NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: Known Dates for Round-by-Round Bracket
With just one day remaining in the NBA's regular season, there's just one playoff matchup confirmed. We know the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are seeded No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, will face the No. 7 seed Boston Celtics in the first round.
While we don't know many of the specific matchups, SportsMediaWatch.com posted the schedule. Here's the entire first round without teams plugged into the brackets.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 10:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 7 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 8 p.m. | First Round | NBA TV |
| 9:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 7 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 9:30 p.m. | First Round | TNT |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ABC |
| 3:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 4 | ABC |
| 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 |
| 1 p.m. | First Round, Game 7* | ABC |
| 3:30 p.m. | First Round, Game 7 | ABC |
Cavs and Celtics
The Celtics actually defeated the Cavs in back-to-back games during their current six-game winning streak. The second win came against a Cavs team that was resting LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, but Boston still has to have taken some confidence away from the first win.
Nonetheless, the Cavs will be huge favorites heading into the series. Here's a look at how the playoff matchups would shake out if the season ended on Tuesday night.
| Team 1 | Team 2 |
| (1) Atlanta Hawks | (8) Indiana Pacers |
| (2) Cleveland Cavaliers | (7) Boston Celtics |
| (3) Chicago Bulls | (6) Milwaukee Bucks |
| (4) Toronto Raptors | (5) Washington Wizards |
| Team 1 | Team 2 |
| (1) Golden State Warriors | (8) Oklahoma City Thunder |
| (2) San Antonio Spurs | (7) Dallas Mavericks |
| (3) Los Angeles Clippers | (6) Memphis Grizzlies |
| (4) Portland Trail Blazers | (5) Houston Rockets |
Crazy 8's
The Atlanta Hawks should be hoping and praying that the Brooklyn Nets beat the Orlando Magic and that the Memphis Grizzlies take down the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. In that scenario, the Nets would get the eighth playoff spot and face the Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Indiana is streaking, and it appears to be motivated by the return of Paul George. The Pacers fought through double overtime and the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night to earn a victory that has them on the brink of a once-unlikely postseason berth.
After the tough win, Pacers head coach Frank Vogel had nothing but praise for his team, per the team's official Twitter account:
A Hawks-Pacers series would be compelling. Mix in Indiana's improbable run to the postseason, George's return, and there's also the recent history the two teams have against each other. Last year, the Hawks pushed the Pacers to seven games with the seedings flip-flopped.
Any way you slice it, this will not be your typical No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup, should the Pacers hold on to the last spot.
In the West, no matter which team qualifies for the last playoff spot, it seems it is in for a beating from the Golden State Warriors. The Oklahoma City Thunder must beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road and hope the New Orleans Pelicans lose at home against the red-hot San Antonio Spurs.
If OKC gets its wish, it makes the playoffs and faces the Warriors in the first round. In any other scenario, the Pels would get the last spot.
It would probably be more fun to watch Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry go head-to-head for at least four games. If Westbrook can power the Thunder to one more win, the NBA community will get one huge point guard matchup in the first round.
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