Picks and Predictions

Spurs at Thunder Game 6 Pick

Back at the AT&T Center, the San Antonio Spurs felt right at home.

With a 117-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, now leading 3-2 in the Western Conference finals, the Spurs can return to the NBA Finals with a victory on Saturday night. But in order to do so, the Spurs must win one game on the road.

Pacers at Heat Game 6 Pick

Paul George’s Game 5 performance reminded us why he was once considered an MVP candidate during the regular season.

Putting his team on his back late in the game by scoring 31 points in the second half, George’s epic shot making and hot hand has given the Indiana Pacers some life, cutting the series total to 3-2.

Thunder at Spurs Game 5 Pick

Not that long ago, the San Antonio Spurs blew a 2-0 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals two years ago. Well, after a second consecutive dominating performance from the Thunder, after getting blown out in the first two games, the Spurs are in danger of another historic collapse.

French Open Preview: Nadal Faces Big Challenges in 2014

While Rafael Nadal’s stranglehold on clay surface success begins to ease up, a hungry field of ATP competitors is ready and waiting to take his place on the throne. Don’t get us wrong, Rafa remains the tennis betting favorite with 5/4 odds of winning the French Open, but he has had some vulnerabilities exploited in 2014 already.

Heat at Pacers Game 5 Pick

Chris Bosh started Game 4 with eight straight points. LeBron James finished it.

Now, the Miami Heat, who are 13-3 in closeout games since the 2011 postseason is one game away from eliminating the Indiana Pacers for the second consecutive year in the Eastern Conference finals. Unlike last season where this series went the distance, the Pacers appear to be no match for the two-time defending champions.

Spurs at Thunder Game 4 Pick

Three games into the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally resemble the team that was expected to be here.

Not the team that arrived in San Antonio without their defensive MVP. Or the team that lost the rebounding battle, while allowing the San Antonio Spurs to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor in the first two games.

Heat at Pacers Game 4 Pick

If Ray Allen decides to make a sequel to He Got Game, let Spike Lee start with the footage from the fourth quarter of Game 3, where Allen scored all 16 of his points in the second half, including going 4-for-4 from downtown. To struggle through the first 36 minutes of a game and then catch fire is one thing, but to have a performance like that at the age of 38 against the NBA’s best defensive team is another.

Spurs at Thunder Game 3 Pick

Already down 0-2 to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder are searching for a spark that will get them back into this series.

Despite the storm of the Spurs not only striking once, but twice in San Antonio, a return home for Kevin Durant and co. is a place to start, where the Thunder are about to face their biggest test of the season. Although it’s only Game 3, it’s certainly a Game 7 for the Thunder, as 110 teams have tried, but all have failed to comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.

Pacers at Heat Game 3 Pick

For months, the Indiana Pacers fought long and hard to earn home court advantage throughout the playoffs. For 48 minutes of Game 1 and through three quarters of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, it was. Until LeBron James and Dwyane Wade outscored the Pacers 25-20 in the fourth quarter en route to a four-point win.

Spurs vs Thunder Game 2 Pick

Not even Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were able to will the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 1 victory.

Combining for 53 points, KD and Westbrook did everything they could to keep Oklahoma City close, but it simply wasn’t enough. OKC’s two superstars already were carrying the weight of the Thunder’s championship dreams. Now without Serge Ibaka, whose absence was visibly felt in Game 1 will be asked to take their MVP-caliber games to another level in Game 2 and beyond.