The moment we've been patiently awaiting has finally arrived -- it's time for the 2018 NBA playoffs. There's so much intrigue in this year's first round that we don't even know where to begin. Are the Raptors doomed to repeat their postseason struggles? Can the 76ers overcome their inexperience and stay hot through the playoffs? Are the Pelicans the biggest upset candidate in the Western Conference?
We'll get at least partial answers to those questions starting with Saturday's batch of games. Things kick off at 3 p.m. ET, and we'll be here all day and night with live updates from all the action. Thanks for joining us.
NBA playoff schedule for Saturday, April 14
All times Eastern
Live updates
Spurs at Warriors:
Steph Curry to be re-evaluated in one week. Reports on Friday indicated that Curry was targeting the second round to make a return to the court, and on Saturday he had his official three-week examination by Warriors doctors. The team announced he has made functional progress, will increase his workload and will be evaluated again in a week.
Manu Ginobili is still capable of coming up with big plays, as he showed late in the first quarter. Poking the ball away from Kevon Looney, he came down and drilled a 3 to beat the first quarter buzzer.
The Warriors cruised to a 21-point victory in Game 1 behind a huge day from Kevin Durant, who finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds and seven assists. Klay Thompson added 27 points, while Draymond Green chipped in 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Wizards at Raptors:
The Raptors will be without key reserve guard Fred VanVleet. He is listed as day-to-day with a right shoulder injury.
Van vleet will not play. Day to day. — Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) April 14, 2018
Check out this impressive alley-oop connection between John Wall and Markieff Morris.
John Wall up top to Markieff! 💪
JW has 9 PTS, 4 AST in the 1st quarter.#DCFamily @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/xoYHZk0wMe — NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2018
Kyle Lowry tried to take a charge against Bradley Beal, but the refs let them play on. At first that seemed to mean Beal would get an easy bucket, but Serge Ibaka had other ideas.
The Wizards didn't go down without a fight. Marcin Gortat threw down an absolute hammer when the lane opened up.
GORTAT down the lane for the hammer! 💪#WizRaptors pic.twitter.com/nIJattSEKu — Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) April 14, 2018
Despite Washington's efforts, the Raptors prevailed in the end with some hot 3-point shooting and defense. Serge Ibaka was incredible all afternoon with 23 points and 12 rebounds. The duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 28 points and Toronto has finally won Game 1.
#WeTheNorth
Game 1 goes to the @Raptors!
TOR has 6 players score in double figures, led by 23 from Ibaka, and tops the @WashWizards 114-106 at home to start their #NBAPlayoffs!
Delon Wright: 18 PTS, 4 AST
DeRozan: 17 PTS, 6 AST
John Wall: 23 PTS, 15 AST pic.twitter.com/DTkVhatvWx — NBA (@NBA) April 15, 2018
Heat at 76ers:
Joel Embiid won't be playing in Game 1 while he still recovers from a facial injury, but he made an appearance pre-game to literally ring the game in. Phantom of The Process.
Ben Simmons might be a rookie, but he got his playoff career off to a quick and easy start with an emphatic dunk.
The 2018 NBA Playoffs will get underway this afternoon, tipping off what should be nothing short of the most riveting journey to the Finals in quite some time. After years of looking at the playoff bracket and feeling near certain in mid-April that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors would be duking it out for a championship come June, it finally feels like there is a legitimate chance that some other contenders could make their run. The odds reflect this sentiment, as there are a handful of teams that the sportsbooks believe have a shot at dethroning one or both of these back-to-back-to-back conference winners.
The Dubs and Cavs still have the best odds to meet in the Finals for a fourth consecutive year, but they are no longer a head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Golden State is being pushed in the Western Conference by the Houston Rockets, who are coming off a league-best 65-win season. Houston’s championship odds are currently +170, only a smidge behind the injury-ravaged Warriors—who won less than 60 games for the first time since 2013-14—at +120.
