NBA Playoff Schedule 2016: TV Coverage Guide for Remainder of Postseason

In the opening stages of the NBA playoffs, it appeared few, if any first-round series would require a long-term commitment to settle the score. However, with the help of home cooking and untimely injuries, three matchups remain ongoing.

If not for the basketball gods smiting the Los Angeles Clippers, the Western Conference may have both of its semifinal showdowns decided. Yet two major injuries have turned the tables on what initially appeared an open-and-shut case.

In the Eastern Conference, home-court advantage has heavily swayed two evenly matched series. The other nearly saw the underdog sprint ahead before stumbling toward the finish line on Tuesday.

Let’s take a look at the available postseason schedule and the three Game 6 showdowns set for Friday night.

Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers

This section almost read much differently. The Toronto Raptors again falling short in the first round. Paul George carrying the Indiana Pacers on his back with a marvelous 39-point outing. All that good stuff.

Instead, Indiana squandered a 13-point lead by scoring nine points during the fourth quarter. Per ESPN Stats & Info, Toronto locked down defensively to prevent any easy looks:

The Pacers couldn’t get any easy looks in the 4th quarter. All 15 of their attempts in the quarter were contested. pic.twitter.com/d63QKXNmre

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 27, 2016

Some innovative tinkering by head coach Dwane Casey paid major dividends. To counteract Indiana’s streaking perimeter shooting, Casey went small. For most of the final period, point guard Cory Joseph and wingman Nick Powell joined star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Center Bismack Biyombo took starter Jonas Valanciunas’ spot in crunch time, finishing with a game-high 16 rebounds.

Coaches try out new groupings all the time, but typically not late in Game 5 of a tied playoff series. “It was a crazy thing to think about,” DeRozan said after the win, …

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