NBA Playoffs 2019: Wednesday's Game Times, TV, Live-Stream Coverage and Picks
Elimination basketball has arrived in the second round of the 2019 NBA playoffs.
Wednesday marks the first time one conference semifinalist, the Milwaukee Bucks, can punch its ticket to the conference finals and another, the Boston Celtics, could be sent packing.
What's even more incredible about the two-game slate is that the win-or-get-lost contest might be the night's appetizer. Judging by what we've seen from the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors so far—a 2-2 split with a scoring differential of a single point—no one will want to miss the nightcap.
After compiling the scheduling particulars, we'll dive into each matchup and predict their outcomes.
Wednesday NBA Playoff Schedule
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks, 8 p.m. ET on TNT (Live Stream: Watch TNT)
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT (Live Stream: Watch TNT)
Celtics at Bucks
It's getting harder to remember this, but the Celtics not only drew first blood in this series, they did so by way of a resounding 22-point victory on the Bucks' home floor.
Very little has gone Boston's way since, but if it wants a reason to feel good about its chances in Game 5, there aren't many better ones than knowing you've already won inside that building before.
That's perhaps part of the reason why Kyrie Irving labels his confidence in his club as "unwavering," despite a three-game funk from himself and his teammates. During Boston's three consecutive losses that turned a 1-0 lead into a 3-1 deficit, his offense has flatlined (30.6 percent shooting, 20 percent from three) and so has the team's (40.1 and 32.1).
Compounding matters, when this team's attack has suffered, so has its resistance. The Celtics stonewalled the Bucks in the opener, limiting this season's No. 3 offense to just 90 points on 34.8 percent shooting. But in the following three games, those numbers spiked to 119.7 and 46.1, respectively.
"I'm sorry to say it, but our offense is dictating our defense," Marcus Morris told reporters. "We're not making shots. We're not getting back. I feel like we've been pretty soft a little bit."
The Bucks have exploited that in every way possible.
Milwaukee's stars have shined bright, whether it's Khris Middleton tallying 28 points and seven triples in Game 2, or Giannis Antetokounmpo totaling 71 points, 29 rebounds and 12 assists over Games 3 and 4. And when called upon, this bench has answered in a big way, particularly veteran George Hill, who has averaged 15.3 points on 62.1 percent shooting in the Bucks' three wins.
"He's been a vet in this league. He knows what it takes," Eric Bledsoe said of Hill. "He's been to the championship. He's been to the Eastern Conference finals. It's no surprise what he's doing."
Everything feels like it's clicking at the perfect time for Milwaukee. While a Boston win in Game 5 might change the narrative entirely, right now we have every reason to fear—and trust—the deer.
Prediction: Bucks 111, Celtics 104
Rockets at Warriors
This is the eye-of-the-beholder series.
It's tempting—and potentially accurate—to chalk the Warriors' two losses up to a lack of energy and effort. They were clobbered on the glass (105-78), particularly at the offensive end (30-15), and given their slim margins of defeat (nine points combined), perhaps simply revving up their motor better is all the difference needed to reclaim control of this series.
"Our vibe is great because we know that if we just correct the effort thing, we are just fine," Draymond Green told reporters. "Everyone is feeling good. We know the answer to our problem, and that is pretty exciting."
Then again, what happens if the problem is deeper than that?
Because it's also tempting—and potentially accurate—to wonder if the Rockets finally cracked the code to dethroning the champs. By deploying P.J. Tucker in Clint Capela's place at center and surrounding James Harden with Chris Paul, Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon, Houston might have found its own version of the Death Lineup.
It even has a clever nickname, too.
"They got their Hampton 5, and we got our—I dunno—South Beach 5 ... or some place over there," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said.
All five players in Houston's new closing group posted positive plus-minuses over the past two games. Conversely, Golden State's typically ferocious five of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green had a minus-9.6 net rating over 55 minutes of the same stretch.
The Dubs look as vulnerable as they've been in coach Steve Kerr's era, but it's worth noting how they landed in this position. They've battled uncharacteristically dry spells from the splash siblings Curry (26.1 percent from three) and Thompson (30.8), and they've still played this series to a draw.
History says it's only a matter of time before the rain clouds open, and if they do, the Warriors could get back to splashing at a rate even the three-happy Rockets can't match.
Prediction: Warriors 119, Rockets 112
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