Cleveland had more problems than just injuries in 2017-18, as they needed to make a number of desperation moves at the trade deadline to offload offseason acquisitions that just didn’t pan out and bring in younger, more athletic players. Despite another quality campaign from LeBron James, the Cavs only mustered 51 victories this year—good for only the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. That is the lowest win total (in a non-strike shortened season) for a team with King James on the roster in a decade. Cleveland is currently getting 8-1 odds to raise a banner this year, barely ahead of the top-seeded Toronto Raptors (10-1). The frontrunners are also more than a bit fortunate that former point guard Kyrie Irving is done for the season, sinking the chance of a Boston Celtics—the East’s No.2 seed—postseason resurgence from upwards of 10-1 all the way down to 55-1.
There is still a very real possibility that we could see a fourth consecutive Cavs-Dubs matchup in the Finals, but hoops handicapper Jon Price of SportsInformationTraders.com believes this could be the year that parity shows up in the NBA. The Vegas pro has provided his take on the two teams he believes have what it takes to navigate through their respective conference playoffs and still offer great value on any future bets placed on them. Before getting to those predictions, take a look at the complete list of championship odds for every team. At the end of the article you will also find a complete first-round schedule, TV coverage, live stream info, matchups, quick picks and more for the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
NBA odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook
2018 NBA Championship Odds
Team Odds Golden State Warriors +120 Houston Rockets +170 Cleveland Cavaliers +800 Toronto Raptors +1000 Philadelphia 76ers +2500 Oklahoma City Thunder +5000 Boston Celtics +5500 Portland Trail Blazers +6000 Utah Jazz +6000 San Antonio Spurs +7000 Washington Wizards +9000 Milwaukee Bucks +12500 Minnesota Timberwolves +15000 Indiana Pacers +20000 Miami Heat +20000 New Orleans Pelicans +25000
2018 NBA Playoffs Conference Champion Odds
Team Odds Western Conference Golden State Warriors -140 Houston Rockets +110 Oklahoma City Thunder +3800 Portland Trail Blazers +4500 Utah Jazz +4500 San Antonio Spurs +5200 Minnesota Timberwolves +11500 New Orleans Pelicans +19000 Eastern Conference Cleveland Cavaliers +125 Toronto Raptors +170 Philadelphia 76ers +545 Boston Celtics +1250 Washington Wizards +2100 Milwaukee Bucks +3000 Indiana Pacers +4800 Miami Heat +4800
Eastern Conference: Philadelphia 76ers (+2500 Championship, +545 Conference)
The 76ers are entering the 2018 NBA Playoffs on the hottest streak ever seen at this time of year. No team in league history has ever won 16 games in a row heading into the postseason, which is exactly how many Philly strung together in the closing weeks of the campaign. This squad hasn’t lost since falling to the Pacers, 101-98, just over one month ago.
The organization tweeted out photos from a pre-playoff team dinner:
After years of toiling at the bottom of the standings, The Process finally paid off for this club. It not only clinched a postseason berth for the first time in a half decade, but was also able to secure the No. 3 seed in one of the best turnarounds the league has seen in a while. The development of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and others has created an exciting young core that is surrounded by key veteran additions like J.J. Reddick and Marco Belinelli. It’s a strong group that has the talent to go deep in a year where the rest of the Eastern Conference looks beatable.
Unfortunately for the Sixers, Embiid will miss at least one game during the team’s opening series against the Miami Heat. Head coach Brett Brown confirmed that his big man will be out for Game 1 and will be wearing a protective mask when he does return, as per The Dan Patrick Show:
He will not play in Game 1. From that point going forward, we'll figure some stuff out. But unless something remarkable happens, I don't plan on him playing in Game 1.
Embiid has missed the last eight games due to orbital bone fracture stemming from a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz, although that hasn’t stopped the Sixers from winning without him. There’s no timetable for the center's return outside of a cryptic “soon” answer from Brown, but he’ll surely be doing everything he can to get in the lineup as quickly as possible. The All-Star’s presence will help Philadelphia immensely in this upcoming series. The Sixers split the season series with Miami, losing their last two outings against this opponent.
