NBA Playoff Schedule 2019: Viewing Guide, Predictions for Conference Finals
Following two Game 7 showdowns on Sunday, the conference finals matchups are now set in NBA.
In the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers knocked off the Denver Nuggets to advance to their first conference finals since 2000, where they'll face the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
In the East, the Toronto Raptors held off the the Philadelphia 76ers, advancing to the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history. The Raptors will face the Milwaukee Bucks.
Western Conference Finals (all games at 9 p.m. ET)
Game 1: Tuesday, May 14 at GSW
Game 2: Thursday, May 16 at GSW
Game 3: Saturday, May 18 at POR
Game 4: Monday, May 20 at POR
Game 5: Wednesday, May 22 at GSW (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, May 24 at POR (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, May 26 at GSW (if necessary)
The key storyline entering the Western Conference Finals is the health of the Golden State Warriors, who limped through the semifinals with Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins on the sideline.
Cousins, who is recovering from a torn quad, is on pace to return to the active roster in time for the conference finals, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. Durant's absence, however, is a little less clear.
According to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant is dealing with a mild strain on his right calf and will be re-evaluated next week.
While missing either player isn't ideal, the Warriors have plenty of experience without the two All-Stars.
Cousins appeared in just 30 games this season, so Golden State should be fully prepared to play without him if necessary. Losing Durant for an extended period would be a more significant blow, but the team has experience in recent years without him. Durant sat out just four games this season, but he missed a combined 34 games over the previous two years.
If both Durant and Cousins should miss time during the conference finals, expect Steph Curry to pick up the slack. According to Rotogrinders, Curry generated a usage rate of 39.4 percent when both Durant and Cousins were off the floor this season, an increase of 10 percentage points from when he shared the court with one or both injured teammates.
Eastern Conference Finals
Game 1: Wednesday, May 15 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET)
Game 2: Friday, May 17 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET)
Game 3: Sunday, May 19 at TOR (7 p.m. ET)
Game 4: Tuesday, May 21 at TOR (8:30 p.m. ET)
Game 5: Thursday, May 23 at MIL ((8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary)
Game 6: Saturday, May 25 at TOR (8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary)
Game 7: Monday, May 27 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary)
It's already been a historic season for the Milwaukee Bucks, as the team is returning to the conference finals for the first time since they were carried by Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson in 2001. That squad lost in seven games to Allen Iverson and the 76ers. The franchise will be seeking its first Finals appearance since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suited up for the Bucks in 1974.
Unfortunately, injuries are also part of the storyline in this matchup. Milwaukee's Malcolm Brogdon took the court for the first time since March 15 in the Bucks' series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Boston Celtics.
Brogdon, working his way back from a plantar fascia tear, came off the bench and played 16 minutes in his return to the court. When healthy, Brogdon started every game for the Bucks this year, but his role for the conference finals remains undecided:
While Brogdon isn't the driving force behind the Bucks' success, his return could be critical in this series. With him on the court this season, Milwaukee had a +11.2 differential between their offensive and defensive rating (an estimate of points produced per 100 possessions), according to Basketball-Reference. When Brogdon was off the court, that number dropped to +6.3.
Brogdon's ability to impact both sides of the court could be the factor that helps push Milwaukee back to the NBA Finals.
