NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: 1st Round TV Info and Predictions
The NBA playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 15, and this year's version has many storylines.
Can anyone stop the Golden State Warriors en route to a second championship in three seasons?
Will the Cleveland Cavaliers find a way to regroup after a tough second half of the season and return to the NBA Finals?
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All of those questions will be answered soon. Until then, here's the information we know about the first round of the NBA playoffs, per Sports Media Watch. You'll also find some predictions below about the two most important playoff items that have not yet been decided.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Television |
| Saturday, April 15 | 1 | 3 p.m. | ABC |
| Saturday, April 15 | 1 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Saturday, April 15 | 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Saturday, April 15 | 1 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 16 | 1 | 3 p.m. | ABC |
| Sunday, April 16 | 1 | 5:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Sunday, April 16 | 1 | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Sunday, April 16 | 1 | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Monday, April 17 | 2 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Monday, April 17 | 2 | 7/8 p.m. | TNT |
| Monday, April 17 | 2 | 9/10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Tuesday, April 18 | 2 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Tuesday, April 18 | 2 | 7/8 p.m. | TNT |
| Tuesday, April 18 | 2 | 9/10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 19 | 2 | 7/8 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 19 | 2 | 9/10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 20 | 3 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Thursday, April 20 | 3 | 7/8 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 20 | 3 | 9/10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Friday, April 21 | 3 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, April 21 | 3 | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, April 21 | 3 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Saturday, April 22 | 3 or 4 | 2 p.m. | TNT |
| Saturday, April 22 | 3 or 4 | 4:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Saturday, April 22 | 3 or 4 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Saturday, April 22 | 3 or 4 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 23 | 4 | 1 p.m. | ABC |
| Sunday, April 23 | 4 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Friday, April 28 | 6 * | 7 p.m. | ESPNEWS |
| Friday, April 28 | 6 * | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, April 28 | 6 * | 9:30 p.m. | ESPNEWS |
| Friday, April 28 | 6 * | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 30 | 7 * | 1 p.m. | ABC |
| Sunday, April 30 | 7 * | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
Predictions
The Eastern Conference's No. 1 Seed
After two brutal losses in a home-and-home series with the Atlanta Hawks, which included blowing a 26-point lead in a 126-125 overtime loss, the Cleveland Cavaliers are tied with the Boston Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference at 51-29.
While the Cavs have the tiebreaker over the C's by virtue of winning their season series, Cleveland has the tougher schedule down the stretch.
The tired Cavs will now head to Miami in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday night. The Heat are currently tied with the Chicago Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East and realistically need to win both of their last two games (along with some help) to make it, so they will be going all out at home.
Then, Cleveland will host a 50-win Toronto team that is 8-2 in their last 10 games and just got point guard Kyle Lowry back from injury.
Boston will host Brooklyn and Milwaukee to close the regular season. The Nets are the worst team in the NBA, and the Bucks have clinched a playoff berth and can't go higher than the fifth seed, so they might use the opportunity to rest some players before the playoffs begin this weekend.
The prediction here is that the C's win both of their last two games while Cleveland drops its game against Miami and falls to second.
The Final Two Eastern Conference Playoff Berths
The Heat made the Eastern Conference playoff race far more interesting than it should have been, as they have gone 28-11 in their last 39 games after starting the season 11-30.
Now, the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Heat are fighting for their playoff lives down the stretch.
Chicago just lost a brutal game to Brooklyn, which is just 20-60 on the season. The Bulls are going to get the Nets in a rematch in Chicago and also play a 28-win Orlando team to close the year. Even though the Bulls just lost to the Nets, chances are that Chicago takes those two.
Indiana travels to Philadelphia, which has lost its last six games, before hosting Atlanta, which just finished beating the Cavs twice.
Unfortunately for the Heat, they have the toughest remaining schedule, with home games against Cleveland and Washington. However, neither of those teams are playing well lately, as the Cavs are 11-13 in their last 24 and the Wizards sport a 7-8 record in their last 15.
The problem Miami has is that it doesn't own the tiebreaker over Chicago since it lost the season series to the Bulls. However, the Heat own the tiebreaker over Indiana, so the Heat's best hope is to jump over Indiana into the playoffs.
That being said, it's hard seeing Indiana losing to a reeling 76ers team or losing at home, where they are 28-12, against Atlanta when the game will literally be a must-win to get into the playoffs.
Miami made this race a photo finish, but it will lose by a nose to Chicago and Indiana.
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