THE first round of the 2019 NBA play-offs was mostly pedestrian and very predictable where the top four teams in both conferences advanced with the losing teams winning an average of just over one game each. The second (Conference semi-final) round, however, has proven to be a whole different ball game.

Apart from the series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, the other match-ups have proven to be very competitive.

The Celtics defeated the Bucks in Game 1 (in Milwaukee) and it appeared that the series would provide the expected fireworks but, it was not to be. As it turned out, Kyrie Irving underperformed in the next three games, the Celtics lost and he may have outlived his welcome in Boston. Between Games 2-4, Irving shot 19-for-62 (31%) from the field. Those 43 missed field goal attempts are the most Irving has ever missed over a three-game stretch in the play-offs. On the other hand, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who almost single-handedly got Milwaukee their first-ever play-off series win this year, overcame his Game 1 slump to dominate the court as he did in the regular season.

The Western Conference semi-final between the JustBet favourite Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets has definitely turned into the anticipated series the league and its fans expected. The Warriors took care of business at home in the first two games and, with James Harden’s game taking a nosedive in the play-offs, appeared to be heading for a sweep. Suddenly, as if awakened from slumber, Harden’s floater returned in Game 3, which forms the foundation of his inside-out action, and set the foundation for his great play.

Kevin Durant is having a tremendous run in the play-offs and, were it not for his contribution, the Warriors may not have made it this far. Team-mates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have not had the ‘hot hand’ in this series with the Rockets as they are shooting a combined 37 per cent overall, 27 per cent on 3-pointers and, for the Warriors to emerge victorious, Durant will need their assistance. Durant and Harden have battled equally in a shot-for-shot slugfest and the response of their respective supporting cast will surely determine the outcome of this contest.

The Rockets pulled out a gritty overtime win in Game 3 and followed that up with a Game 4, 112-108 victory to tie the series 2-2. The series now has seven-games written all over it.

Blowout victories by the Toronto Raptors (125-89) and the Denver Nuggets (124-98) on Tuesday night versus the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively, may have booked their ticket into the next play-off round. Toronto Raptors’ forward Kawhi Leonard has been quietly impressive. In the first nine games of the 2019 playoffs, Leonard has become the first player in NBA postseason history to average 30 points, five rebounds and three assists on an effective field goal percentage greater than 65. He is averaging 32.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists with an effective field goal percentage of 66.2. This ‘silent assassin’ should take the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals and provide the Bucks with all they can handle.

Portland’s Damian Lillard, while still the star of his team, has not been able to replicate his heroics of the first round. It may be due to the Game 3, four-overtime marathon where Portland narrowly won 140-137 but, ever since, they have appeared flat. Denver recovered from that defeat and led by as much as 31-points on Tuesday night en route to their Game 5 victory. Despite being the only team that played a 7-game series in the first round, they appear fresh and focused with all the goods required to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

JustBet offers odds on the NBA and all major sports and sporting events. The schedule for the rest of the second-round NBA play-off games are listed, but visit one of the over 100 locations (or visit www.justbetja.com) for details and place your bets on the prediction of your choice for maximum winnings… Get in the GAME!

JUSTBET NBA CHAMPION 2018-2019

CODE TEAM ODDS101 GS WARRIORS 1.70

102 BOS CELTICS 150.00

103 HOU ROCKETS 5.50

105 PHI 76ERS 20.00

106 TOR RAPTORS 8.00

110 MIL BUCKS 4.50

114 DEN NUGGETS 15.00

117 POR BLAZERS 60.00

DATE TIME HOME AWAY

10/05/19 TBD BOS CELTICS MIL BUCKS Game 6 (if necessary)

TBD HOU ROCKETS GS WARRIORS Game 6

12/05/19 TBD TOR RAPTORS PHI 76ers Game 7 (if necessary)

TBD GS WARRIORS HOU ROCKETS Game 7 (if necessary)

TBD DEN NUGGETS POR T BLAZERS Game 7 (if necessary)

13/05/19 TBD MIL BUCKS BOS CELTICS Game 7 (if necessary)