Reuben Frank pointed out how good the 76ers have been lately after a slow start:
76ers were 15-19. Went 37-11 the rest of the season. — Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) April 12, 2018
If Embiid—Philly’s best player, averaging a spectacular 22.9 points and 11 rebounds this year—can get back on the floor and only miss a game or two tops, the Sixers shouldn’t have much issue dispatching the Heat. Miami is a quality club, but lacking in stars capable of taking over the way that Embiid can when he's on his game. Price says that Philly’s roster is more talented and deep, which is the reason it should not only win this series, but also make a run to at least the conference finals if healthy. At 25-1 odds to win a championship and 5.5-1 to win the East, there isn’t a better value play than Philly on the board this postseason.
Prediction: 76ers Win East (+545), Lose Finals
Western Conference: Houston Rockets (+170 Championship, +110 Conference)
The Rockets have been a fringe contender for years with James Harden as their centerpiece, an offensive force that continues to improve to the point of being a shoo-in for MVP this year. After averaging 11.2 assists as the team’s primary point guard in 2016-17—Harden’s first time manning the position on a full-time basis in his eight-year career—the Arizona State product finally received some backcourt help during the offseason. Houston cashed in a pile of chips to acquire Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers, arguably the top PG of this generation.
The results have been a smashing success, as the pair has been unstoppable this season. The backcourt tandem was the driving force behind a franchise-record 65 wins, averaging a combined 49 points, 16.7 assists, 10.8 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. Now the Rockets will lean on these guards to lead the organization back to the Finals for the first time 1995.
The team took to Twitter to address those that doubted the Paul trade would work out:
They said it wouldn't work.
They said there was only one ball.
And here we are. The second season starts Sunday. We #RunAsOne as #1. ON pic.twitter.com/78nVFu1IPq — Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 12, 2018
If the Rockets are going to win their third title in franchise history, they’ll likely need to get past the No. 2-seeded Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. The three-time reigning conference champs had a down season in 2017-18, but still possess a wealth of playoff experience and the most talented lineup when healthy. Houston’s stars aren’t nearly as seasoned as Golden State’s, with Paul notably never getting out of the second round in any of his nine prior trips to the playoffs. Harden’s incredible season came to a brutal end last year when he melted down against the Spurs in the second round, a series the Rockets were expected to win with San Antonio playing without Kawhi Leonard.
They’ll both get an opportunity to avenge those shortcomings this year, as this squad represents by far the best chance either player has ever had to get to the Finals. Houston GM Daryl Morey admitted in an ESPN Radio interview in December that he’s assembled a roster with the goal of eliminating Golden State as the focus:
It’s the only thing we think about. I think I’m not supposed to say that, but we’re basically obsessed with ‘How do we beat the Warriors?’ ... We calculated it—it’s like 90 percent if we’re going to win a title, we’ve gotta beat the Warriors at some point. A lot of our signings and what we do during the year is based on that. We spend most of our time just figuring out how we might knock the Warriors out in seven games. Because we’re pretty sure that’s what’s going to define our season.
The Dream Shake pointed out that the narrative that the West is weaker than usual this year isn’t exactly true:
Listening to Mike Francesa on Bill Simmons podcast today... Says the Rockets success is because the 'West is the weakest it's been in years." Nine teams had a win percentage over 56% this year! SMH. Dudes will say anything to rake Houston. — The Dream Shake (@DreamShakeSBN) April 13, 2018
If the Warriors can’t turn things on and continue to struggle with injury, the door is wide open for the Rockets to win the West. Houston won the season series, besting the Dubs in two of three meetings. Price notes that home court advantage adds another edge in favor of the top seed, which will be key in a Houston-Golden State series that will probably go the distance. Because the real odds of the Rockets winning the West—and then being heavily favored against whichever Eastern Conference foe they face with the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the line—are greater than the ones the sportsbooks are offering, they are the best value play for bettors looking to pick a Finals winner in 2018.
