Saturday is all about pivotal games within the NBA playoffs with teams either seeking to take commanding leads or make it a sequence by the tip of the day. We break down all of the action in our betting preview.Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers (+1.5, 193)

Raptors lead series 2-1

Toronto's All-Star backcourt showed signs of life and the Raptors will again expect the duo once they visit the Indiana Pacers in Saturday's Game 4 of the first-round series. Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each scored 21 points on Thursday because the Raptors posted a 101-85 victory for a 2-1 lead and another win on Indiana's home floor would go away the seventh-seeded Pacers in a major hole.

DeRozan scored 12 points within the first quarter in Game 3 as he quickly set the tone that he was going to erase the 10-of-37 shooting funk he experienced within the first two games. Lowry also was more comfy while putting a 7-of-26 begin to the series behind him as second-seeded Toronto finally gave the impression of the team that won a franchise-record 56 games within the regular season. "We're playing more to our identity," Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "I DON'T BELIEVE in Game 1 we played to our identity or even Game 2. There's such a lot of things we will be able to do better. I won't feel free until we (advance)." Indiana All-Star forward Paul George had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists and again carried his club, but he suffered through a 6-of-19 shooting effort.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, TNT, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Indiana

LINE HISTORY: The Pacers opened as 1.5-point home dogs for Game 4 and feature yet to transport off that number. The overall remains on the opening selection of 193. Take a look at your complete line history here.MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (58-27, 47-38 ATS, 42-42-1 O/U): DeRozan was breathing a sigh of relief after Game 3 as he rebounded from a benching within the fourth quarter of Game 2 to have his best game of the series. "We just must keep building, keep continuing to recover at both ends," DeRozan told reporters. "(This series) goes to be tough. But that's why we take it so serious after we are at practice, at shootaround and watching film." Center Jonas Valanciunas had 14 boards in Game 3 and he was a rebounding dynamo by averaging a league-wide postseason best 16 rebounds.ABOUT THE PACERS (46-39, 42-42-1 ATS, 37-48 O/U: George is averaging 28.7 points within the series and being blown out at home was deeply disappointing to him. "We didn't do our job," George told reporters. "It sucks. We didn't care for business on our home court. We were within the driver's seat. We need to stay positive. Still have an opportunity to even this up 2-2, make it a best out of 3 series." Indiana coach Frank Vogel cited the 17 turnovers as an incredible issue and allowed that the Raptors "outplayed us in all aspects of the game."

TRENDS:

* Raptors are 9-1 ATS within the last 10 meetings in Indiana.* Underdog is 4-1 ATS within the last 5 meetings.* Under is 5-1 within the last 6 meetings.* Under is 5-0 in Pacers last 5 overall.

Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets (-2.5, 200.5)Heat lead series 2-0The Miami Heat have placed on an offensive clinic in breezing to a 2-0 lead over the Hornets and hope to maintain the points coming when the series shifts to Charlotte for Game 3 on Saturday. The warmth scored a franchise playoff-record 123 points in Game 1 and tallied 72 within the first half a 115-103 triumph in Game 2.

Miami is shooting 57.8 percent from the ground during the first two games and Dwyane Wade is averaging 22 points and 7.5 assists to steer the way in which. “We can’t expect to take this same offensive game at the road,” Wade told reporters. “If that ever happens praise God, thanks. We got to expect to win these games with our defense, and our defense needs to be better.” The Hornets got strong performances from Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson in Game 2 but went 1-of-16 from 3-point range and will not match the Heat’s pace. Charlotte’s outside shooting took another hit when starting guard Nicolas Batum went down with a foot injury, and he isn't expected to play in Game 3.

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The Hornets opened as 3-point home favorites and feature been bet right down to -2.5. The entire have been bet down some degree from 201.5 to 200.5. Take a look at the entire line history here.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE WARMTH (50-34, 45-38-1 ATS, 36-47-1 O/U): Miami believes it has a team that may contend for the Eastern Conference title, and the veterans are ensuring the more youthful players are acutely aware of what’s at stake. “A couple of our veterans spoke up within the locker room — Dwyane, (Luol Deng), (Udonis Haslem),” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. “They has been in these situations before. They are often precarious. It's a must to say on edge. That’s the hardest part. I said it before, I said it yesterday. I wish lets all just visit our caves and wait and quiet (the noise) and prepare for the following battle.” Deng was a remarkable 11-of-13 from the sector in Game 1 and was solid again with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting in Game 2.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (48-36, 42-41-1 ATS, 42-40-2 O/U): Batum was one of the crucial keys to the Charlotte offense within the regular season while averaging career highs of 14.8 points and 5.8 assists and scored a team-high 24 points in Game 1 but will likely miss the remainder of the series. His absence sets the Hornets back on offense and doesn't do much to spice up the team defensively with Jeremy Lin more likely to absorb some extra minutes. “I know my team,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters. “I watch my team closer than anybody. I’m going to seem and determine what the issues are. If we have to make an adjustment, we’ll make it. But this isn’t they’re running stuff that we’re having trouble guarding. We’ve got to maintain the ball out of the center. We’ve got to be cleaner with our basic coverages. We’ve got to verify we’re not turning the ball over and staying organized on offense.”

