NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: Known Dates, TV, Live-Stream Coverage for Postseason
The NBA regular season is over. For those teams who didn't clinch a playoff berth, better luck next year and best wishes in the lottery. But for the rest of the league, it's time to saddle up. It's officially win or go home.
Alright, so it's not like the NCAA tournament where teams only have one game at a time to win and advance, but you get what I mean. This is the playoffs, and every game matters. Particularly if your team has home-court advantage. Even though the 2016-2017 regular season just ended, there are already favorites looking to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
As usual, the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs lead the pack in the Western Conference, but the real surprise comes from the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the No. 2 seed heading into the playoffs, behind the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics.
Not many people would have expected the Celtics to make such a drastic turnaround this season to the top of the conference, but head coach Brad Stevens has already tried to calm down expectations heading into postseason play, recognizing that the Cavs deserve more credit for their accomplishments.
With the playoffs just days away, let's take a look at the first round in both conferences. Please note that Games 5-7 will only be played if necessary.
*Games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN 2 can be live-streamed at WatchESPN. Games on TNT can be live-streamed on NBA.com/TNTOvertime, and video from NBA TV can be seen on NBA.com/NBATV.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| 1) Chicago at Boston | Sunday, April 16 | 6:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 2) Chicago at Boston | Tuesday, April 18 | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) Boston at Chicago | Friday, April 21 | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 4) Boston at Chicago | Sunday, April 23 | 6:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 5) Chicago at Boston | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Boston at Chicago | Friday, April 28 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Chicago at Boston | Sunday, April 30 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Indiana at Cleveland | Saturday, April 15 | 3 p.m. | ABC |
| 2) Indiana at Cleveland | Monday April 17 | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) Cleveland at Indiana | Thursday, April 29 | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| 4) Cleveland at Indiana | Sunday, April 23 | 1 p.m. | ABC |
| 5) Indiana at Cleveland | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Cleveland at Indiana | Thursday, April 27 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Indiana at Cleveland | Saturday, April 29 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Milwaukee at Toronto | Saturday, April 15 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2) Milwaukee at Toronto | Tuesday, April 18 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| 3) Toronto at Milwaukee | Thursday, April 20 | 8 p.m. | NBA TV |
| 4) Toronto at Milwaukee | Saturday, April 22 | 3 p.m. | TNT |
| 5) Milwaukee at Toronto | Monday, April 24 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Toronto at Milwaukee | Thursday, April 27 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Milwaukee at Toronto | Game 7 * Saturday, April 29 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) , Atlanta at Washington | Sunday, April 16 | 1 p.m. | TNT |
| 2) Atlanta at Washington | Wednesday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| 3) Washington at Atlanta, | Saturday, April 22 | 5:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 4) Washington at Atlanta | Monday, April 24 | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| 5) Atlanta at Washington | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Washington at Atlanta | Friday, April 28 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Atlanta at Washington | Sunday, April 30 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Portland at Golden State | Sunday, April 16 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| 2)Portland at Golden State | Wednesday, April 19 | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) Golden State at Portland | Saturday, April 22 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 4) Golden State at Portland | Monday, April 24 | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 5) Portland at Golden State | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Golden State at Portland | Friday, April 28 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Portland at Golden State | Sunday, April 30 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Memphis at San Antonio | Saturday, April 15 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2) Memphis at San Antonio | Monday, April 17 | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) San Antonio at Memphis | Thursday, April 20 | 9:30 p.m | TNT |
| 4) San Antonio at Memphis | Saturday, April 22 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| 5) Memphis at San Antonio | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) San Antonio at Memphis | Thursday, April 27 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Memphis at San Antonio | Saturday, April 29 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Oklahoma City at Houston | Sunday, April 16 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| 2) Oklahoma City at Houston | Wednesday, April 19 | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) Houston at Oklahoma City | Friday, April 21 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 4) Houston at Oklahoma City | Sunday, April 23 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| 5) Oklahoma City at Houston | Tuesday, April 25, | TBD | TBD |
| 6) Houston at Oklahoma City | Thursday, April 27 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Oklahoma City at Houston | Saturday, April 29 | TBD | TBD |
| 1) Utah at LA Clippers | Saturday, April 15 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2) Utah at LA Clippers | Tuesday, April 18 | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 3) LA Clippers at Utah | Friday, April 21 | 10 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| 4) LA Clippers at Utah | Sunday, April 23 | 9 p.m. | TNT |
| 5) Utah at LA Clippers | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD | TBD |
| 6) LA Clippers at Utah | Friday, April 28 | TBD | TBD |
| 7) Utah at LA Clippers | Sunday, April 30, | TBD | TBD |
NBA Finals Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors
The Celtics have the No. 1 seed out East, but does that mean that they are the best team in the conference? Not even close.
While they have a legitimate star in Isaiah Thomas with a solid supporting cast of Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Al Horford, it isn't enough to dethrone the Cavaliers. Not this year anyway.
Maybe next season when the Celtics have one more year to develop its young talent, including the likes of Jaylen Brown and their guaranteed top-four pick in this year's draft, not to mention the talented Ante Zizic and Guerschon Yabusele being promoted to the roster. But as of right now, the Celtics' best finish will be the Conference Finals, and that's fine.
But having said that, Cleveland needs to step its game up before it's too late. The Cavs can't expect to coast in the playoffs like they have at the end of the regular season.
The X-Factor is and always will be LeBron James. There just isn't another player like him in today's NBA. Forget about team records or anything of that sort—if you have the best player on the court, you always have a chance to win.
Cleveland will make it through to the Finals and face off against the Warriors for the third year in a row. How this series goes is anyone's guess. The Warriors had a 3-1 lead over the Cavs in the Finals last summer but squandered it. However, this year's team has extra firepower with the likes of Kevin Durant.
It's hard to argue that Golden State isn't better equipped to take on Cleveland this year than it was a season ago, but it's hard to rule out James winning his fourth NBA title if the Cavs can come together and play to their capabilities.
Who wins? We'll find out soon enough.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
