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The defending champion Miami Heat remain the class of the NBA so far in the 2014 NBA Playoffs. While the Heat don’t necessarily have the toughest opponent in the Charlotte Bobcats, they’ve been the best team so far at taking care of business, as they enter Monday night’s game four with a 3-0 series lead.
Considering big man Al Jefferson is hobbled and no NBA team has ever emerged victorious from a 3-0 hole, it’s likely only a matter of time before the Heat put the finishing touches on a first round series win. Whether or not it happens tonight in the form of a four-game sweep remains to be determined.
To see if the Heat can close out tonight’s series and how the rest of Monday’s NBA Playoff lineup checks out, let’s dive into our playoff picks:
Miami Heat (2) @ Charlotte Bobcats (7) – 7:00 PM ET
The Heat have held control of this entire series, yet their only truly dominant performance came in game three in Charlotte. The Bobcats aren’t hopefully in extending their first round series, specifically since game four takes place on their home court. The writing is on the wall, however, and with the talent gap being rather large, it makes sense that the Heat would get this series over with so they can rest and prepare for the next round.
Pick: Heat 98, Bobcats 90
Atlanta Hawks (8) @ Indiana Pacers (1) – 8:00 PM ET
In one of the more interesting series of the playoffs, the bottom-seeded Hawks stand pat at 2-2 with the top-seeded Pacers. Game five has the two sides heading back to Indiana to see who will hold a major advantage when game six rolls around.
Indiana appeared to have their backs against the wall in game four when the Hawks held a 2-1 lead. However, it seems Atlanta may have missed their chance to strike the fatal blow. The Hawks made this series worth watching, but the Pacers should buckle down on defense and execute at home to take the 3-2 lead.
Pick: Pacers 96, Hawks 93
San Antonio Spurs (1) @ Dallas Mavericks (8) – 9:30 PM ET
Another lopsided seeding has been more of a battle than anyone expected, as a Vince Carter shot at the buzzer gave the Mavs an unlikely 2-1 series lead going into game four. Dallas hosts the Spurs for the second game in a row and can play pressure free with a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead, but San Antonio doesn’t go on three game losing streaks.
The Mavs will give it a fight to keep the pressure on the Spurs, but eight seeds rarely upend top seeds. It’s especially hard to see Dallas winning after only snapping a long losing streak to the Spurs in game two. Look for another heated battle, but for the Spurs to come out on top and even the series, 2-2.
Pick: Spurs 101, Mavericks 96
