NBA playoffs: Scores, schedules, matchups, predictions for first round
The NBA’s first-round playoff schedules are set. The No. 8 seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences were secured with the final two play-in games Friday.
The Milwaukee Bucks earned the top seed in the East and the Denver Nuggets earned the No. 1 seed in the West.
The first round began with four Game 1s on Saturday and four Game 1s on Sunday. The No. 3 seed Philadelphia 76ers hosted the No. 6 seed Brooklyn Nets in the frst game on Saturday, while the Nuggets hosted the No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in the final game on Sunday night.
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.
Here are playoff schedules, TV information, storylines and predictions for each first-round series:
Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules
EASTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
Game 1: Heat 130, Bucks 117
Game 2, Wednesday: Miami at Milwaukee, 9 p.m., ET, NBA TV
Game 3, April 22: Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET, time and TV TBD
Game 4, April 24: Milwaukee at Miami, time and TV TBD
Game 5, April 26: Miami at Milwaukee, time and TV TBD,
Game 6, April 28: Milwaukee at Miami, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 30: Miami at Milwaukee, time and TV TBD
Season series: Tied, 2-2
Key storyline: The Heat had the No. 25 offense and the No. 27 3-point shooting team, and that’s going to be a problem against Milwaukee’s No. 4 defense. The Bucks’ offense, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, will make the Heat pay for those missed shots..
Zillgitt’s prediction: Bucks in five
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Celtics 112, Hawks 99
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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Celtics in five
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
Game 1: 76ers 121, Nets 101
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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Sixers in five
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks
Game 1: Knicks 101, Cavaliers 97
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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Cavs in seven
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Nuggets 109, Timberwovles 80
Game 2, Wednesday: Minnesota at Denver, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, April 21: Denver at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4, April 23: Denver at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5, April 25: Minnesota at Denver, time and TV TBD
Game 6, April 27: Denver at Minnesota, time and TV TBD
Game 7, April 29: Minnesota at Denver, time TBD, TNT
Season series: Tied, 2-2.
Key storyline: Minnesota center Rudy Gobert, coming off a one-game suspension for punching teammate Kyle Anderson in the season finale, has a bad back. That puts a lot of pressure on Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves to stop two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Nuggets in six
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1: Lakers 128, Grizzlies 112
Game 2, Wednesday: 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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Grizzlies in seven
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
Game 1: Kings 126, Warriors 123
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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Warriors in six
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
Game 1: Clippers 115, Suns 110
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.
Zillgitt’s prediction: Suns in six
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt