Ben Margot/Associated Press The NBA released the schedule for the highly anticipated playoff rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. ESPN's Rachel Nichols tweeted out the full schedule for Games 1-4 as well as Game 5, 6 and 7 if necessary: The Warriors and Rockets met in a classic series last season in the Western Conference Finals, when Golden State overcame a 3-2 series deficit to win in seven games before sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Last season, the Rockets were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the Warriors were No. 2. Golden State regained the No. 1 seed this season, but Houston dropped to No. 4, which is why they are meeting in the second round. Despite the fact that Golden State is a better seed, it can be argued that Houston has been the better team in the playoffs thus far. The Warriors shockingly dropped two games to the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers before closing them out in Game 6 on Friday behind a 50-point performance by Kevin Durant. 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Houston got off to a slow start this season with point guard Chris Paul and center Clint Capela both missing time because of injury, which left guard James Harden to carry the load. They are healthy now, though, and entered the playoffs as one of the NBA's hottest teams. Even so, the Warriors are -260 (bet $260 to win $100) favorites to win the series, while the Rockets are +210 underdogs, per Action Network. The battle between Golden State and Houston could rage on for two weeks due, in part, to a scheduling quirk that includes three off days between Game 2 in Oakland and Game 3 in Houston. Golden State is hoping to reach the Western Conference Finals for the fifth consecutive season before going on to win its third straight championship and fourth in five years. This season may represent the Warriors' last chance to win a title in the near future. While Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are still under contract, Durant and Klay Thompson could leave in free agency. The Rockets are likely desperate to make the Finals as well since CP3 (34 on May 6) is getting up there in age, and they haven't played for a championship since winning it all in 1995. Winning the second-round series would represent a major step toward a championship for both franchises, and the winner would likely be the favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.<doc-sep>Ezra Shaw/Getty Images With the San Antonio Spurs forcing a Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets with a convincing 120-103 win Thursday night on their home court, there's plenty of evidence that the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs is still competitive. Especially in the Western Conference. All four teams (Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors) in the Eastern Conference are ready to begin their respective second-round matchups, but for four teams in the West, progression is still up for grabs. In addition to the winner-take-all final game between the Spurs and the Nuggets, there's the no-love-lost battle between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, who kept their playoff hopes alive with a big 129-121 win in Oracle Arena on Wednesday night. Here's the latest on the NBA playoff bracket, a guide for postseason television coverage (per Sports Media Watch) and a quick look at Friday and Saturday's big games. NBA Playoff Bracket: Eastern Conference Video Play Button Videos you might like First Round No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks 4, No. 8 Detroit Pistons 0 No. 4 Boston Celtics 4, No. 5 Indiana Pacers 0 No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers 4, No. 6 Brooklyn Nets 1 No. 2 Toronto Raptors 4, No. 7 Orlando Magic 1 Second Round Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors Conference Finals Winners of second-round matchups face off. Higher seed has home-court advantage. NBA Playoff Bracket: Western Conference First Round No. 1 Golden State Warriors 3, No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers 2 No. 4 Houston Rockets 4, No. 5 Utah Jazz 1 No. 3 Portland Trailblazers 4, No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder 1 No. 2 Denver Nuggets 3, No. 7 San Antonio Spurs 3 Second Round Portland vs. Denver/San Antonio winner Houston vs. Golden State/L.A. winner Conference Finals Winners of second-round matchups face off. Higher seed has home-court advantage. NBA Finals Eastern Conference winner vs. Western Conference winner. Team with better regular-season record has home-court advantage. NBA Playoff TV Schedule: Confirmed Games Friday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN: Warriors at Clippers Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT: Sixers at Raptors Saturday, April 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET on TNT: Spurs at Nuggets Sunday, April 28 at 1 p.m. on ABC: Celtics at Bucks NBA Playoff TV Schedule: Unconfirmed Games Sunday, April 28: Clippers at Warriors, Rockets at Warriors. Clippers at Warriors will be played on this day if necessary. Times have not been announced. NBA Playoff Round Dates Second Round: Saturday, April 27, through Monday, May 13 (if necessary) Conference Finals: Tuesday, May 14, through Sunday, May 26 (if necessary) NBA Finals: Thursday, May 30, through Sunday, June 16 (if necessary) Game 6 Matchup Breakdown Will Clippers Continue to Defy Expectations? Somehow, someway, the Clippers are managing to find ways to get the better of the Warriors in these NBA playoffs. On the same night that the Rockets advanced to the second round by dispatching the Jazz 4-1, L.A. staved off elimination