On Friday the 13th, four teams will square off in the NBA playoffs, as the second round nears its conclusion. The Boston Celtics head back to Milwaukee for Game 6 against the Bucks; in Game 5, the Celtics blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead and lost in the last few seconds. The Memphis Grizzlies, without top scorer Ja Morant, obliterated Golden State in Game 5, winning by 39 (and giving the Warriors their worst postseason loss since 2014). Now the Grizzlies head back to the Bay, still down 3-2, but hoping to force Game 7 back in Tennessee. Check out our NBA betting thoughts on both contests.
NBA News: Playoff Preview (May 13)
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks, Game 6 (7:30 pm ET, ESPN)
Milwaukee leads, 3-2
Boston has shown smothering defense for just about the entire postseason…until now. In Game 5, the Celtics permitted 41 points in the fourth quarter, and they ended up losing, 110-107. This came on the heels of a Game 4 loss in which Boston mounted a furious comeback of their own, only for Al Horford’s put-back (which would have won the game) to come a fraction of a second too late. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 60 points for Boston, but neither one of them got a touch in the last half-minute of the game. If the Celtics had rebounded Giannis Antetokounmpo’s free throw miss in the last seconds, they win as well, but they didn’t. Rebounding was a problem as well, as Milwaukee pulled down 17 offensive boards and won the overall rebounding battle, 49-36.
The Bucks decided to play small ball down the stretch, using Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis Jr instead of Brook Lopez, and it paid off. Giannis had 40 points to lead the team, and Jrue Holiday added 24. Portis and Connaughton combined to score 27, and Connaughton’s two free throws sealed the win. Holiday had a key strip in the last minute and also hit the three-ball that tied the game with 43 seconds left in regulation. In the series, Milwaukee has gotten 58 offensive rebounds to just 32 for the Celtics, and in Games 4 and 5, that edge was a combined 30-9, as Boston still has to play without Robert Williams III. After two tough losses, do the Celtics have anything left?
Final Prediction:
Milwaukee 111, Boston 109
Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors, Game 6 (10:00 pm ET, ESPN)
Golden State leads, 3-2
The Warriors come in as 8 ½-point favorites at home, which is interesting given that the Grizzlies routed Golden State in Game 5. In games when the Warriors were favored by at least 8 ½ points, they were 12-11-2 against the spread. The Warriors have won five in a row in the playoffs at home and have won seven in a row at home overall. It didn’t help that the Warriors turned the ball over 22 times and lost the rebounding battle for the first time in this series, 55-37 (18-4 on the offensive end).
Memphis got 21 points apiece from Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Down the stretch, when Morant had to miss extended time, the Grizzlies posted an 18-2 record. In Game 5, Memphis led from start to finish, growing their advantage as high as 55 points at one point. They put up 77 points in the first half and led by 52 after three periods, which tied the record for the margin at that point in a playoff game, a record that had stood since 1952. Even so, I think Memphis has made their point – and the Warriors will play much better at home. I”m not sure they cover that big spread, though.
Final Score Prediction:
Golden State 120, Memphis 114
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