Looking Ahead:
Game 4 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals
Game 4 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals
Chicago Bulls @ WASHINGTON
WIZARDS (-1.5, 182.5)
1PM ET, ABC
Series: 2-1 WASHINGTON
Nene has been suspended for
Game 4 for butting foreheads and grabbing the head of Jimmy Butler. The Wizards
will miss his presence and will lament missing an opportunity to seize the
series with a 3-1 lead.
Chicago will exploit the opportunity and level the series 2-2.
Chicago will exploit the opportunity and level the series 2-2.
Prediction: Chicago Bulls 100, WASHINGTON WIZARDS 95.
Game 4 Western Conference
Quarter Finals
Los Angeles Clippers (-2,
209.5) @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
3:30PM ET, ABC
Series: 2-1 Los Angeles
An already fiery series was
added another dimension with Clippers-owner Donald Sterling’s controversial
racial remarks.
“We had a great team meeting
this morning about it,” Doc Rivers said. “A lot of guys voiced their opinions.
None of them were happy about it. This is a situation where we're trying to go
after something very important for us. Something that we've all dreamed about
all our childhoods. Donald or anyone else had nothing to do with that dream and
we're not going to let anything get in the way of those dreams."
Rivers will have to coach
his team beyond the distractions and focus on continuing their momentum on the
road in Golden State.
After crushing the Warriors
by 40 points in Game 2, the Clippers managed to barely hold on to an 18-point 3rd
quarter lead to win 98-96 in Game 3.
With the controversy
surrounding a young inexperienced team, the Clippers won’t be able to win Game
4 on the road in Golden State.
Prediction: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 114, Los Angeles
Clippers 100.
Game 4 Eastern Conference
Quarter Finals
Toronto Raptors @ BROOKLYN
NETS (-4, 192)
7PM ET, TNT
Series: 2-1 BROOKLYN
Having played in front of
some energetic crowds in Boston, Kevin Garnett has called for a wild and
raucous Brooklyn crowd.
"They could do
better," Garnett said Saturday. "I was expecting Brooklyn to be real
hostile, New York-style. I know what it's like to come here as the opposition,
so our crowd could do better, but they were there when we needed them, and we
fed off of them."
Paul Pierce and Garnett are really bringing the playoff intensity that the Nets were so desperate for this season. Be sure that Garnett and Pierce will not allow the Nets to let up at home and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Paul Pierce and Garnett are really bringing the playoff intensity that the Nets were so desperate for this season. Be sure that Garnett and Pierce will not allow the Nets to let up at home and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Prediction: BROOKLYN NETS 104, Toronto Raptors 94.
Game 4 Western Conference
Quarter Finals
Houston Rockets @ PORTLAND
TRAILBLAZERS (-2, 214.5)
9:30PM ET, TNT
Series: 2-1 PORTLAND
This series has been epic.
There have already been two overtime games.
LaMarcus Aldridge has been
an absolute monster. In the first two games, Aldridge scored more than 40
points but was contained to 23 in Game 3 with the Rockets starting Omer Asik.
James Harden finally came
into form in Game 3 and will have to look to continue his streak if the Rockets
can steal another road victory.
With Aldridge bouncing back with a big game at home, the Trailblazers will squeak another overtime victory to take a 3-1 series lead.
With Aldridge bouncing back with a big game at home, the Trailblazers will squeak another overtime victory to take a 3-1 series lead.
Prediction: PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 120, Houston Rockets
119.