Prediction: Rockets win West (+110) and Finals (+170)
2018 NBA Playoffs Bracket, Schedule And Viewing Info
Games can be live streamed via WatchESPN and WatchTNT
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards
Series Odds: TOR -590, WAS +370
Series Pick: Toronto in six
Series Schedule
Game 1: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 14 at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 2: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 17 at 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 3: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Game 4: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 22 at 6 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 29 at TBD
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks
Series Odds: BOS -190, MIL +145
Series Pick: Milwaukee in six
Series Schedule
Game 1: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 15 at 1 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 17 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 22 at 1 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 5: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 28 at TBD
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Miami Heat
Series Odds: PHI -425, MIA +285
Series Pick: Philadelphia in five
Series Schedule
Game 1: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 2: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 16 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 19 at 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 4: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers: April 28 at TBD
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers
Series Odds: CLE -1030, IND +535
Series Pick: Cleveland in five
Series Schedule
Game 1: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers: April 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Game 2: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers: April 18 at 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 20 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers April 29 at TBD
Western Conference
No. 1 Houston Rockets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
Series Odds: HOU -1315, MIN +635
Series Pick: Houston in four
Series Schedule
Game 1: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 15 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 23 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 29 at TBD
No. 2 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs
Series Odds: GSW -1750, SAS +710
Series Pick: Golden State in six
Series Schedule
Game 1: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 14 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Game 2: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 19 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 4: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
*Game 5: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors: April 28 at TBD
No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers vs. No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans
Series Odds: POR -180, NOP +140
Series Pick: New Orleans in seven
Series Schedule
Game 1: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 14 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 2: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 19 at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 4: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 21 at 5 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 24 at TBD
*Game 6: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans: April 26 at TBD
*Game 7: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers: April 28 at TBD
No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz
Series Odds: OKC -140, UTA +110
Series Pick: Oklahoma City in seven
Series Schedule
Game 1: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 15 at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 18 at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 21 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 5: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 25 at TBD
*Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 27 at TBD
*Game 7: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 29 at TBD
*If necessary
The 2018 NBA playoffs tip off Saturday with four series-opening games: Spurs at Warriors, Wizards at Raptors, Heat at 76ers and Pelicans at Trail Blazers.
Sunday features four more Game 1s: Bucks at Celtics, Pacers at Cavs, Jazz at Thunder and Timberwolves at Rockets.
Follow along with live updates, scores and schedule for today's NBA playoff games.
Today's NBA playoff games, scores and how to watch live (all times Eastern).
And if your team didn't make the playoffs ...
All times Eastern.
