Gafford is too strong and too athletic for Chet Holmgren and while OKC will win this series and score a lot of points and maybe close it out pretty early - like last round - the Thunder big man is gonna get tossed around like a rag doll again in the process, like he was against New Orleans. This will be an acute problem should OKC/MIN meet in the WCF. I love a lot about OKC, but there is too much string bean to the kid's game at thus stage of his development for some of these match ups

We missed the over in Game 1, barely, because of 15 missed fouls shots and starters being pulled with 4 mins left in a blowout, but we saw all the pace, relentless shot-taking and OKC offensive options unfold as expected. Luka looks spent and banged up from all the guarding he did in the first round, like Denver, Dallas is out of sorts and the younger, faster home team is going to fill the bucket. OKC has scored 117+ in 11 of last 12 at home, averaging 122.7/G in that span. Overall, OKC has scored 117, 126, 111 and 126 vs DAL. Dallas is down one top rim defender, Thunder are experts are drawing fouls (and not just SGA, either). This could get sideways again

Gray has been masterful, though he is not a huge punchout guy, usually. However, he got the Brewers 12 times last time he faced them and that lineup is starting to slip back some and he is in peak form and this number allows for plenty of regression from his last outing against them with us still cashing. Can he go longer this outing and strike out fewer than 12 but more than 6? I absolutely think so.

Sonny Gray is pitching as well as anyone in the NL, he is locked in, with a ridiculous ERA (0.89) and just struck out 12 in 6 1/3 when he faced the Brewers a few weeks ago. Chances are he gets a little less swing and miss and is also a little less pitch-heavy in the first 5 innings to shutdown an offense that is regressing. I saw the Brewers spot starter first ever outing in rookie ball and have watched his career closely as he bounced between orgs. Maybe he can last 5 innings but his command is iffy, his stuff has been hitable (4 ER in each of his last two starts) and even the lowly Redbirds should get to him.

Fedde has been a rare Pale Hose success story, but I also don't think the journeyman starter can keep this up and he earned a career ERA well over 5 the hard way. Naylor has seen him once and homered off his once and the more teams get to see this new version of Fedde the more they will adjust. The other Naylor also homered off Fedde that time around if you are looking for a familial parlay.

The Pale Hose starter is having a magical redemption but I don't believe it's sustainable and he ran into big trouble a little while back against the Guardians - 4 ER off 3 HR in 5 IP (5 runs total). The White Sox can't protect leads and their futility is well established, CLE is a top 5 team in making betters cash (+885) and CHW near bottom (-1539(. Hose get blown out all the time. CLE 3rd in AL in RD (+41) and stout on road (12-7).

This dude keeps scoring a ton and picking up the weight in that regard with Porzingis out. He's dropped 25 in each of the last two games and his teammates tend to erupt whenever he makes a shot and they are loving this run he is on. White has 20+ in 4 of 6 playoff games and with Tatum a little passive lately, I expect him to go off again here. He's shooting 57% from the field in the postseason and the Cavs aren't special defensively and there are so many others who demand attention on this roster. He's prowess from behind the arc works in out favor as well. Has 88 points in the last 3 games - all Boston victories

This is a number the Celtics clear easy on the season (+8,7 in 1st half at home in regular season), and through the playoffs except for Game 2 in the first round. I don't see history repeating itself here. Boston will be fired up and ready and I expect a bounce back game from Tatum. Cavs have all kinds of problems scoring regularly and their outside shooting is too hit or miss. I project another double-digit Celtics lead after the first 24 minutes. Expect the Celtics fresher legs to be a factor from the opening jump.

The Celtics already had a Game 2 letdown in the first round. I don't see it happening again. Even with a slow start by their standards they blew out the Cavs Tues like we thought they would. And that was with Tatum providing nothing offensively on 6/18 shooting. That won't happen again and if he drains an early 3 or two, look out. Cavs cannot match up here and as we noted before Game 1, they can't play from behind. Celtics superior bench flourished in the opening game. I wouldn't be surprised if they won by 25 again. It's what they do at home against lesser teams like this. Celtics are too good and too deep and too rested.

Like what I have seen from Greene this season and he seems to be understanding the limitations of his arsenal a bit more and pitching smarter. Not buying the Snakes starter, who I believe has a future in the pen but his 5 ERA is in the rotation due to some injuries. I don't see him providing any depth here. Reds can run like crazy and can juice the offense that way. Reds will fight off the sweep here and get lineup going against a lesser starter

Los Gigantes need to stack every win they can get vs lesser teams (there aren't that many around) and Hickes only threw four innings last time out against a relentless Phillies lineup (4 walks), but the chore is much different here against the lowly Rockies, who will chase plenty of elevated fastballs they cant reach. Hicks has gone over 5 innings with some regularity and could easily finish 6 against this lineup.

Los Gigantes stopper is a former closer who has been one of the best pitchers in the NL so far this season. The experiment is showing no signs of fading with Hicks holding his velo and getting swing-and-miss with secondaries as well. I don't trust the Giants to score a ton, even in the altitude of Coors, however, and don't like their pen all that much, so let's shorter the game here against the Rockies starter, who is not good.

It's been well documented how much Haliburton's scoring sagged int he second half of the season. He isn't the same guy, and in the last two games the Pacers biggest offensive gains were made with McConnell leading their second team. He was a perimeter monster out of nowhere to close out the Bucks and hoisted up 16 shots (in just 22 mins) in Game 1, to just 6 in 36 for Haliburton. I think the Pacers keep riding the hot hand here and I project him for 15+ tonight with the Pacers playing desperate basketball. He's averaging 15/G in his last 10 and has 38 points in his last two games.