TRENDS:

* Heat are 8-2 ATS within the last 10 meetings in Charlotte.* Hornets are 1-5 ATS of their last six games versus a team with a winning SU record.* Over is 4-0 in Heat last four versus Southeast Division opponents.* Over is 7-0 in Hornets last seven overall.Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks (+9, 201.5)Thunder lead series 2-1

Oklahoma City All-Star forward Kevin Durant rebounded from a horrific game to assist the Thunder gain control of the series and he aims to supply again in Saturday's Game 4 against the host Dallas Mavericks. Durant was 7-of-33 shooting because the Thunder fell in Game 2 but rebounded to attain a series-best 34 points as third-seeded Oklahoma City rolled to a 131-102 win on Thursday to take a 2-1 series lead.

Durant is averaging 26 points within the series but shooting just 34.2 percent as a result of porous Game 2 outing and he said the horrific performance had no effect on his psyche. "ONCE I play well, I DO NOT throw a celebration for myself afterward," Durant told reporters. "If I play terrible, I AM NOT going to head out and alter anything up. I WILL exit there and do the similar thing I HAVE BEEN doing." The sixth-seeded Mavericks had threatened to make it a chain after the 85-84 road win in Game 2 but were totally outclassed back at the home floor. "Look, their talent is a vital problem," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "WE ALL KNOW that. How you mitigate it's to be really tied together and play extremely hard. ... They're beatable, but we’ve got to come back out with a greater disposition. It’s so simple as that."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Oklahoma, KTXA (Dallas)

LINE HISTORY: The Mavericks opened as 10-point home pups, but has been bet to +9. The full has yet to transport off the hole collection of 201.5. Take a look at your complete line history here.MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE THUNDER (57-28, 39-45-1 ATS, 40-45 O/U): Durant's mood was certainly better after his 34th career postseason game as he had some tense moments of reflection after his poorest playoff performance. "Now I UNDERSTAND HOW fighters feel after they lose the fight and so they know the rematch is coming, but it is a year later," Durant told reporters. "That's the way it felt for me. I USED TO BE simply so anxious to head in the market and check out to assist my team win and provides them a greater effort on both ends." Point guard Russell Westbrook had 26 points and 15 assists in Game 3 and is averaging 23 points and 10.7 assists within the series.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (43-42, 46-38-1 ATS, 40-44-1 O/U): Point guard Deron Williams (sports hernia) missed Game 3 and is doubtful for Saturday's game and will be out the remainder of the series but J.J. Barea returned from a groin injury and had 15 points and 7 assists. Forward Dirk Nowitzki played despite a bruised right knee and had 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, but he was dismayed with the pace of Thursday's contest. "THE BEST WAY we won Game 2 was it was a slower-paced game for us, more or less grind it out," Nowitzki told reporters. "IT'LL be tough for us to win a game in the event that they score 131 points. I DON'T BELIEVE we will be able to score 131 at the moment with the team we roll out there, (as a result of) injuries."

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 9-2 ATS of their last 11 games versus a team with a winning straight up record.* Mavericks are 0-6 ATS of their last six home games versus a team with a winning road record.* Over is 5-1 in Thunder last six road games.* Under is 6-1 in Mavericks last seven games playing on 1 days rest.

L. a. Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers (+1.5, 207.5)

Clippers lead series 2-0

The Los Angeles Clippers seem to be firmly in charge of the series because it shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Saturday. The fourth-seeded Clippers rolled past the fifth-seeded Trail Blazers by a normal of 20.5 points within the first two games at home and were consistently capable of put their foot at the gas within the second half and shut out each game strong.

Portland was within six points early within the fourth quarter in Game 2 and seems like it improved from game to game. “Game 1 we were within the game after which that they had a stretch where they got on a run, we couldn't score the ball, and we just couldn't close that gap for the remainder of the sport,” Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard told reporters. “(Game 2) we took it a step further and the game was closer for somewhat longer than it was last game, after which the similar thing happened. We went cold they usually began to knock down shots.” The Clippers aren’t taking anything as a right and are hoping to near the series out quickly. “The one thing, I DO NOT BELIEVE I've ever won a chain that wasn't a Game 7, so that's more or less your next step is closing out a series,” forward Blake Griffin told reporters.TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), KGW (Portland)

LINE HISTORY: The path Blazers opened as 2-point home pups and feature been bet all the way down to +1.5. The full is currently on the opening collection of 207.5. Take a look at the entire line history here.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (55-29, 42-39-3 ATS, 34-50 O/U): La leaned on its bench in Game 2 and was rewarded with 43 points from the reserves. “One thing about our bench, what they have been doing on this series is if we pop out of the sport up six, once we return within the game, we is also up 10 or up 12,” star point guard Chris Paul told reporters. “We just need those guys to maintain twiddling with that confidence, and that is the reason why we're a team.” Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford led the bench with 11 points in Game 2 and all five reserves to log no less than 12 minutes were plus-15 or better.

ABOUT THE PATH BLAZERS (44-40, 44-40 ATS, 44-40 O/U: Portland could use more from its bench besides but really must get more out of Lillard and C.J. McCollum within the starting backcourt. Lillard is 13-of-39 from the sector within the series while McCollum is 9-of-28, however the two aren’t lacking confidence. “Tonight I just didn’t make those shots,” Lillard told reporters after Game 2. “Our coaching staff did a perfect job of watching film and putting myself and C.J. in numerous positions to where they couldn’t really take so much clear of us. I just got to make the shots. I FEEL that’s what it comes all the way down to. There are really no excuses. … The ball just didn’t go in.”

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 5-1 ATS of their last six games overall.* Trail Blazers are 0-5 ATS of their last five games overall.* Under is 4-0 in Trail Blazers last four games overall.* Under is 5-1 within the last six meetings.

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