Sunday, April 15 1 p.m. – Bucks at Celtics – TNT 3:30 p.m. – Pacers at Cavs – ABC 6:30 p.m. – Jazz at Thunder – TNT 9 p.m. – Wolves at Rockets – TNT Monday, April 16 8 p.m. – Heat at Sixers – TNT 10:30 p.m. – Spurs at Warriors – TNT Tuesday, April 17 7 p.m. – Wizards at Raptors – NBA TV 8 p.m. – Bucks at Celtics – TNT 10:30 p.m. – Pelicans at Blazers – TNT Wednesday, April 18 7 p.m. – Pacers at Cavs – TNT 9 p.m. – Jazz at Thunder – NBA TV 9:30 p.m. – Wolves at Rockets – TNT Thursday, April 19 7 p.m. – Sixers at Heat – TNT 9 p.m. – Blazers at Pelicans – NBA TV 9:30 p.m. – Warriors at Spurs – TNT Friday, April 20 7 p.m. – Cavs at Pacers – ESPN 8 p.m. – Raptors at Wizards – ESPN2 9:30 p.m. – Celtics at Bucks – ESPN Saturday, April 21 2:30 p.m. – Sixers at Heat – TNT 5 p.m. – Blazers at Pelicans – TNT 7:30 p.m. – Rockets at Wolves – ESPN 10 p.m. – Thunder at Jazz – ESPN Sunday, April 22 1 p.m. – Celtics at Bucks – ABC 3:30 p.m. – Warriors at Spurs – ABC 6 p.m. – Raptors at Wizards – TNT 8:30 p.m. – Cavs at Pacers – TNT Monday, April 23 8 p.m. – Rockets at Wolves – TNT 10:30 p.m. – Thunder at Jazz – TNT Tuesday, April 24 *TBD – Bucks at Celtics – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Heat at Sixers – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Spurs at Warriors – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Pelicans at Blazers – TNT/NBA TV Wednesday, April 25 *TBD – Wizards at Raptors – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Pacers at Cavs – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Jazz at Thunder – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Wolves at Rockets – TNT/NBA TV Thursday, April 26 *TBD – Sixers at Heat – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Celtics at Bucks – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Warriors at Spurs – TNT/NBA TV *TBD – Blazers at Pelicans – TNT/NBA TV Friday, April 27 *TBD – Cavs at Pacers – ESPN/ESPNEWS *TBD – Raptors at Wizards – ESPN/ESPNEWS *TBD – Rockets at Wolves – ESPN/ESPNEWS *TBD – Thunder at Jazz – ESPN/ESPNEWS Saturday, April 28 *TBD – Heat at Sixers – TNT *TBD – Bucks at Celtics – TNT *TBD – Pelicans at Blazers – TNT *TBD – Spurs at Warriors – TNT Sunday, April 29 *TBD – Pacers at Cavs – ABC/TNT *TBD – Wizards at Raptors – ABC/TNT *TBD – Wolves at Rockets – ABC/TNT *TBD – Jazz at Thunder – ABC/TNT
*If necessary; time, TV TBD.
NBA playoffs: Live updates
Click here for NBA playoff updates
Golden State and Kevin Durant have already forgotten about the regular season. (Ben Margot/Associated Press)
The first round of the NBA playoffs begins today with four Game 1s. Following along here for the latest analysis and commentary from The Post’s NBA reporter Tim Bontemps, and ask him questions in the comments section.
Schedule | Odds | Pregame reading | Comments section Q&A
Raptors go deep
When the playoffs arrive, talk begins about teams shortening their depth, and how depth doesn’t even really matter. Toronto proved that wrong in its 114-106 Game 1 victory over Washington.
Not only did the Raptors play 11 guys, not including their top reserve, Fred VanVleet, but they got plenty of production from their second unit. The result was Toronto finally snapping its 10-game losing streak in Game 1s, and showing this year might finally be different in Toronto.
The Raptors doubled up the Wizards in bench scoring (42-21), including 18 points in 25 minutes for Delon Wright, who stepped into VanVleet’s role behind Kyle Lowry. C.J. Miles chipped in with four three-pointers.
Washington, meanwhile, got 17 points from Mike Scott off the bench, but virtually nothing from its other reserves, most notably Kelly Oubre, Jr., who had just three points on 1-for-4 shooting in 16 minutes.
Careless Wizards costing themselves in final quarter
When a lower seeded team is trying to pull off an upset win on the road, it can’t be making dumb plays. Unfortunately for the Wizards, they tend to specialize in dumb plays, and two of them early in the fourth quarter could prove to be costly.
A flagrant foul by Mike Scott resulted in two free throws for Kyle Lowry and a four-point play overall for the Raptors. Then, just a few minutes later, Kelly Oubre’s casual pass to Bradley Beal under the Wizards’ basket became a turnover that led to a C.J. Miles three-pointer.
That has allowed the Raptors to go on a 10-0 run that’s put Toronto ahead by nine a little over midway through the fourth.
If the Wizards lose this game, they’ll point to this stretch as the reason why.
Guards will be the difference in Toronto
This Raptors-Wizards series was billed as a battle of all-star backcourts. With Toronto holding a four-point lead early in the fourth quarter, that’s exactly how Game 1 has played out.
So far, John Wall (18 points and 14 assists), Bradley Beal (17 points and three steals) and DeMar DeRozan (17 points and six assists) have showed up. Kyle Lowry (nine points, five assists, four turnovers) has not.
