NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: Dates, Matchups, Game Times and TV Coverage Info
The 2016-17 NBA regular season is over. It’s finally playoff time.
Wednesday night featured 28 teams in action, with the Charlotte Hornets and the Phoenix Suns wrapping up their seasons with no chance of making the playoffs on Tuesday. All but two spots in the Western Conference were cemented. The East was more fluid, with four spots—including the No. 1 seed—were up for grabs.
Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo posted about the stipulations for the conclusion of the regular season:
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Head over to Basketball-Reference.com for Wednesday's final scores. Below is the now-final playoff bracket:
| (1) Celtics vs. (8) Bulls | (1) Warriors vs. (8) Blazers |
| (2) Cavaliers vs. (7) Pacers | (2) Spurs vs. (7) Grizzlies |
| (3) Raptors vs. (6) Bucks | (3) Rockets vs. (6) Thunder |
| (4) Wizards vs. (5) Hawks | (4) Jazz vs. (5) Clippers |
For The Win's Adi Joseph passed along the schedule for this weekend's opening slate of games:
Here you can find the rest of the TV dates, times and TV information:
| 1 | Sunday, April 16 | Chicago at Boston | 6:30 PM | TNT |
| 2 | Tuesday, April 18 | Chicago at Boston | 8:00 PM | TNT/R |
| 3 | Friday, April 21 | Boston at Chicago | 7:00PM | ESPN |
| 4 | Sunday, April 23 | Boston at Chicago | 6:30PM | TNT |
| 5 | Wednesday, April 26 | Chicago at Boston | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Friday, April 28 | Boston at Chicago | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sunday, April 30 | Chicago at Boston | TBD | TBD |
| 1 | Saturday, April 15 | Indiana at Cleveland | 3:00PM | ABC/R |
| 2 | Monday, April 17 | Indiana at Cleveland | 7:00PM | TNT/R |
| 3 | Thursday, April 20 | Cleveland at Indiana | 7:00PM | TNT |
| 4 | Sunday, April 23 | Cleveland at Indiana | 1:00PM | ABC/R |
| 5 | Tuesday, April 25 | Indiana at Cleveland | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Thursday, April 27 | Cleveland at Indiana | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Saturday, April 29 | Indiana at Cleveland | TB | TNT |
| 1 | Saturday, April 15 | Milwaukee at Toronto | 5:30PM | ESPN |
| 2 | Tuesday, April 18 | Milwaukee at Toronto | 7:00PM | NBA TV |
| 3 | Thursday, April 20 | Toronto at Milwaukee | 8:00PM | NBA TV |
| 4 | Saturday, April 22 | Toronto at Milwaukee | 3:00PM | TNT |
| 5 | Monday, April 24 | Milwaukee at Toronto | 7:00PM | NBA TV |
| 6 | Thursday, April 27 | Toronto at Milwaukee | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Saturday, April 29 | Milwaukee at Toronto | TBD | TNT |
| 1 | Sunday, April 16 | Atlanta at Washington | 1:00PM | TNT |
| 2 | Wednesday, April 19 | Atlanta at Washington | 7:00PM | NBA TV |
| 3 | Saturday, April 22 | Washington at Atlanta | 5:30PM | TNT |
| 4 | Monday, April 24 | Washington at Atlanta | 8:00PM | TNT |
| 5 | Wednesday, April 26 | Atlanta at Washington | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Friday, April 28 | Washington at Atlanta | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sunday, April 30 | Atlanta at Washington | TBD | TBD |
| 1 | Sunday, April 16 | Portland at Golden State | 3:30PM | ABC/R |
| 2 | Wednesday, April 19 | Portland at Golden State | 10:30PM | TNT |
| 3 | Saturday, April 22 | Golden State at Portland | 10:30PM | ESPN/R |
| 4 | Monday, April 24 | Golden State at Portland | 10:30PM | TNT/R |
| 5 | Wednesday, April 26 | Portland at Golden State | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Friday, April 28 | Golden State at Portland | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sunday, April 30 | Portland at Golden State | TBD | TBD |
| 1 | Saturday, April 15 | Memphis at San Antonio | 8:00PM | ESPN |
| 2 | Monday, April 17 | Memphis at San Antonio | 9:30PM | TNT |
| 3 | Thursday, April 20 | San Antonio at Memphis | 9:30PM | TNT |
| 4 | Saturday, April 22 | San Antonio at Memphis | 8:00PM | ESPN |
