NBA fans love the regular 82-game season (or in the case of last year, the shortened 66-game season). However, what makes NBA fans tick is the playoffs, especially if their favorite team(s) or player(s) will be participating. In fine style we saw the Miami Heat win 66 games, the New York Knicks push forward to win 54 games and finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference, we saw the Oklahoma City Thunder overtake San Antonio to win the West with 60 wins, and the Lakers win 8 of their last 10, including their last 5 to secure an improbable 7th position over Houston Rockets who they beat in overtime on the last night’s last day of the regular season.
The Lakers’ achievement was great, considering they lost their leader and prolific scorer, Kobe Bryant in the last 3 mins of the 3rd-to-last game against Golden State Warriors, won that game, then defeated San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets.
This year’s NBA playoffs features the following match-ups:
EASTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND
(1) Miami [Heat] vs. (8) Milwaukee [Bucks]
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Milwaukee at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Miami at Milwaukee, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Miami at Milwaukee, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TNT
(2) New York [Knicks] vs. (7) Boston [Celtics]
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Boston at New York, 3 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Boston at New York, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, New York at Boston, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, New York at Boston, 1 p.m., ABC/R
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
(3) Indiana [Pacers] vs. (6) Atlanta [Hawks]
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Atlanta at Indiana, 1 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Atlanta at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
(4) Brooklyn [Nets] vs. (5) Chicago [Bulls]
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Brooklyn at Chicago, 8:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 4 – Sat April 27, Brooklyn at Chicago, 2 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 29, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Brooklyn at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TNT
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WESTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND
(1) Oklahoma City [Thunder] vs. (8) Houston [Rockets]
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Houston at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Houston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Oklahoma City at Houston, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/R
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
(2) San Antonio [Spurs] vs. (7) Los Angeles [Lakers]
Game 1 – Sun April 21, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Wed April 24, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TNT
(3) Denver [Nuggets] vs. (6) Golden State [Warriors]
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Golden State at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Golden State at Denver, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, Denver at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Denver at Golden State, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Denver at Golden State, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TNT
(4) Los Angeles [Clippers] vs. (5) Memphis [Grizzlies]
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sat April 27, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD
Your Predictions?
Tell us what you expect. Predict who will win and in how many games?
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