How those four guys play in the final 12 minutes will determine whether the Wizards pull off an upset or the Raptors finally end their Game 1 losing streak.
Warriors win. No surprise here.
OAKLAND, Calif. — The final score here at Oracle Arena: Golden State 113, San Antonio 92.
The Warriors State did what they had to do: show up. The Spurs proved their doubters right about what they couldn’t do: score enough to make this competitive.
The result was an easy Golden State victory that should begin putting some of the doubts about their ability to repeat as champions to rest.
It also didn’t hurt that Klay Thompson had 27 points on 11-for-13 shooting, Kevin Durant had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Draymond Green added 12 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists.
How much will the Raptors feel Fred VanVleet’s absence?
The Toronto Raptors had a meaningless game Wednesday in Miami against the Heat.
That left the Raptors, who were locked into the top spot in the Eastern Conference, with two options: play their players big minutes, and treat the game like a normal one, or rest them to prepare for the start of their first-round series Saturday.
Informed in part by previous playoff failures – as well as the chance to get 60 wins – Toronto opted to play their guys. And, in the dying moments of the fourth quarter in what eventually became an overtime loss to the Heat, the Raptors paid a price for doing so.
Fred VanVleet, the team’s excellent backup shooting guard (and third place on my sixth man of the year ballot), injured his shoulder – an injury that will keep him out of Game 1 of Toronto’s series with the Washington Wizards today.
Not only is VanVleet the head of the snake for Toronto’s bench unit, he’s also been incredible against the Wizards this season. In three games against the Wizards this year, VanVleet was plus-41 in 72 minutes (though it should be said that, with John Wall not playing in those games, those numbers could be skewed a bit).
What can’t be skewed is that the Raptors will miss VanVleet quite a bit today. And, if they see their losing streak in Game 1s extended yet again, his absence will loom even larger than it already does.
In other injury news, the Wizards got a break with both Otto Porter and Mike Scott being available for this game. Washington simply has to have John Wall, Bradley Beal and Porter all able to play 40-plus minutes, and play well, for them to beat the Raptors.
They are capable of doing so, though – and that’s what makes Raptors-Wizards a compelling series to watch.
[Wizards-Raptors Game 1 live updates: Can Washington shake off a bad ending to the regular season?]
The Warriors have a weakness
Golden State is going to win this game (barring unforeseen events taking place). But even in a win, there is something to monitor about the Warriors, both today and moving forward: the outside shooting of Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
If the Warriors have a weakness (excluding health), it is those two struggling to consistently knock down open three-point shots. If they do, Golden State is virtually unbeatable. If they do not? Well, then things could be interesting later against better opponents than San Antonio.
Through three periods of Game 1, though, they are hitting them. Green is 2 for 5, while Iguodala is 1 for 2.
If they can hit three of every seven threes they attempt between them over the next two months, the Warriors will be thrilled.
It’s not a coincidence that in a game they are shooting well, Golden State leads by 23 after three quarters.
[NBA playoffs scoreboard]
Spurs make a lineup change at half
San Antonio came out in the second half with a new look: Rudy Gay replacing Kyle Anderson in its starting lineup. Then, two minutes into the third quarter, Tony Parker came in for Dejounte Murray.
Clearly, Gregg Popovich decided that there was no way his team was going to be able to make a game of this with LaMarcus Aldridge on the court with two non-shooters. Gay has been excellent so far, scoring 14 points to give the Spurs another consistent offensive threat, while Parker is a far more dynamic offensive player — even at this late stage of his career — than Murray.
If San Antonio has any hopes of making this competitive, it’s going to have to score with Golden State. Even without Stephen Curry, the Warriors still have far more firepower than the Spurs.
The Warriors are locked in and the Spurs can’t keep up
There were two significant questions entering this Warriors-Spurs series: Would Golden State be engaged and energized after finally making the playoffs, and would San Antonio be able to score?
So far, the answers are yes, and no. If they stay that way, this will be a short series.
