NBA Playoffs 2017: Known Schedule, Bracket Format and Dangerous Teams

On paper, the Golden State Warriors may waltz to their second NBA championship in three seasons. The Dubs won 14 straight games before losing to the Utah Jazz Monday night and currently sport a 66-15 record, including a 35-5 mark at home.

But games aren't played on paper, and although the NBA playoffs are normally chalky, anything can happen.

Here's a look at the known schedule, the bracket format and two dangerous teams to watch this postseason. Note that the playoff slate will not be finalized until the regular season ends Wednesday, April 12.

Known Schedule

Round	Start Date
Conference Quarterfinals	Saturday, April 15
Conference Semifinals	Monday, May 1
Conference Finals	Tuesday, May 16 (possible move to Sunday, May 14 or Monday, May 15)
NBA Finals	Thursday, June 1

Bracket Format

The eight teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences with the best win-loss records advance to the four-round NBA playoffs, where each matchup is a best-of-seven series.

In the first round, the No. 1 seed in each conference plays the No. 8 seed, the No. 2 seed takes on No. 7, No. 3 plays No. 6, and No. 4 faces No. 5.

In the conference semifinals, the winners of the No. 1 vs. No. 8 and No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups face each other, and the victors of the other two series also meet.

The winners move onto the conference finals, and then the Eastern and Western Conference champions face off in the NBA Finals.

In each series, the team with the better seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while its opponent hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.

Dangerous Teams

The Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are by far the two most dangerous teams in the NBA playoffs considering they are the only two that eclipsed 60 wins this year, but keep an eye out for these two Eastern Conference squads, who may face off in the first round as well.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are 20-9 in their last 29 games after starting the season 22-30, which is an incredible accomplishment considering that power forward Jabari Parker, who averaged 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds this season, tore his ACL February 8 against the Miami Heat and is out until next year.

Khris Middleton returned to the Bucks lineup during that game after missing the first half of the season with a hamstring tear. The forward was initially on a minutes limit, but that has been lifted.

Middleton provides a much-needed scoring spark for the Bucks, averaging 17.3 points per game in March, when Milwaukee went 14-4.

Of course, 22-year-old forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is still playing incredible basketball, averaging 23.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists a night. Furthermore, guard Malcolm Brogdon has come on strong and is a legitimate candidate for Rookie of the Year.

The Bucks are a dangerous team that will be better than its seed, which will likely be No. 6.

Toronto Raptors

The Raps are better than they were a season ago, when they were the No. 2 seed and went to the Eastern Conference finals.

That's due in large part to two major reinforcements the Raptors acquired midseason: forwards Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. Those two have helped the Raptors accrue an 11-2 record over their last 13 games.

Ibaka has emerged as a solid third scoring option for Toronto, posting 14.2 points per game and hitting 39.8 percent of his three-pointers. He also pulls down 6.8 rebounds per game for the Raps.

P.J. Tucker is a defensive pest off the bench capable of guarding many NBA wings. He's not much of a scoring threat, but he doesn't need to be considering shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and point guard Kyle Lowry are tasked with being the Raptors' primary and secondary scorers.

Per ESPN.com, the Raptors are top seven in the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The only other two teams that can say that are Golden State and San Antonio, which have the NBA's best win-loss records.