| 5 | Tuesday, April 25 | Memphis at San Antonio | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Thursday, April 27 | San Antonio at Memphis | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Saturday, April 29 | Memphis at San Antonio | TBD | TNT |
| 1 | Sunday, April 16 | Oklahoma City at Houston | 9:00PM | TNT |
| 2 | Wednesday, April 19 | Oklahoma City at Houston | 8:00PM | TNT |
| 3 | Friday, April 21 | Houston at Oklahoma City | 9:30PM | ESPN/R |
| 4 | Sunday, April 23 | Houston at Oklahoma City | 3:30PM | ABC/R |
| 5 | Tuesday, April 25 | Oklahoma City at Houston | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Thursday, April 27 | Houston at Oklahoma City | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Saturday, April 29 | Oklahoma City at Houston | TBD | TNT |
| 1 | Saturday, April 15 | Utah at LA Clippers | 10:30PM | ESPN |
| 2 | Tuesday, April 18 | Utah at LA Clippers | 10:30PM | TNT |
| 3 | Friday, April 21 | LA Clippers at Utah | 10:00PM | ESPN2 |
| 4 | Sunday, April 23 | LA Clippers at Utah, | 9:00PM | TNT |
| 5 | Tuesday, April 25 | Utah at LA Clippers | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Friday, April 28 | LA Clippers at Utah | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sunday, April 30 | Utah at LA Clippers | TBD | TBD |
Matchups
Eastern Conference
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Bulls
This is a weird one.
Entering the season, nobody expected the Celtics to finish with the premier record in the East. Similarly, most preseason projections had the Bulls much higher than eighth.
After all, with Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, the team had a loaded—albeit overcrowded—backcourt capable of taking over games. Rondo got benched midway through, Wade got hurt and Butler…well, he was fantastic.
Chicago had to sneak into the playoffs by finishing the year on a strong 7-2 push, which ended with a 112-73 whooping of the lowly Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
Boston is the obvious favorite in the series, but it’s not hard to see the Bulls extending it. Maybe a reborn Rondo plays as well as he has all year to spite his former team. Perhaps Butler dons a series-long Superman cape. We know what Wade, even at 35, can do in crunchtime.
It’s not inconceivable that this could go six or seven games.
(2) Cavaliers vs. (7) Pacers
The rematch we’ve been waiting three years for.
No, not LeBron James against Paul George.
LBJ against Lance Stephenson.
Since Born Ready’s return to Indiana, the Pacers have become revitalized. They finished the regular season 42-40 riding a five-game winning streak, which was bookended by a 104-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
George praised his eccentric teammate, per Gregg Doyle of the Indianapolis Star:
Facing Boston, despite its top overall seed, would seem more appealing than the King and his men. PG-13 saw things differently. He wanted the Cleveland Cavaliers all along. Here’s IndyStar’s Clark Wade with video:
If Cleveland and Indiana’s last matchup is any indication, the series should be fun:
The Cavaliers won that night, 135-130, in double-overtime. And while George could surely carry Indy to a home win or two, it’s unlikely the Pacers can derail James’ quest for an unprecedented seventh straight NBA Finals appearance.
(3) Raptors vs. (6) Bucks
When discussing the cream of the Eastern Conference crop, the Toronto Raptors are seldom brought up.
That should change.
Dwayne Casey’s squad is in line for its fourth consecutive playoff appearance. The first two of that streak were first-round exits, but last year Toronto pushed Cleveland to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fully healthy now that Kyle Lowry is back after a 21-game absence, the Raptors shouldn’t have much trouble against a Milwaukee Bucks team they dismantled twice while at full-strength. Giannis Antetokounmpo will wreak havoc—as usual—but Lowry and DeRozan are strong bets to light up whoever Jason Kidd throws at them.