It certainly looks like it will be at halftime of Game 1, with Golden State holding a 57-41 lead over San Antonio. The Spurs have had no answers for Kevin Durant, who has 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting and has been able to get whatever he has wanted. At the other end, LaMarcus Aldridge has struggled mightily with Golden State’s length all across the court, scoring eight points on eight shots (while picking up three fouls to boot).
If it wasn’t for the Spurs going 6 for 11 from three and 7 for 8 from the foul line, this game would be an even bigger blowout than it already appears headed towards being. The Warriors also gifted the Spurs five points combined at the ends of the first and second quarters to allow San Antonio to be a bit closer than it should be.
The bottom line, though, is that through one half, at least, San Antonio doesn’t look like it can keep up.
Predicting the East
Raptors in 7: I want to pick Washington to win this series. The Wizards match up well with Toronto and have shown no fear for them this season (splitting four games without John Wall playing in any of them). But it’s just impossible to put that much faith in this Wizards team after the way they’ve played this season. So while Toronto will once again have a hard time, they will find a way to advance.
Bucks in 6: Upset! I feel equally unsure about this series, as I can’t trust Milwaukee and Boston has a million injuries. But the Bucks do have Giannis Antetokounmpo — and I’m picking The Greek Freak to have his first playoff moment and lead the Bucks to the second round.
Sixers in 7: Another tough series to call. Philadelphia has a lot more talent than Miami — but a lot less experience. Teams generally have to take gradual steps in the playoffs — and rarely make it to the conference finals on their first try, as the Sixers are predicted to do. But with Joel Embiid likely to come back early in the series, we’ll tip the odds, ever so slightly, in Philadelphia’s direction.
Cavs in 5: LeBron James has made it to the NBA Finals for seven straight seasons. He isn’t losing in the first round. It’s been a tremendous season for the Indiana Pacers and former DeMatha star Victor Oladipo, but it ends here.
Predicting the West
Rockets in 4: Minnesota simply can’t guard Houston. This should be a high scoring — but short — series.
Warriors in 5: With Stephen Curry hurt, Golden State limping into the playoffs and San Antonio’s pedigree, the Spurs will get a game. But if this series is any more competitive than that, the questions about Golden State’s ability to repeat as champions will gain far more credibility in my eyes.
Pelicans in 6: This should be a really fun series, and Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has a penchant for coming up big in big moments. But Anthony Davis has taken a step forward this season and established himself as a top five player in the NBA, and he has yet to win a playoff game. This is his time to make a statement, and I think he will by getting the Pelicans to the second round.
Thunder in 7: This is, without question, the best and most compelling series of the first round. But the Thunder have a couple things going for them. The first is home court — which, in a close series, is a huge edge. The second is that Paul George, one of the NBA’s best players and wing defenders, is going to be guarding Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell. It’s been an incredible debut from the Louisville product, but asking him to be the leading scorer on a playoff team against an all-world defender like George feels like too much for Utah to overcome. But this is easily the series I’m most looking forward to watching.
A Game 1 win would mean more in Toronto
Before every playoff series, teams speak about the importance of winning Game 1. But for the Toronto Raptors, Saturday’s opening game of the playoffs against the Washington Wizards has an added level of urgency.
The top-seeded Raptors, who just completed the best regular season in franchise history, enter the postseason with a staggering streak of 10 straight losses in Game 1s. Toronto’s last victory in the opening game of a playoff series was on May 6, 2001 — when Vince Carter (35 points) outdueled Allen Iverson (36) to give Toronto a 96-93 victory in the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
That also remains the only Game 1 victory the Raptors have across the 13 playoff series in which they have played.
So, yes, it is imperative for the Raptors to beat the eighth-seeded Wizards on Saturday night — not only to stop the legions of fans north of the border from simultaneously freaking out and bringing back all of the bad memories of prior playoff meltdowns, but also to keep the Wizards from getting any momentum in this series.
