Green filled the void. The box score doesn't showcase his contributions as a help-out defender and knock-down shooter in key moments.
The team confirmed Love will miss Game 7. He's experiencing concussion-like symptoms after banging heads with Tatum early in the previous contest. Similar to Game 6, the Cavaliers need contributions from those who have been dormant during the series.
Green elevated his play. Forward Larry Nance Jr. went 5-of-5 from the floor for 10 points and showed great effort on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds. For the most part, George Hill has been found his way after a nondescript first round of the postseason. Streaky sharpshooter J.R. Smith has to shake off his dreadful 24 percent shooting from the field to add some firepower in the starting lineup.
And then there's LeBron James, who's the great equalizer in this matchup, averaging 33.3 points in 40 minutes per game for the series. He's putting together a memorable postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info:
After scoring 46 points in 46 minutes in Game 6, he may need to somehow top that performance in Game 7 on the road against a team yet to lose on their floor.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets came out firing in Game 6 and posed a legitimate threat to the Warriors' season, but their hot hands cooled off and the turnovers piled up in the second half. On the bright side, Houston didn't play uninspired without Chris Paul, who sat out with a hamstring injury.
Nonetheless, it's clear the Rockets need Paul to close out big games. Despite James Harden's impressive performance, logging 32 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, he faded down the stretch. With the exception of guards Gerald Green and Eric Gordon, the group struggled with knocking down three-pointers as the momentum shifted in Golden State's favor.
The Rockets also missed their floor general as a distributor, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Whether Paul plays or not, Houston should look to move the ball as they did in the first quarter of Game 6. Second, it's important to take advantage of trips to the free-throw line. The Rockets converted 9-of-17 from the charity stripe Saturday.
The push for an NBA Finals appearance will start with Harden. He can put up 40 points, but the six-time All-Star must involve his teammates. If P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza and Gordon find their shooting strokes early, it will help this squad sustain its firepower through four quarters.
Golden State Warriors
Despite falling behind 3-2 in the series and enduring a rough start in Game 6, the Warriors remain the safe bet to advance to the NBA Finals.
Through 16 minutes of play Saturday, Golden State looked out of sorts, especially forward Kevin Durant, but the Warriors locked in for another strong third-quarter performance. The defending champions outscored Houston 64-25 in the second half. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Splash Brothers inflicted most of the damage:
For the Warriors, it's a positive sign to see Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson find their shooting rhythms after both experienced struggles in the series. Durant disappeared in the fourth quarter of Game 5 and started slowly in the previous outing. Head coach Steve Kerr has to keep the nine-time All-Star's confidence high, similar to what he did for Curry a few games ago.
However, it's fair to expect Durant will bounce back with the Warriors season on the line. The 2016-17 Finals MVP isn't a stranger to pressure, and there's help in the backcourt.
It remains unclear whether forward Andre Iguodala suits up for Game 7, but Golden State misses his defensive presence. It's part of the reason for inserting him in the Hamptons Five starting lineup for the postseason. He's missed the past three contests with a bone bruise in his left knee. Without the 14th-year veteran, the Warriors must put forth extra effort in running the Rockets off the three-point line.
