NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: 1st-Round TV Info and Predictions
We're just a handful of days away from the 2015 NBA playoffs, with the first game of Round 1 scheduled to be played this upcoming Saturday. The postseason is a long grind, but there are few things like playoff basketball.
The storylines are seemingly endless entering this time of the year. The most prominent discussion has to do with the MVP race, with all three stars—Stephen Curry, James Harden and Russell Westbrook—also still in the playoff picture with their respective teams. Westbrook is the lone player of the trio currently on the outside looking in, but his Oklahoma City Thunder are just behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
While individual players often steal the headlines, the playoffs are all about the most complete teams. As Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy tweets, it's particularly difficult to choose a winner out of this year's field:
Who's your favorite? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below, but be sure to give the following breakdown a read before voicing your opinions. There's useful viewing information below about when and where to watch each game of Round 1.
| Saturday, April 18 | ||
| 3 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | ABC |
| 5:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | ESPN |
| 8 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | ESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 19 | ||
| 3 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | ABC |
| 5:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | TNT |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 1 | TNT |
| Monday, April 20 | ||
| 8 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| Tuesday, April 21 | ||
| 8 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 22 | ||
| 7 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 9:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| Thursday, April 23 | ||
| 7 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 9:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| Friday, April 24 | ||
| 8 p.m. | First Round, Game 3 | ESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 3 | ESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 3 | ESPN2 |
| Saturday, April 25 | ||
| 2 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | TNT |
| 4:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 26 | ||
| 1 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ABC |
| 3:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ABC |
| Friday, May 1 | ||
| 7 p.m. | First Round, Game 6* | ESPNEWS |
| 8 p.m. | First Round, Game 6* | ESPN |
| 9:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 6* | ESPNEWS |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 6* | ESPN |
| Sunday, May 3 | ||
| 1 p.m. | First Round, Game 7* | ABC |
| 3:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 7 | ABC |
Early Playoff Predictions
Eastern Conference Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Eastern Conference isn't nearly as wide open as the West. The Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers are a tier above the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, with the other three "best" teams sitting at or below .500.
With that said, let's give the East to the Cavs.
Despite losing to the Boston Celtics by 39 points Sunday, the Cavaliers are just fine. Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick tweeted the reason they lost by so many points to a far inferior team:
Naturally, head coach David Blatt isn't worried either:
But getting by the Hawks won't be easy. Cleveland was just 1-3 against the East's No. 1 seed this season, with the only victory coming way back on Nov. 15. The Hawks are deep, and many players are candidates to step up when called upon. Few other teams can brag about that.
LeBron James is the X-factor, of course. Though he's not a front-runner in the MVP race this year, King James is still one of the most feared players in the NBA. Expect him to be motivated in his first playoffs with the Cavs since the 2009-10 season. It took time for this team to come together—and the Cavs wouldn't be in this position today without a flurry of midseason acquisitions—but they're now poised to run the gamut in the East.
James will be back in the Finals for the fifth consecutive season.
Western Conference Winner: Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are the last team anyone in the NBA wants to face in a best-of-seven series. They've been remarkable all year, especially at home:
That's what makes them so difficult to beat in a long series. With four home games guaranteed given their standing at No. 1 in the West, the Warriors shouldn't have problems advancing throughout the playoffs. They've lost just twice at home this season. That's right. Two times.
Much of that has to do with atmosphere, as Curry seems to elevate his play when competing in front of his home fans. He certainly has a propensity for circus shots when in his home building:
Of course, Curry will have to be superb—along with Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut and others—for the Warriors to run through the West. There are at least five other teams in the conference deep enough to give them a run for their money.
The San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets are all (at least) 51-win teams who have been playing well enough to knock down Steve Kerr's Warriors. San Antonio is a dark-horse candidate to return to the NBA Finals. At 19-3 since the calendar turned to March, the Spurs are suddenly dangerous.
The year-long consistency of the Warriors gives them the edge in the playoffs, though. Sure, this team lacks a great deal of postseason experience, but a younger team should stay fresh in the playoffs. A team like the Spurs, on the other hand, might fall short during the rigorous playoff schedule given its age.
Look for Golden State to advance to the Finals to take on the Cavaliers.
NBA Finals Winner: Golden State Warriors
This would be a six-game series, and the Warriors will come out on top. It goes back to their record at home. Kerr has his team primed to play well every single night in the Bay Area, and it shows.
If you like bold predictions, then here's one for you: The Warriors won't lose more than three home games during the playoffs. The Cavs will likely take one in the Finals, with the other two sprinkled in during earlier rounds.
Golden State has been the most dominant team in the NBA since the first week of the season. Expect them to finish on top.
Kenny DeJohn is a Breaking News Team Featured Columnist. Follow him on Twitter.
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