Washington is one of the league’s most confusing teams. One night, the Wizards look like they can play with anyone. The next, they look like they can lose to anyone. But assuming Otto Porter is recovered from a recent calf strain, the Wizards have the talent to go toe-to-toe with Toronto, and the confidence earned from a four-game sweep in 2015 to know they can beat the Raptors on this stage.
This has been a wonderful season so far in Toronto. But everything that’s happened — the record win total, the stylistic changes, the improvement of the bench — has all been geared toward finally carrying the franchise’s now-consistent regular season play over to the playoffs. Nothing would signify that has happened more than a victory Saturday night — and nothing would make observers more skeptical that it has than a loss.
[Brewer: The Wizards had a shot this NBA season. The playoffs are their last chance to seize it.]
And now for Saturday’s other three games …
— Who could’ve guessed at the start of the season that a series between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs would have no life to it at all? Yet here we are, with Warriors-Spurs easily being the most boring of the eight first-round matchups.
Some of that speaks to the depth and breadth of compelling series around the league. But with San Antonio limping into the playoffs without Kawhi Leonard and having won fewer than 50 games for the first time this millennium, it’s just hard to build a compelling case for the Spurs to make this an interesting series — even if Stephen Curry isn’t able to play.
Golden State still has Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, while San Antonio has LaMarcus Aldridge and a 40-year-old Manu Ginobili.
Advantage: Golden State.
That said, if the Warriors lose Saturday, it would be the surest sign yet all is not well in Oakland.
— The Philadelphia 76ers had to be thrilled when they saw their first playoff game would be held at 8 p.m. Saturday night. The crowd at Wells Fargo Center — which was already going to be fired up for the third-seeded Sixers to host the Miami Heat — is going to be feeling awfully good by the time tipoff rolls around and should be even more rowdy than the unbelievable atmosphere it had last week when Philadelphia beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to clinch earning that third seed.
The thing to watch here: Can the Sixers maintain their composure? Not only are the leaders of this young team — guys like Ben Simmons, Robert Covington and Dario Saric — playing in their first playoff game, but they are doing so as favorites. How they handle that — not to mention how early Joel Embiid can return to the lineup — could be the deciding factor in this series.
— Anthony Davis has never won a playoff series. In fact, he’s never won a playoff game.
So all eyes will be on Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night, when they face the Trail Blazers in Portland. Despite being the lower-seeded team — and being without DeMarcus Cousins, who tore his Achilles’ tendon back in January — this is a series New Orleans is more than capable of winning. For as good as Portland’s backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum is, they aren’t on the level of Davis, who is good enough to swing a series by himself.
He has yet to have his playoff moment. This series could provide it — and breathe some hope into the long-term future of this franchise that could desperately use it.
Saturday’s game schedule (all times Eastern)
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Odds
The Warriors and Cavaliers have met in three straight NBA Finals, but The Post’s Neil Greenberg writes that neither team should be considered a favorite entering the playoffs. That shouldn’t be too surprisingly, considering the Houston Rockets went wire-to-wire this season as the league’s best team; they have a 39 percent chance of winning the title, which would be their first since going back-to-back in the 1994 and ’95 Finals. But what might surprise you is which teams Greenberg has following the Rockets with the best odds to win it all. (Hint: It’s not Golden State or Cleveland.) In fact, Greenberg also writes that the Warriors should be on upset alert in the first round, having to host the always dangerous Spurs.
Pregame reading
A new NBA story line: The Warriors may not be favorites to win another title
Their two biggest stars lost to injury, the Celtics still have one giant advantage: Their coach
Dirk Nowitzki isn’t part of these NBA playoffs, but Dirk clones are everywhere
‘My friend was shot’: How an assassin’s bullets in Israel changed an NBA team’s name in D.C.
The Golden State Warriors should be on upset alert as NBA Playoffs begin. Seriously.
Russell Westbrook posted a season-long triple-double — again. Why don’t we care this time?
Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell can’t agree on who is rookie of the year and it’s pretty funny
Comment Q&A
Hop into the comments section below starting at 2:30 p.m. to chat with The Post’s Tim Bontemps about all of your NBA questions.
