The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have yet to lose a game during the 2017 NBA Playoffs. As the heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals, both teams inch closer to an expected part three of their championship feud.On Friday, the Toronto Raptors put together a valiant effort without a key player but fizzled out in the final quarter at home against the Cavaliers.The Houston Rockets didn't have enough contributions off the bench to complement James Harden's 43 points against the San Antonio Spurs. LaMarcus Aldridge notched his best postseason performance with 26 points on 60 percent shooting from the field.Did most analysts prematurelywrite off San Antonio after Tony Parker's injury' Houston probably won't shoot an overall 36 percent in the following game, but is it time for Rockets fans to panic after consecutive Spurs victories'What's the latest series score for each matchup' Who should we expect to see in the conference finals'Semifinal Bracket StorylinesCavaliers Remain Postseason PerfectThe Cavaliers pushed the Raptors to the brink of elimination in a decisive 21-point Game 3 victory. According to the Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Kyle Lowry needed treatment for his ankle leading up the contest, but he never stepped on the court:Without Lowry, the Raptors held a three-point lead going into halftime. However, the Cavaliers switched into another gear for the second half and outscored their opponents 36-17 in the fourth quarter. Despite DeMar DeRozan's 37-point performance, Toronto couldn't keep pace with Cleveland. The Raptors bench only scored nine points. Kyle Korver contributed 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Cleveland.Kudos to head coach Tyronn Lue for righting the ship and tightening the loose ends during the postseason. The Cavaliers shot 85 percent from the free-throw line in Game 3, which speaks to the team's overall efficiency through seven consecutive wins:If Lowry can't suit up or plays limited minutes in Game 4, add another sweep to the Cavaliers' 2017 postseason resume.Wizards and Celtics Set for Long, Chippy SeriesIsaiah Thomas lost a tooth on an inadvertent elbow, Otto Porter ran off the court with blood gushing from his nose and Kelly Oubre knocked Kelly Olynyk off his feet after a stiff shove; it's all part of playoff basketball. SI.com captured what could've turned into a brawl:These teams have enforcers and agitators who've shaped this physical series. For the Wizards, Markieff Morris takes the role as the tough guy on the court. On a mismatch, Thomas made sure to stare him down after a critical jump shot down the stretch in Game 2, captured by SI.com's Ben Golliver:Marcus Smart has been known to flop for whistles, which gets a reaction from the opponent, but he's also a nuisance on the defensive end along with Jae Crowder. Thomas addressed the physicality and the aggressiveness after a Game 3 loss, per Golliver:Aside from the pushing and shoving, the series looks primed to go seven games with more amazing finishes along the way.Even though the Celtics lead the series 2-1, the Wizards have the largest win margin after their 27-point blowout victory in Game 3. It's also worth noting that Washington has led Boston by double figures in each first quarter of the three contests.Warriors Walking Through West OpponentsGolden State has won five out of six postseason games by 11 points or more. The Warriors are also sharing the basketball like no other team since the 1985-86 Los Angeles Lakers, per ESPN's Tom Haberstroh:The Warriors started this series in full control and haven't let up on the Utah Jazz, per ESPN Stats & Info:Despite the switch in location, expect the same results in this series. Without head coach Steve Kerr, Golden State's unselfish bunch still has the ball movement and firepower to eliminate an inferior opponent coming off a seven-game set.What's the highlight of the series' It's Stephen Curry embarrassing Rudy Gobert away from the basket:Simply put, the Jazz don't match well with the Warriors' small-ball lineup, their quickness or offensive firepower. Barring an atrocious shooting performance, expect Golden State to wrap up the series on the road.For casual basketball fans looking for an action-packed Western Conference Finals, a series between the Rockets and Warriors would hit all the high notes. The two clubs rank within the top three postseason teams in points scored per game. Furthermore, the Rockets thrive in an uptempo style that matches the Warriors' offensive approach.Stats provided by NBA.com and Basketball-Reference unless otherwise noted.
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