NBA Playoff Schedule 2016: Updated Dates, Game Times, Livestream and Picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team to punch their ticket to the 2016 NBA conference finals, but three series remain unresolved heading into the latter half of the semifinals. 

The Cavaliers will likely be waiting a while for their opponent. The series between the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors has been competitive thus far. Toronto has played well enough to take a 2-1 lead but lost Jonas Valanciunas for the series to a sprained ankle, per Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. 

Then, there’s the Western Conference, where an ankle injury has been one of the biggest storylines throughout the series. The Golden State Warriors have managed to take a 2-1 lead without Stephen Curry but will need to get back on track after dropping Game 3 in Portland against the Trail Blazers. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are putting on the most interesting series of the bunch. After four games, the series is knotted at two with some incredible performances from Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. 

Here’s a look at the upcoming start times for the remainder of this round. Livestreams can be found at WatchESPN and TNT Overtime.

Series Picks

Raptors vs. Heat

Of the seven teams remaining in the playoff field, most are the usual suspects, but Toronto is the only team really looking to put together a breakthrough performance. After being bounced in the first round in each of their last five playoff appearances, the Raptors now have a 2-1 lead in a second-round series. 

Unfortunately, that might be the only step this young Raptors team takes this year, as the loss of Valanciunas is a big one going forward.

ESPN Stats & Info illustrated just how much the big man meant to his team in the first three games of the series:

The Raptors are +39 w/ Jonas Valanciunas on the court this series, the highest +/- of any Raptors player vs the Heat https://t.co/L6wlExhOho

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 8, 2016

Kyle Lowry finally got out of his postseason funk with 33 points in Game 3, but replacing Valanciunas’ production on the offensive side of the floor in the post will be difficult. Bismack Biyombo can reasonably cover on the defensive end, but he is averaging only 1.6 points in 15.4 minutes …

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