NBA Playoffs 2015: 1st-Round Schedule, TV Info and Underrated Potential Series
The NBA playoffs have a lot to live up to this year.
Remember last year when five series went the full seven games? The Eastern Conference offered some awkward parity, with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks going the distance. Out in the Western Conference, San Antonio-Dallas, Oklahoma City-Memphis and Los Angeles Clippers-Golden State put on classics.
There is no easy way to tell if this year will match or improve on the entertainment value. Odds are good, though, with some of the potential bouts in the East aligning well and the West once again looking stacked from top to bottom.
Let's take a look at the first-round schedule and some underrated matchups perhaps ready to surprise.
2015 NBA Playoff Schedule: 1st Round
| 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 |
All known playoff schedule information courtesy of SportsMediaWatch.com.
Underrated Potential Series
West: No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 6 Memphis Grizzlies
The globe didn't get to see the Clippers dance with the Memphis Grizzlies last year thanks to Kevin Durant and Co., but the showdown seems in the cards this time around.
Fans can only hope.
These two collided a few days back with serious playoff implications on the line. Blake Griffin and crew escaped with a 94-86 win after blowing a huge lead, but not before he was half of a double-technical call after a shove fest with Memphis' Kosta Koufos.
Don't be fooled by the end result with DeAndre Jordan scoring 16 points and pulling down as many boards, though—the Grizzlies were without big man Marc Gasol for most of the contest thanks to a sprained ankle.
Things will be much closer in a potential seven-game bout, provided all are healthy. These two teams split the season series at two wins apiece this year. The battle in the paint—Jordan and Griffin vs. Gasol and Zach Randolph—is one fit for postseason ball, as is the outside showdown between Chris Paul and Mike Conley.
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore notes, though, that a first-round contest might leave the eventual winner limping into a lion's den:
Alas, this is about the first round. When it comes right down to it, Los Angles-Memphis is the identity of West basketball at the moment.
There's no telling whether the Clippers' elite offense, ranked second at 106.7 points per game, would overcome the Grizzlies' stonewall defense, ranked second at 95.2 points per game, or vice versa.
If the above doesn't sound like great playoff basketball, nothing will.
East: No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics
What? Cleveland will wipe the floor with Boston and be on to the next round?
Perhaps. But when the gloves come off in the postseason, it's best not to just write off any one team, and absolutely not a team that's gone 18-11 since the All-Star break.
Yes, the Cavaliers seemed to let the Celtics grab a pair of wins recently, even resting LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in their second consecutive matchup. The talk seems to center on both teams wanting each other, too.
“I’ve thought about it,” Kendrick Perkins said, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin. “If we do great. But if we don’t, I’m just happy for Boston for making the playoffs.”
But let's not pretend these two can't play a close game at full strength. Back in November, the Cavaliers needed 41 points from James to escape with a 122-121 win. It came before the Celtics traded Rajon Rondo (who scored just six points) and coach Brad Stevens worked his magic, too.
Folks will be quick to point out an experience and star power disparity. In reality, though, the Cavaliers don't tout much more postseason experience than the Celtics. While Boston lacks a star player who can take games over, it still ranks 12th in scoring (101.4 ppg) and 22nd in points allowed (101.3 ppg). Those are at least comparable numbers to Cleveland, which ranks eighth in scoring (103.0 ppg) and 13th in points allowed (98.5 ppg).
The Celtics are young, explosive and, should they get physical in the paint to make each drive painful for James as other East hopefuls such as Indiana do, this series may be more competitive than most expect.
At a bare minimum, a young, hungry Celtics squad has what it takes to show parity in the East is budding.
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