The 2015 NBA playoffs feature two games on Monday, and both will be well worth tuning in for.
Tipping off the action are the Chicago Bulls, who will seek to seize a commanding 2-0 series advantage over the Milwaukee Bucks in the friendly confines of the United Center. Then the NBA's best team, the Golden State Warriors, hope to stave off the Anthony Davis-led New Orleans Pelicans.
Below is a look at the schedule and odds, via Odds Shark, for each game, along with a more detailed breakdown and predictions as to who will come out on top.
Monday Matchups, Predictions
Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose's first playoff game since 2012 went about as well as the Bulls could have hoped for, as he put up 23 points and added seven assists. Rose outplayed his counterpart in Michael Carter-Williams by a long shot.
ESPN Stats & Info revealed an anecdote about Rose's Game 1 performance that has to have Milwaukee worried:
But the fast start also creates expectations that Rose will maintain this high level of play. There's additional pressure on Chicago to hold home court before hitting the road for two games.
It's hard to get a feel for this Bucks squad. Coach Jason Kidd has done a commendable job accounting for key personnel losses and a roster that was considerably altered at the trade deadline to keep Milwaukee competitive.
Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel logged what Kidd had to say after the series-opening 103-91 loss:
The Bucks have a ton of length that ought to disrupt the Bulls' offensive rhythm, but they don't really have a go-to option to score the ball. Against a reputable defense like Chicago's, it's going to be hard for Milwaukee to consistently manufacture enough offense.
Getting good spacing may be easier said than done for Milwaukee. It was sixth-worst in the NBA this season with a 100.5 offensive rating, per NBA.com, while the Bulls were in the top 10.
Although Milwaukee's unique lineup gives it potential mismatch scenarios, there isn't quite enough experience to take the big step of winning a road playoff game on Tuesday. It should play out similar to the first game in the series, with Chicago pulling away late after a competitive first quarter or so.
Prediction: Bulls 98, Bucks 90
New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors
The Western Conference's top seed played like it for three quarters in Game 1, but 20 points from Anthony Davis in the final quarter made the outcome closer than expected.
Chances are Davis won't have that kind of eruption again in this series—at least away from New Orleans. It's also unlikely the Warriors will accept allowing that type of run to happen in front of the home fans.
Perhaps lost in the shuffle of the hype surrounding Golden State and Davis' playoff debut was the knee injury suffered by Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans. Sports medical expert David J. Chao casts doubt over Evans' status for Game 2 and beyond:
With Jrue Holiday still working his way back from the bench, New Orleans doesn't really have anyone other than Evans who can create offense for himself and others. It sounds like even if Evans can play, he won't be anywhere near his usual self.
The mismatch between the Pelicans backcourt and the Dubs' Splash Brothers duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson is drastic.
Curry appears locked in to say the least, according to the encounter Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News had with him:
If or when the Warriors jump out to a massive lead on the potentially Evans-less Pelicans, they probably won't look back. Draymond Green also did a number defending Davis in Game 1, and there's no reason to believe that will stop at any point in the opening round.
Davis may take out some frustration by going off in either Game 3 or 4 and willing New Orleans to a home victory, but he doesn't have enough help to knock off Golden State more than once. The Warriors are on a greater mission than just advancing past the first round, and Curry's mentality after the prior win is indicative of that.
For the first 36 minutes of Game 1, Golden State did what most expected. This should continue for the majority of the series and result in the Warriors taking care of the double-digit spread in the second contest.
Prediction: Warriors 110, Pelicans 95
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1Hov4iP
via IFTTT April 20, 2015 at 08:00AM
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