NBA Playoffs Update

[Nate Powalie]

I'll make sure to keep a running track of this, but as of the time I'm writing, here are updates on current series still ongoing:
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Atlanta Hawks vs Philadelphia 76ers
Hawks lead 3-2, game 6 Friday in Atlanta @ 7:30 PM EDT on ESPN
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets
Nets lead 3-2, game 6 tonight in Milwaukee @ 8:30 PM EDT on ESPN
Western Conference Semifinals: Los Angeles Clippers vs Utah Jazz
Clippers lead 3-2, game 6 Friday in Los Angeles @ 10 PM EDT on ESPN

[Ccook]

Atlanta, the no. 5 seed in the East, eliminated #1 Philadelphia  and faces #3 Milwaukee in the East finals. Trae Young is getting the nickname "Ice Trae." Nobody gave Atlanta a snowball's chance at midseason; now they're a step closer to the championship.

[JarodJGames]

Current Conference Finals Situation
West FINALS:
#4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #2 Phoenix Suns
Suns lead 1-0 Game 2 Tuesday 9:00PM EDT on ESPN (Immediately Following NBA Draft Lottery)

East FINALS:
#5 Atlanta Hawks vs #3 Milwaukee Bucks
Game 1 Wednesday 8:30PM EDT on TNT

[Nate Powalie]

My predictions for the NBA Playoffs Conference Finals: Suns in 6, Bucks in 7

[Nate Powalie]

After trading buckets back and forth in the fourth quarter, and a crazy alley-oop to Deandre Ayton from out of bounds, The Phoenix Suns escape game 2 with a 104-103 win over the LA Clippers and take a 2-0 series lead into game 3 Thursday night at Staples Center. The Suns now have won 9 straight playoff games.

[JayC]

The Clippers have come back from 2-0 down to win the series twice already, they'll need to do it once again to advance to the Finals.

[Nate Powalie]

Another wild finish sees the Atlanta Hawks storm into FiServ Forum and beat the Milwaukee Bucks in game 1 of the ECF 116-113. First Eastern Conference Finals game win in Atlanta's franchise history. First loss at home in the playoffs for the Bucks. Trae Young lead the charge with a double-double. 46 points, 11 assists, and 7 boards. What a game. Game 2 will be Friday night in Milwaukee, with tip-off set for 8:30 EDT on TNT.

[Nate Powalie]

Well, the Suns' playoff winning streak is over. The Clippers successfully defend home court in Game 3 as they cruised to a 106-92 win. Phoenix still holds a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is Saturday night back at Staples Center, and it will be a 9 pm Eastern tipoff.

[Ccook]

Milwaukee rebounds and trounces Atlanta in game 2, 125-91. Game 3 in Atlanta Sunday night.

[SeaBreeze341]

I think rust may have played a role in CP3's struggles.  I don't know if he'll return to an MVP level form, but I doubt he and Devin will perform as bad as they did on Thursday.

As for the ECF, you just don't know what to expect there.  Milwaukee could struggle as a road team against Trae and company one game, and then play like a true successful road championship team in the other.


FYI: Game 4 is on ESPN (not ABC).  Everyone here likely knew that; but despite the fact that it's a weekend game, it's not on "free TV" which has been the norm in the conference finals round in the past during a regular line-up.  The other conference finals are truly exclusive to TNT

[Nate Powalie]

In the lowest-scoring playoff game in quite some time, the Phoenix Suns handle business and escape Game 4 with an 84-80 win over the LA Clippers at Staples Center. Game 5 is Monday night at Suns Arena in Phoenix, tipoff at 9 EDT on ESPN.

[mellongraig]

The Clippers may very well have been robbed in game 4 when the referees did not review the out of bounds call in the final seconds of the game. If they did it would have likely been Clippers ball and the series could have been tied at 2-2.

[Ccook]

The line on game 3 of Milwaukee and Atlanta opened with Bucks giving 7-1/2. It's  now 4-1/2. Should be interesting.

[SeaBreeze341]

The line on game 3 of Milwaukee and Atlanta opened with Bucks giving 7-1/2. It's  now 4-1/2. Should be interesting.

Should be.  I guess the move is due to Giannis' "injury" coupled with the fact that the game's still in Atlanta against a Hawks team that was humiliated on the road in their previous game

[SeaBreeze341]

The Clippers may very well have been robbed in game 4 when the referees did not review the out of bounds call in the final seconds of the game. If they did it would have likely been Clippers ball and the series could have been tied at 2-2.

If you think about it, they really could've been up 3-1!  Thanks to Phoenix heroics, L.A. ended up being down 0-2 & having to match that with 2 home wins.  I'm not a fighter of conspiracies, but I think the right thing is done if Kawhi is part of this series.  At least it gets reviewed.  It should have regardless of whether or not Leonard was healthy.  Statistically speaking, one's discretion when it calls for reviewing questionable plays or fouls usually favors the stars at the expense of their opponents, which in the Clippers case, is lacking their biggest star