by sending a message to Golden State on its own home court. And the two biggest reasons why are the play of Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. It's never happened in the history of the league, but this dynamic duo off the Clippers' bench deserve to share the 2019 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. They ran a pick-and-roll clinic against the Warriors on Wednesday night and combined for 57 points and 12 assists. For the series, Williams is averaging 24.4 points a contest, and Golden State seems to have no idea how to stop him from scoring. Then there's the mental battle that's being waged and won by Patrick Beverley. Beverley had a strong showing with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but it was his ability to frustrate and agitate Golden State that really made an impact. The former Arkansas guard normally tries to get in Kevin Durant's head, but he turned his focus to Draymond Green in Game 5, drawing a charge and goading him into a technical foul. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seems to have had enough of Beverley's antics. "I didn't think it was a good call," Kerr told reporters. "You know Beverley's gonna flop in the paint, and Draymond turned—it looked like Mike Tyson punched him in the face. "Beverley's good at that. His head literally snaps back. I'm worried he's gonna get whiplash on some of these flops. But he's good at it." More than anything, though, it looks like Golden State has lost its composure and just aren't playing at the championship level that many have grown accustomed to as the winners of three of the last four titles. Durant, who had a game-high 45 points in Game 5, has played well, as has Klay Thompson. But the subpar play of Stephen Curry has been evident. The two-time MVP scored 32 points in Game 1, but just 22 points in Game 2 and 21 points in Game 3. He then laid an egg in Game 4 with just 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting from the floor. "When we're playing well and winning, the light shines bright," Curry told Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. "The same thing on the opposite end; you kind of take it on the chin and keep it moving." Curry managed to put up 24 points in Game 5, but it's obvious that he's having trouble with the Clippers' trapping defense. If the Warriors want to close out the series on Friday night, they'll need Curry to have a monster bounce-back game. Game 7 Matchup Breakdown Can the Spurs Complete the Upset Over the Nuggets? How do the Spurs do it? Coming into the postseason as the No. 7 seed, there weren't a lot of optimistic predictions for San Antonio to lean on. The Nuggets were viewed as one of the hottest teams in the league going into the playoffs, and the Spurs, decimated by injuries early on, never quite got their mojo back. But experience is always the best teacher. Even when it looks like San Antonio is done for and the players' backs are against the wall, they find a way to claw their way back into the picture for one simple reason: they have an all-time great coach in Gregg Popovich, who knows how to game plan and pull out the win in chess matches played in NBA arenas. "And the chess match, listen, he's Bobby Fischer," Denver head coach Michael Malone said of Popovich, per The Denver Post's Mike Singer. "He's a savant. I'm not worried about matching wits with Gregg Popovich." Popovich and the Spurs showed their Fischer-like abilities once again on Thursday night, banding together in a do-or-die game at AT&T Center. It was a tall order, too. They had to overcome an outstanding performance from Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who stuffed the stat sheet with 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. But San Antonio overcame Jokic's near triple-double with an incredible shooting night. As a team, the Spurs shot 57.1 percent from the field (41.7 percent from behind the arc). They were led by DeMar DeRozan, who shot 75 percent from the floor and finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points on 55.6 percent shooting, while Rudy Gay added 19 points on 63.6 percent shooting from the field. Denver is a tough place to play, but if San Antonio can have another hot shooting night like it did on Thursday, it could deliver the first real upset of this year's playoffs. That's easier said than done, though, as the Nuggets had the best home record in the NBA this season (34-7) and will be ready to play for their raucous fans in the Mile High City on Saturday night. "Game 7—how much do you have to say?" Malone told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "For us, we're lucky we're playing in front of our home crowd. ... The hope is that we will respond in Game 7." This game should be must-see TV. Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport Statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com<doc-sep>The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors have yet to close out their respective first-round playoff series, but the reigning NBA champions are already a favorite to beat James Harden and company in the second-round. Second-round lines for a Houston-Golden State second-round matchup have already been posted by DraftKings Sportsbook. Both teams are playing Wednesday night in an effort to close out their series and move on to face each other: the Rockets lead the Utah Jazz 3-1 and the Warriors lead the L.A. Clippers 3-1. According to DraftKings, Golden State is a -375 series favorite over Houston. (Both teams are favorites in their Wednesday night games too, which are part of a TNT doubleheader.) Per odds converter SportsBookReview.com, the Warriors being a -375 series favorite