The hole round of the NBA Playoffs gets back to business Wednesday night with a trio of solid matchups. The Hornets, Pistons, and Trail Blazers will all be looking to avenge Game 1 defeats.

Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat (-4.5, 199)

Heat lead series 1-0

The third-seeded Miami Heat versus the sixth-seeded Charlotte Hornets was imagined to be probably the most tighter matchups of the primary round of the NBA playoffs. The warmth breezed to a 32-point victory in Game 1 and can attempt to open up a 2-0 lead within the best-of-seven set with another easy win after they host the Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Miami’s clear advantage entering the series was experience, and Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson all have numerous experience within the postseason, despite the fact that none of it came together. Deng looked pleased with a season-high 31 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Game 1 to guide a 57.6 percent shooting effort from the warmth. “Whether you lose by 30 or one, it’s one-nothing,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters. “We lost one game. And up front, we just got manhandled. If Deng and (center Hassan) Whiteside are going to mix for those forms of numbers, it’s going to be hard for us to win.” Charlotte was outrebounded 49-37 and outscored within the paint 56-36 but doesn't plan to transport center Al Jefferson into the starting lineup.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southeast (Charlotte), FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The road for this contest opened with the warmth pegged as five-point favorites and the general public didn't trust that line, betting it right down to -4.5. The entire opened at 202.5 and took a drastic downward turn - settling in at 199.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE HORNETS (48-35, 42-40-1 ATS, 41-40-2 O/U): Kemba Walker was one in all three players to attain in double figures with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting within the first game but lamented the team’s execution. "We made a large number of mistakes," Walker told reporters. "Coach gave us an excellent game plan and we just completely went against it. We didn’t do what he told us to do. That’s probably not us. We’re usually the team that plays mistake-free. (Sunday), that wasn’t the case. They played extremely well as well, but we definitely made a large number of mistakes." Starting guards Walker, Courtney Lee and Nicolas Batum each managed just one help in the loss.

ABOUT THE WARMTH (49-34, 44-38-1 ATS, 35-47-1 O/U): Whiteside was playing in his first postseason game and had no trouble getting the simpler of Charlotte’s frontcourt with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in 26 minutes. “We just knew it was time to play Miami Heat basketball,” Whiteside told reporters. “We’re within the playoffs. It’s all or nothing. Just leave all of it available in the market. We came out and played our hearts out as a team. We’re just going to take a look at to maintain it rolling.” Whiteside finished third within the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting revealed on Monday.

TRENDS:

* Hornets are 1-7 ATS of their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.* Heat are 7-0 ATS of their last 7 home games.* Over is 6-0 in Hornets last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.* Under is 6-1 in Heat last 7 games following a straight up win.* Over is 9-0 within the last 9 meetings in Miami.

Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (-10, 201)

Cavaliers lead series 1-0

The Detroit Pistons let an upset opportunity escape within the series opener and look to bypass a 0-2 hole after they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Wednesday's Game 2. Eighth-seeded Detroit held a seven-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in Game 1 before top-seeded Cleveland rallied and stymied the Pistons.

Detroit point guard Reggie Jackson personifies the club's swagger and he doesn't see the missed opportunity as a devastating blow. "WE ALL KNOW that is Goliath. We welcome it. We love the challenge," Jackson told reporters after the 106-101 loss. "I BELIEVE we played well, I DO NOT BELIEVE we played necessarily our greatest game. We'll figure it out. It is a 1-0 series. We needless to say got another one on Wednesday - get back and be capable of pop out swinging." The Cleveland trio of point guard Kyrie Irving (playoff career-best 31 points), power forward Kevin Love (28 points, 13 rebounds) and small forward LeBron James (22 points, 11 assists) were all in stellar form within the opener. "WE HAVE NOW plenty of guys in this team, veterans that prepared us for this moment," Love told reporters. "So more or less leading as much as it, three or four weeks left within the season, we were approaching every game like we needed to get into the flow of a playoff game and approach every game as a tricky one for us."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Cleveland)