The Bucks are promising and will be even more dangerous upon Jabari Parker’s return next season. For now, though, ride the Dinos.
(4) Wizards VS. (5) Hawks
There’s this conspiracy out there that the Cavaliers conveniently went on a late-season slide in order to avoid the Washington Wizards.
It’s obviously not true. But it would make sense.
Led by John Wall, arguably the most underrated superstar in the league, the Wizards boast the No. 7 Offensive Rating in basketball and the No. 5 overall scoring attack. Scott Brooks has emerged as a Coach of the Year Candidate in his first year at the helm.
It’s hard to see the Atlanta Hawks pushing past Washington. Wall, Bradley Beal and Co. seem destined for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Western Conference
(1) Warriors vs. (8) Blazers
Ah, a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals.
The Dubs handily defeated Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum’s team last year, 4-1, despite being down a Splash Brother. Stephen Curry only played two games after injuring his knee in Round 1 against the Houston Rockets.
This year, there will be brooms.
The Blazers always come to play against Golden State, but the Warriors are overloaded with scoring threats that Terry Stotts simply can’t account for. Expect Lillard and McCollum to fill up the stat sheets, but don’t count on any wins.
(2) Spurs vs. (7) Grizzlies
The Gasol brothers' first postseason clash is going to be an old-school battle.
Over at Hoop Mag, Darryl Howerton detailed why Spurs-Grizz isn’t a series likely to get the blood pumping in what he called the “YouTube generation”:
"They are two of the NBA’s oldest teams (Spurs rank second in average age, 29.6; Grizzlies, third at 29.5) who rate amongst the top defenses (Spurs rank first, 100.8 points allowed per 100 possessions; Grizzlies, sixth at 104.5) while playing near the slowest pace around (Spurs rank fourth-slowest at 96.48 possessions per game; Grizzlies, third at 94.76).
"
Memphis’ defense could take a hit, though, as Tony Allen left Wednesday’s game with a leg injury, per Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News:
Health aside, there’s one big difference between the Grizzlies and Spurs: San Antonio has this guy named Kawhi Leonard.
The Claw, though overshadowed by James Harden and Russell Westbrook in the 2016-17 MVP race, has become a full-fledged superstar on both ends of the floor.
The Grizzlies can bang down low and play grind-it-out ball, but they have no chance of stopping Leonard. The 25-year-old All-Star has averaged 24.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games against Memphis this year (2-1). We’re in for more of the same.
(3) Rockets vs. (6) Thunder
Let’s go.
With Harden and Westbrook the clear-cut candidates for this year’s MVP, it’s only right that they meet in Round 1.
There’s one problem, though: We won’t know who the Maurice Podoloff Trophy belongs to until June 26, after the NBA Finals.
Still, it’ll be a fun clash as both do-it-all players attempt to outdo one another with the world watching. The media votes will already be casted, but a dominant performance from either Russ for the Beard could sway public perception about who was more valuable in 2016-17.
Houston’s sweet-shooting attack should dismantle OKC, but Westbrook could become only the second player in the past 24 years to average a triple-double in a playoff series. Jason Kidd did it twice for the New Jersey Nets—first in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals and again in the 2007 opening round.
But then again, Harden could, too.
(4) Jazz vs. (5) Clippers
This matchup was set earlier in the week. Utah's Wednesday night victory over the Spurs simply determined home-court advantage.
There’s a sense of Old vs. New with Jazz-Clippers. Utah has been on a steady climb north since Quin Snyder took over in 2014, while Los Angeles, despite multiple superstars and an elite coach, has never made the conference finals in the Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan era.
Will Utah become the latest band of rapidly rising youngsters to leapfrog the Clippers? Or will CP3, Blake and Co. give the Jazz a reality check?
It’s toss-up, really.
LAC would likely have clinched a higher seed weeks ago had it not been for Paul and Griffin for a combined 24 games. Now, with both back, they’ve rattled off seven straight wins. Utah has held steady, going 8-3 over an 11-game stretch that included wins over the Warriors, Blazers and Wizards.
Neither team figures to have a true shot at dethroning Golden State in Round 2, but this series could be the best bout of the opening round.
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