NBA Playoff Picks and Predictions for Sunday
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, May 17.
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics, 8:00PM ET
WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) - The Boston Celtics are exactly where they want to be for Game 7 - home. Now they must keep Dwight Howard from getting to his favorite spots, right near the basket.
Defense will mean more than decibel level when the defending NBA champions try to control the Orlando Magic's powerful center Sunday night.
The winner faces a huge challenge in the Eastern Conference finals - LeBron James and his playoff-perfect Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept their first two series.
The Celtics are in their second straight seven-gamer. They beat Chicago in the first series and bobbled themselves into the Game 7 against Orlando by blowing a 10-point, third-quarter lead and losing 83-75. Howard had 23 points and 22 rebounds Thursday night.
NBA Free Pick: Orlando | Best Line: +3 Sports Interaction
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 3:300PM ET
The Western Conference semifinals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets appears to come down to a simple question.
Which Lakers team will show up for the decisive Game 7?
The one that blew out the undermanned Rockets by 40 points in Game 5 to set up what most everyone thought would be the clinching game? Or the one that quickly fell behind by double digits two nights later and lost by 15?
The Lakers, it seems, will be the ones who determine whether Sunday's matinee at Staples Center is a feel-good story or a horror show.
The winner of this physical, sometimes-testy series will advance to the conference finals to face the Denver Nuggets, who've been resting since eliminating Dallas on Wednesday night.
NBA Free Pick: Houston | Best Line: +12.5 Sports Interaction