LINE HISTORY: The Cavs opened at -10.5 and the road was quicly dropped to -10 after Detroit's gutsy performance in Game 1. The whole opened at 201 and hasn't moved off that number.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE PISTONS (44-39, 43-38-2 ATS, 43-40 O/U): Backup rookie forward Stanley Johnson was a superb contributor within the opener with nine points and 8 rebounds in 16 minutes and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his regret that he didn't play Johnson over Tobias Harris (nine points in 40 minutes) down the stretch. The first-round draft choose from Arizona averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds within the regular season but has impressed his teammates together with his tenacious approach. "Stanley Johnson is a whole dog. He doesn't fear no man," Jackson told reporters. "ALL OF US bleed, so there ain't no reason to fret anybody, and that is the reason how he feels. He will come at you and attack you. It is a mindset that all of us want to have, and it's person who we embrace with him in this team."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (58-25, 37-43-3 ATS, 42-41 O/U): Irving (five) and Love (four) combined for nine of Cleveland's 12 3-pointers within the opener and James was ecstatic to look both players come through after injuries ended their postseasons early last season. "For these two guys, they were just excited to come back to this moment," James told reporters. "These guys has been working hard - Kyrie on his knee, Kevin on his shoulder - simply to come again to this moment. It was great to be out at the floor with them and for them to place together the performance that they did." Outside of the trio, there wasn't much offense from the remainder of the Cavaliers, because the other six who played combined for just 25 points.

TRENDS:

* Pistons are 5-1 ATS of their last 6 vs. NBA Central.* Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS of their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.* Under is 7-0 in Pistons last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.* Over is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 vs. NBA Central.* Pistons are 9-2 ATS within the last 11 meetings in Cleveland.

Portland Trail Blazers at La Clippers (-8.5, 209)

Clippers lead series 1-0

The La Clippers had no trouble with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 and can attempt to take a 2-0 lead once they host Game 2 on Wednesday. The Clippers coasted to a 115-95 victory within the series opener behind 28 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul and an exceptional defensive effort against the path Blazers’ talented backcourt.

Paul had numerous help from the remainder of his teammates, including a powerful game from Blake Griffin that made it look as though the previous All-Star was the entire long ago from his quad and hand injuries. “I'm just going to move play and play as hard as I WILL and fill any void that we see as a team,” Griffin told reporters. “I'm probably not worried concerning the whole, ‘Can he get back?’ or, ‘Will he have the ability to play at a high level?’ It's almost about filling those gaps for our team and finding how you can help.” The path Blazers could use an excellent performance from their frontcourt after starters Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee combined to move 7-of-25 from the sector. The vaunted backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum wasn’t a lot better offensively and struggled looking to stop Chris Paul and J.J. Redick at the other end of the floor.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as 8.5-point favorites and the entire opened at 209 - neither number has moved at this point.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE PATH BLAZERS (44-39, 44-39 ATS, 44-39 O/U): Lillard managed 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and 8 assists in Game 1 but was no match for Paul in his first playoff game because the unquestioned leader of the team. "We knew that they might make runs, but you have to answer back," Lillard told reporters. "YOU HAVE TO get stops. You have to score the ball." Lillard helped drag the team to the playoffs despite losing four veteran starters from a playoff team last season and wishes more help from McCollum, who struggled to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 1.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (54-29, 41-39-3 ATS, 34-49 O/U): Integrating Griffin back into the rotation after a scarcity of over three months was a focal point for the team within the final two weeks of the regular season, and he looked comfortable in Game 1. "He was great,” La coach Doc Rivers told reporters of Griffin. “Assertive. I loved his energy. Yeah, I mean, like I said before the game, I HAVE BEEN surprised with him. His energy, his endurance. (Sunday), I ASSUMED was the primary day that he had great timing as well, in order that was good for us.” Griffin delivered 19 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in 32 minutes after playing only five games down the stretch within the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Trail Blazers are 8-1 ATS of their last 9 games following a straight up lack of greater than 10 points.* Clippers are 1-8 ATS of their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.* Over is 12-3 in Trail Blazers last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.* Under is 22-5 in Clippers last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more of their previous game.* Under is 4-0 within the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

Read More... [Source: Covers.com: NBA News and Stories]