NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: Predicting the Finish of Each First-Round Matchup

The NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin on Saturday, opening up in Chicago as the Bulls are at home to take on the Philadelphia 76ers at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Elsewhere, the highly anticipated Miami Heat-New York Knicks series is sure to turn some heads, while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks clash in a battle of last season's Western Conference Finals.

For the complete listing of playoff games, dates and times, click here (via SI).

Every first-round matchup this year has been harder to predict than in years past, but here is the way it's expected to shake out in each of this year's eight first-round series.

No. 1 Chicago vs. No. 8 Philadelphia: Bulls in 5

While Philadelphia poses a significant threat to the Bulls defensive, they aren't trending in the right direction come playoff time. Their best win in the entire month of April was a 109-106 OT win against the Indiana Pacers. The Bulls are on a mission, and it will take a monumental defensive effort to turn this into a series.

No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 New York: Heat in 7

Miami hasn't proven they can win with the game on the line, yet. LeBron James and Co. have a chance to knock off a very talented Knicks squad, revamped on defense with Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony playing some of his best basketball. This one comes down to home court.

No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 6 Orlando: Pacers in 5

Orlando will win a game strictly off their three-point shooting. But they're a depleted team, and their best player and center point to a quirky offense is on the shelf. Indiana's athleticism should outshine the outside shots of the Magic, leading to a quick series win.

No. 4 Boston vs. No. 5 Atlanta: Celtics in 7

It seems like these two meet every postseason, does it not? Age and wisdom prevail in this matchup, and Rajon Rondo makes Jeff Teague look like a freshman in college again. I don't know if Boston has enough in the tank to survive in Round 2, but give them the edge here in Round 1.

No. 1 San Antonio vs. No. 8 Utah: Spurs in 6

Give the Jazz some credit. With the Deron Williams trade and roster turnover, no one expected them to compete. But they have, and Al Jefferson alone should win them at least two games, probably both at home. They have the unfortunate task of facing a deep Spurs team, however, hungry to dissolve rumors that they're too old to compete.  

No. 2 Oklahoma City vs. No. 7 Dallas: Thunder in 6

Dallas doesn't have the guns to compete with the Thunder anymore. As long as the Harden concussion doesn't rear its ugly head, the pure athleticism and scoring ability of Durant and Westbrook should prevail the second time around.

No. 3 L.A. Lakers vs. No. 6 Denver Nuggets: Lakers in 6

JaVale McGee-Andrew Bynum should be a fun one to watch, if nothing else than to see who throws the first punch. Kobe continues to outplay guys 10 years his junior, and the Lakers move on.

No. 4 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 5 L.A. Clippers: Clippers in 6

The Clips return to the postseason is a triumphant one, at least until they meet the Spurs in Round 2. This might be the best overall series in terms of quality and closeness of games, so keep an eye out for Blake Griffin vs. Zach Randolph.