NBA Finals 2018: Championship Series Schedule, TV Info and Predictions
What causes sweaty palms, shaky knees and sensitive nerves in athletes? When there's no tomorrow. It's a reality for all four teams in the conference finals. The winners will solidify their spots in the NBA Finals matchup, and the losers will go home to think about defeat on an extended vacation.
In the Eastern Conference, it's youth versus legacy. Three Boston Celtics players, Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, all younger than 25 lead the scoring charge against Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who's looking to make his eighth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.
If Boston pulls out a Game 7 victory, Brad Stevens' coaching job through the 2017-18 postseason will go down as one of the best in recent memory. Pending a Cavaliers win, we can make the argument James would have led his weakest supporting cast to the NBA Finals.
The Golden State Warriors bounced off the ropes to deliver a knockout blow to the Houston Rockets in Game 6 on Saturday.
The Rockets head back home to Toyota Center, where the Warriors stole Game 1. With or without Chris Paul, James Harden has an opportunity to boost his legacy with a win over a potential dynasty on the rise. For the first time since the 2015-16 NBA Finals, the Warriors will prepare for a Game 7. How does this team perform on the road with the pressure at its highest point?
Take a look ahead at the NBA Finals schedule. The winner of the Warriors and Rockets series will have home-court advantage. Houston finished with the best overall record in the regular season. No. 2 Golden State (58-24) logged a better record than No. 2 Boston (55-27) and No. 4 Cleveland (50-32).
We will also go through final predictions for the conference finals.
TV Schedule for NBA Finals Games
Game 1: BOS/CLE at HOU/GS: Thursday, May 31 9 p.m. on ABC
Game 2: BOS/CLE at HOU/GS: Sunday, June 3 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
Game 3: HOU/GS at BOS/CLE: Wednesday, June 6 at 9 p.m. on ABC
Game 4: HOU/GS at BOS/CLE: Friday, June 8 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 5: BOS/CLE at HOU/GS: Monday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 6: HOU/GS at BOS/CLE: Thursday, June 14 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 7: BOS/CLE at HOU/GS: Sunday, June 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
*Indicates if necessary; schedule courtesy of NBA.com.
Game 7 Predictions
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland prepares for this contest without Kevin Love, but ESPN Stats & Info took a dive into the analytics to suggest his absence is not a huge blow to the Cavaliers' overall production:
Nonetheless, it would have been beneficial to have Love, who's participated in a high-stakes Game 7 on the biggest stage. James will likely come close to playing all 48 minutes, as he did in Game 6, but someone other than George Hill has to show signs of life in this series. Keep an eye on J.R. Smith, who's struggled through six games, shooting a paltry 24 percent from the field.
Brown and Tatum have led the way for Boston in the conference finals. They have averaged a combined 37.6 points per game through six contests. Rozier lists third on the team in scoring with 15.2 per contest, but he doesn't get enough credit for his efficiency with the ball. The third-year guard averages six assists and just one turnover against the Cavaliers in this series.
Looking at the young trio's consistency, center Al Horford could solidify this team's spot in the NBA Finals as a contributor in points, rebounds, interior defense and a veteran who can tone down the outside pressure of a Game 7.
Expect the young Celtics to play tight for a quarter before loosening up under the bright lights. Tristan Thompson, Smith and James have been in big games with this team. Hill has extensive experience in pivotal matchups.
Boston has the better overall player rotation, but the Cavaliers' savvy veteran players, along with James playing at his best, deal the Celtics their first home playoff loss en route to a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance.
Prediction: Cavaliers 98, Celtics 95
No. 1 Houston Rockets vs. No. 2 Golden State Warriors
Warriors fans saw the defending champions fight back with their season on the line and throttle a Rockets squad that walked into Oracle Arena with confidence. Though short-lived, Houston has a small sample of what they can do to compete without Paul.
The ability to move the ball around and allow multiple shooters an opportunity to score early comes naturally with Paul on the court, but Harden has been the do-it-all star player for five years before general manager Daryl Morey acquired another perennial All-Star for the backcourt last summer.
Paul's potential absence will test Harden's ability to score and distribute at a high and efficient level for 48 minutes. The help would come from his teammates knocking down open shots and center Clint Capela cleaning up the boards and creating second-chance opportunities.
Golden State's dynamic backcourt duo, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, dominated the Rockets in Game 6 like the pre-Kevin Durant days. They combined for 64 points and shot a sizzling 14-of-28 from three-point territory. When factoring in the 2016-17 Finals MVP, the Rockets have a steep hill to climb—even at home.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says his team will move forward assuming forward Andre Iguodala won't play Monday:
Golden State won its first game of the series without Iguodala in the lineup. The defending champions will miss his defensive effort if he's unable to take the court, but they are not short on highly efficient scorers.
Even if Paul returns to action, his hamstring injury could render him a liability on the defensive end. The Warriors found their confidence in Game 6, and they will ride it to the NBA Finals.
Prediction: Warriors 107, Rockets 100
