The NBA’s first-round playoff schedules are set. Now, we’re just awaiting to determine the No. 8 seed in the Eastern and Western Conferences with the completion of the play-in game tournament on Friday.
But even without the eighth seeds set, the No. 1 seeds know when they will be playing. The first round begins with four Game 1s on Saturday and four Game 1s on Sunday. Brooklyn Nets-Philadelphia 76ers open the playoffs on Saturday.
The most anticipated weekend matchups: Golden State Warriors–Sacramento Kings on Saturday, and Los Angeles Lakers-Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers–Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Buckle up! Chaos, uncertainty could be clear winners in NBA playoffs
Here are playoff schedules, TV information, storylines and predictions for each first-round series:
EAST
Game 1, Sunday: East 8 at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, TNT
Game 2, April 19: East 8 at Milwaukee, 9 p.m., ET, NBA TV
Game 3, April 22: Milwaukee at East 8, 7:30 p.m. ET, time and TV TBD
Game 4, April 24: Milwaukee at East 8, time and TV TBD
Game 5, April 26: East 8 at Milwaukee, time and TV TBD,
Game 6, April 28: Milwaukee at East 8, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 30: East 8 at Milwaukee, time and TV TBD
Game 1, Saturday: Atlanta at Boston, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2, Tuesday: Atlanta at Boston, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3, April 21: Boston at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4, April 23: Boston at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5, April 25: Atlanta at Boston, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 27: Boston at Atlanta, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 29: Atlanta at Boston, time TBD, TNT
Season series: Celtics won, 3-0
Key storyline: Hawks coach Quin Snyder helped improved a dangerous offense (Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Bogdan Bogdanovic) since taking over on Feb. 26, but the defense still has issues and that will be a problem against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and the Celtics’ No. 2 offense.
Prediction: Celtics in five
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
Game 1, Saturday: Brooklyn at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2, Monday: Brooklyn at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3, April 20: Philadelphia at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4, April 22: Philadelphia at Brooklyn, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5, April 24: Brooklyn at Philadelphia, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 27: Philadelphia at Brooklyn, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 29: Brooklyn at Philadelphia, time TBD, TNT
Season series: 76ers won, 4-0
Key storyline: The Nets have thrived under tumultuous conditions, but stopping Joel Embiid, James Harden and the Sixers offense is a difficult ask for the Nets in a seven-game series.
Prediction: Sixers in five
Game 1, Saturday: New York at Cleveland, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2, Tuesday: New York at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 21: Cleveland at New York, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4, April 23: Cleveland at New York, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5, April 26: New York at Cleveland, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 28: Cleveland at New York, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 30: New York at Cleveland, time and TV TBD
Season series: Knicks won, 3-1
Key storyline: The Knicks need to find a way to score on Cleveland’s top-ranked defense, and the Cavs, just 20-21 on the road, likely will need a win at Madison Square Garden, which means they need Donovan Mitchell to score efficiently.
Prediction: Cavs in seven
WEST
Game 1, Sunday: West 8 at Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2, Wednesday: West 8 at Denver, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 21: Denver at West 8, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4, April 23: Denver at West 8, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5, April 25: West 8 at Denver, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 27: Denver at West 8, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 29: West 8 at Denver, time TBD, TNT
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1, Sunday: Los Angeles at Memphis, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2, April 19: Los Angeles at Memphis, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 22: Memphis at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4, April 24: Memphis at Los Angeles, time and TV TBD
Game 5, April 26: Los Angeles at Memphis, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 28: Memphis at Los Angeles, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 30: Los Angeles at Memphis, time and TV TBD
Season series: Lakers won, 2-1
Key storyline: The new guard (Memphis and Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane) faces a compelling challenge from the old guard (the Lakers and LeBron James and Anthony Davis). This is an atypical 2-7 series with pressure on both sides.
Prediction: Grizzlies in seven
Game 1, Saturday: Golden State at Sacramento, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2, Monday: Golden State at Sacramento, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 20: Sacramento at Golden State, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4, April 23: Sacramento at Golden State, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5, April 26: Golden State at Sacramento, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 28: Sacramento at Golden State, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 30: Golden State at Sacramento, time and TV TBD
Season series: Warriors won, 3-1
Key storyline: Can the Kings, making their first playoff appearance since 2006 behind the strong play of Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, handle the pressure of playing the defending champs and Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green? Both defenses have their hands full with the offensive movement of the other team.
Prediction: Warriors in six
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
Game 1, Sunday: Los Angeles at Phoenix, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2, Tuesday: Los Angeles at Phoenix, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 20: Phoenix at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4, April 22: Phoenix at Los Angeles, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5, April 25: Los Angeles at Phoenix, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 27: Phoenix at Los Angeles, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 29: Los Angeles at Phoenix, time TBD, TNT
Season series: Tied, 2-2
Key storyline: No Paul George to start the series for the Clippers, and Kawhi Leonard might not be enough against a loaded Suns squad with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton that has excelled in short time since acquiring Durant.
Prediction: Suns in six
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoffs: First-round schedules: Game times, TV info, predictions
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