NBA Playoff Schedule 2016: Latest Conference Semis Bracket, Odds and Picks

These have been some strange playoffs.

Blowouts? Injuries? Officiating crises?

They’ve truly had it all.

But as we get into the heart of Round 2, there has also been an overwhelming amount of excitement and intrigue.

Things have been OK thus far. With the top-tier teams from both conferences set to dig in against one another, though, the postseason is about to hit its stride.

 

Odds

Odds were last updated Monday, per Odds Shark.

 

Bracket

For more information on the complete playoff schedule, check out NBA.com.

 

East Picks

Cavaliers vs. Hawks

Get the brooms out.

On Wednesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers decimated the Atlanta Hawks with an aerial attack of historic proportions. The team knocked down an NBA playoff-record 22 three-pointers in a 123-98 blowout.

Game 1 was more respectable, but Cleveland still rode LeBron James to a 104-93 victory.

Kyrie Irving’s triple late in the third quarter on Wednesday put the Cavaliers into the record books. At the time, Cleveland had more threes than Atlanta had field goals.

Look, J.R. Smith isn’t going to hit seven threes every night, but with James and Irving constantly finding their way into the paint, shooters will be left open.

The Hawks will likely show some life at home, but they look overmatched.  

 

Raptors vs. Heat

This is a tricky one.

For much of Game 1 on Tuesday, the Toronto Raptors appeared destined to lose. Despite getting over that first-round hump, they didn’t quite feel in the clear yet.

And then Kyle Lowry did this:

In overtime, though, it was all Miami. …

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