NBA

NBA Playoff Matchups, Schedule Set

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When the Memphis Grizzlies edged the Dallas Mavericks in overtime Wednesday night, sealing the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, the first-round matchups for the NBA’s postseason were set.

The Grizzlies avoided a first-round matchup with the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs, instead earning a date with the second-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks will square off with the Spurs.

In the other Western Conference opening-round series, the third-seeded Los Angeles Clippers will play the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors in an all-California affair, and the fourth-seeded Houston Rockets and fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers will meet.

In the East, the Nets lost their regular-season finale to the Cleveland Cavaliers, dropping Brooklyn from the fifth seed to the sixth seed. The Nets will play the third-seeded Toronto Raptors, while the Washington Wizards moved up to No. 5, setting up a battle with the fourth-seeded Chicago Bulls.

The East’s top seed, the Indiana Pacers, meet the Atlanta Hawks, the only playoff team with a losing record. The defending champion Miami Heat, seeded second, will play the seventh-seeded Charlotte Bobcats.

The NBA’s opening-round playoff matchups:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Indiana (56-26) vs. No. 8 Atlanta (38-44) — Game 1 is Saturday

No. 2 Miami (54-28) vs. No. 7 Charlotte (43-39) — Game 1 is Sunday

No. 3 Toronto (48-34) vs. No. 6 Brooklyn (44-38) — Game 1 is Saturday

No. 4 Chicago (48-34) vs. No. 5 Washington (44-38) — Game 1 is Sunday

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 San Antonio (62-20) vs. No. 8 Dallas (49-33) — Game 1 is Sunday

No. 2 Oklahoma City (59-23) vs. No. 7 Memphis (50-32) — Game 1 is Saturday

No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers (57-24 entering Wednesday night game) vs. No. 6 Golden State (50-31 entering Wednesday night game) — Game 1 is Saturday

No. 4 Houston (54-28) vs. No. 5 Portland (53-28 entering Wednesday night game) — Game 1 is Sunday

 

Here is the first-round playoff schedule. All times ET.

 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Dallas Mavericks

Game 1 — Sunday, April 20, Dallas at San Antonio, 1 p.m., TNT

Game 2 — Wednesday, April 23, Dallas at San Antonio, 8 p.m., NBA TV

Game 3 — Saturday, April 26, San Antonio at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., TNT

Game 4 — Monday, April 28, San Antonio at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 5* — Wednesday, April 30, Dallas at San Antonio, TBD

Game 6* — Friday, May 2, San Antonio at Dallas, TBD

Game 7* — Sunday, May 4, Dallas at San Antonio, TBD

 

No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies

Game 1 — Saturday, April 19, Memphis at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 2 — Monday, April 21 Memphis at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Thursday, April 24 Oklahoma City at Memphis, 8 p.m., TNT

Game 4 — Saturday, April 26 Oklahoma City at Memphis. 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 5* — Tuesday, April 29 Memphis at Oklahoma City, TBD

Game 6* — Thursday, May 1 Oklahoma City at Memphis, TBD

Game 7* — Saturday, May 3 Memphis at Oklahoma City, TBD

 

No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors

Game 1 — Saturday, April 19, Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Game 2 — Monday, April 21, Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Thursday, April 24, L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., TNT

Game 4 — Sunday, April 27, L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Game 5* — Tuesday, April 29, Golden State at L.A. Clippers, TBD

Game 6* — Thursday, May 1, L.A. Clippers at Golden State, TBD

Game 7* — Saturday, May 3. Golden State at L.A. Clippers, TBD

 

No. 4 Houston Rockets vs. No. 5 Portland Trail Blazers

Game 1 — Sunday, April 20, Portland at Houston, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 2 — Wednesday, April 23, Portland at Houston, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Friday, April 25, Houston at Portland, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 4 — Sunday, April 27, Houston at Portland, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 5* — Wednesday, April 30, Portland at Houston, TBD

Game 6* — Friday, May 2, Houston at Portland, TBD

Game 7* — Sunday, May 4, Portland at Houston, TBD

 

 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1 — Saturday, April 19, Atlanta at Indiana, 7 p.m., ESPN

Game 2 — Tuesday, April 22, Atlanta at Indiana, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Thursday, April 24, Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m., NBA TV

Game 4 — Saturday, April 26, Indiana at Atlanta, 2 p.m., TNT

Game 5* — Monday, April 28, Atlanta at Indiana, 8 p.m., NBA TV

Game 6* — Thursday, May 1, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD

Game 7* — Saturday, May 3, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD

 

No. 2 Miami Heat vs. No. 7 Charlotte Bobcats

Game 1 — Sunday, April 20, Charlotte at Miami, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Game 2 — Wednesday, April 23, Charlotte at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Saturday, April 26, Miami at Charlotte, 7 p.m., ESPN

Game 4 — Monday, April 28, Miami at Charlotte, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 5* — Wednesday, April 30, Charlotte at Miami, TBD

Game 6* — Friday, May 2, Miami at Charlotte, TBD

Game 7* — Sunday, May 4, Charlotte at Miami, TBD

 

No. 3 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets

Game 1 — Saturday, April 19, Brooklyn at Toronto, 12:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 2 — Tuesday, April 22, Brooklyn at Toronto, 8 p.m., NBA TV

Game 3 — Friday, April 25, Toronto at Brooklyn, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Game 4 — Sunday, April 27, Toronto at Brooklyn, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 5* — Wednesday, April 30, Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD

Game 6* — Friday, May 2, Toronto at Brooklyn, TBD

Game 7* — Sunday, May 4, Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD

 

No. 4 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 5 Washington Wizards

Game 1 — Sunday, April 20, Washington at Chicago, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 2 — Tuesday, April 22, Washington at Chicago, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 3 — Friday, April 25, Chicago at Washington, 8 p.m., ESPN

Game 4 — Sunday, April 27, Chicago at Washington, 1 p.m., ABC

Game 5* — Tuesday, April 29, Washington at Chicago, TBD

Game 6* — Thursday, May 1, Chicago at Washington, TBD

Game 7* — Saturday, May 3, Washington at Chicago, TBD

 

*If necessary. TBD — To be determined

Author photo
Jeff Hawkins
Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

All posts by Jeff Hawkins
Author photo
Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

All posts by Jeff Hawkins