over the Rockets means Golden State has an implied probability of winning of 78.95 percent. The Rockets went 3-1 against the Warriors during the regular season. In their first meeting on Nov. 15, Houston was dominant throughout the whole game on their way to a 21-point victory without Stephen Curry. In their second meeting on Jan. 3, Harden scored 44 points and had the game-winner in a 135-134 OT thriller in Golden State. In their third meeting on Feb. 23, Eric Gordon and Chris Paul led the Rockets as James Harden sat sick on the bench, winning 118-112 in Golden State. In their fourth and final meeting on March 11, the Warriors won 106-104 thanks 27 points from DeMarcus Cousins to end the Rockets’ nine-game winning streak. (Cousins is out for the rest of the playoffs.) Rockets fans have been itching for a rematch against the Warriors in the playoffs, though the second-round matchup is not necessarily wholeheartedly desired. In June 2018, the Rockets had a 3-2 lead on the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals but lost Chris Paul to injury. Golden State ended up taking Games 6 and 7 on their way to becoming the two-time defending NBA champions. But this Houston team is different, lead by Harden, who is playing at an ungodly offensive level this year. The Rockets’ defense is also revamped and looking quite intimidating. Not only do the Rockets think they have what it takes this year to knock off the Warriors, but so do many around the league. So, Las Vegas be damned!<doc-sep>
The last three games were tough, but the Rockets are advancing to the Western Conference semifinals. The Rockets edged the Jazz 100-93 in Houston Wednesday night behind a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double from Clint Capela. James Harden needed 26 shots to muster 26 points. They trailed at halftime in both games in Salt Lake City, including this past weekend’s 107-91 loss in Game 4. The final quarter Wednesday night was always within single-digits. With the Game 5 survival, Houston is in the conference semis for the 3rd-straight season. The next opponent will be decided soon, as the Golden State Warriors tip off soon to try to close out their series against the Clippers. Assuming the 2-time defending champion take care of business at home, viewers will have the treat of watching a rematch of last year’s 7-game conference finals. Let’s assume the Warriors advance and do a series preview and prediction. The conference semifinals will start as early as April 27-28 (this Saturday & Sunday). Rockets vs. Warriors Projected Series Preview & Pick Chris Paul Full Highlights 2019.02.23 Rockets vs Warriors – 23 Pts, 17 Asts, POiNT-GOD!February 23, 2019 | Chris Paul Full Highlights 2019.02.23 Rockets vs Warriors – 23 Pts, 17 Asts, POiNT-GOD! | FreeDawkins – NBA Video' –Like And Subscribe For More! Follow me on Twitter – twitter.com/DawkinsMTA #Dawkins2019February23 DISCLAIMER – All clips property of the NBA. No copyright infringement is intended, all videos are edited to follow the… 2019-02-24T04:02:02.000Z The prevailing sentiment from many in last year’s conference finals is that the Rockets would have won if Chris Paul hadn’t exited the final 2 games with a strained right hamstring. The All-Star point guard had eclipsed 20 points each in Games 4 and 5 to build a 3-2 series lead for Houston. With him out, Steph Curry combined for 56 points to help clinch another Finals appearance for the Warriors. Houston won the season series 3-1 this season, with Paul’s best performance coming in a 118-112 Rockets victory on Feb. 23. He scored 23 points and dished out a whopping 17 assists. Moreover, Harden showed up when available. While the potential MVP missed the late February win, he averaged 33.3 points in the other 3 contests. As a team, Houston notched 116 points per game, which would rank near the top of the NBA if extrapolated out for the season. On the flip side, the Rockets allowed just 109.5 points per meeting, which is nearly 9 points below the Warriors’ season average. Golden State ranks 2nd in the league in scoring offense, while Houston is 10th (113.9 ppg). One thing that Golden State has now that it lacked in the previous meetings? Andrew Bogut. He’s been the antidote to an inconsistent defense since joining in early March. Against a high-scoring Clippers team, he’s helped clog the interior and has demonstrated more discipline DeMarcus Cousins (out for year with quad injury) ever did. Andrew Bogut Influence On Golden State Warriors' Defense In Game 5 June 13, 2016 FinalsFollow me on twitter – twitter.com/DefenseWinChamp All clips property of the NBA. No copyright infringement is intended. 2016-07-03T21:29:06.000Z With Bogut in the starting rotation, the Warriors have 3 solid defenders to combat different levels of the Rockets attack. Kevin Durant has the length to occasionally disrupt Harden (enough to make him work for it). Draymond Green has the flexibility to run shooters off the 3-point line, while Bogut is a much-missed presence in the middle. One possible distraction for Golden State? Kevin Durant’s temper. He allowed himself to get into battles with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley. While Durant eventually overcame some inefficient nights, he let his frustration get the better of him in a Game 2 ejection. Houston has revenge on the mind and has approached every matchup this season with a business-like approach. That calm, determined motivation could be the difference against a Warriors team whose top scorer is liable to get himself into trouble when pushed. The Warriors will push with their backs against the wall, but Paul’s return will be the difference with a team on a mission. Prediction: Rockets in 7