NBA Playoff Schedule 2015: Round-by-Round Dates, TV and Live Stream Guide
Take a deep breath. After one of the most insane finishes to an NBA season in recent memory, the playoff matchups are finally set.
A grueling season has come down to just 16 teams still vying for a shot at the NBA championship. How each franchise got to this point, however, is completely different. While the Golden State Warriors sailed through as a No. 1 seed, the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers shot up the standings just before the start of the postseason.
That left the San Antonio Spurs—the 2014 champions—dropping to the No. 6 seed in the West. As the Clippers' reward for moving into the third slot, they now get to face the Spurs in the opening round. Both will battle to continue into the second round with either the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks awaiting them.
Prior to the weekend serving as the start of a long ride, here's a look at the first-round schedule and round-by-round dates.
| Sunday, April 19 | (8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks | 5:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 22 | (8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Saturday, April 25 | (1) Atlanta Hawks at (8) Brooklyn Nets | 3 p.m. | TNT |
| Monday, April 27 | (1) Atlanta Hawks at (8) Brooklyn Nets | TBD | TBD |
| Wednesday, April 29* | (8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks | TBD | TBD |
| Friday, May 1* | (1) Atlanta Hawks at (8) Brooklyn Nets | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, May 3* | (8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, April 19 | (7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers | 3 p.m. | ABC |
| Tuesday, April 21 | (7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 23 | (2) Cleveland Cavaliers at (7) Boston Celtics | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Sunday, April 26 | (2) Cleveland Cavaliers at (7) Boston Celtics | 1 p.m. | ABC |
| Tuesday, April 28 * | (7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers | TBD | TBD |
| Thursday, April 30 * | (2) Cleveland Cavaliers at (7) Boston Celtics | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, May 2 * | (7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers | TBD | TNT |
| Saturday, April 18 | (6) Milwaukee Bucks at (3) Chicago Bulls | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Monday, April 20 | (6) Milwaukee Bucks at (3) Chicago Bulls | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 23 | (3) Chicago Bulls at (6) Milwaukee Bucks | 8 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Saturday, April 25 | (3) Chicago Bulls at (6) Milwaukee Bucks | 5:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Monday, April 27* | (6) Milwaukee Bucks at (3) Chicago Bulls | TBD | TBD |
| Thursday, April 30* | (3) Chicago Bulls at (6) Milwaukee Bucks | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, May 2* | (6) Milwaukee Bucks at (3) Chicago Bulls | TBD | TNT |
| Saturday, April 18 | (5) Washington Wizards at (4) Toronto Raptors | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, April 21 | (5) Washington Wizards at (4) Toronto Raptors | 8 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Friday, April 24 | (4) Toronto Raptors at (5) Washington Wizards | 8 p.m. | ESPN 2 |
| Sunday, April 26 | (4) Toronto Raptors at (5) Washington Wizards | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 29* | (5) Washington Wizards at (4) Toronto Raptors | TBD | TBD |
| Friday, May 1* | (4) Toronto Raptors at (5) Washington Wizards | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, May 3* | (5) Washington Wizards at (4) Toronto Raptors | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, April 18 | (8) New Orleans Pelicans at (1) Golden State Warriors | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Monday, April 20 | (8) New Orleans Pelicans at (1) Golden State Warriors | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Thursday, April 23 | (1) Golden State Warriors at (8) New Orleans Pelicans | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Saturday, April 25 | (1) Golden State Warriors at (8) New Orleans Pelicans | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, April 28* | (8) New Orleans Pelicans at (1) Golden State Warriors | TBD | TBD |
| Friday, May 1* | (1) Golden State Warriors at (8) New Orleans Pelicans | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, May 3* | (8) New Orleans Pelicans at (1) Golden State Warriors | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, April 18 | (7) Dallas Mavericks at (2) Houston Rockets | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tuesday, April 21 | (7) Dallas Mavericks at (2) Houston Rockets | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Friday, April 24 | (2) Houston Rockets at (7) Dallas Mavericks | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 26 | (2) Houston Rockets at (7) Dallas Mavericks | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Tuesday, April 28* | (7) Dallas Mavericks at (2) Houston Rockets | TBD | TBD |
| Thursday, April 30* | (2) Houston Rockets at (7) Dallas Mavericks | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, May 2* | (7) Dallas Mavericks at (2) Houston Rockets | TBD | TNT |
| Sunday, April 19 | (6) San Antonio Spurs at (3) Los Angeles Clippers | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 22 | (6) San Antonio Spurs at (3) Los Angeles Clippers | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Friday, April 24 | (3) Los Angeles Clippers at (6) San Antonio Spurs | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sunday, April 26 | (3) Los Angeles Clippers at (6) San Antonio Spurs | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Tuesday, April 28* | (6) San Antonio Spurs at (3) Los Angeles Clippers | TBD | TBD |
| Thursday, April 30* | (3) Los Angeles Clippers at (6) San Antonio Spurs | TBD | TBD |
| Saturday, May 2* | (6) San Antonio Spurs at (3) Los Angeles Clippers | TBD | TNT |
| Sunday, April 19 | (4) Portland Trail Blazers at (5) Memphis Grizzlies | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 22 | (4) Portland Trail Blazers at (5) Memphis Grizzlies | 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Saturday, April 25 | (5) Memphis Grizzlies at (4) Portland Trail Blazers | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Monday, April 27 | (5) Memphis Grizzlies at (4) Portland Trail Blazers | 10:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 29* | (4) Portland Trail Blazers at (5) Memphis Grizzlies | TBD | TBD |
| Friday, May 1* | (5) Memphis Grizzlies at (4) Portland Trail Blazers | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, May 3* | (4) Portland Trail Blazers at (5) Memphis Grizzlies | TBD | TBD |
Round-by-Round Dates
April 18: 2015 NBA Playoffs begin
May 4 or 5: Conference Semifinals begin (possible move-up to May 2 or 3)
May 19 or 20: Conference Finals begin (possible move-up to May 17 or 18)
June 4: The Finals begin (no move-up)
All dates courtesy of NBA.com.
Series to Watch: Clippers vs. Spurs
The championship window is closing. That's a statement the Spurs have heard for years now with their aging superstars. It's also one Chris Paul is starting to deal with as his playoff misfortune continues.
Paul has been one of the best players in the NBA for the entire decade he's been in the league, but he still doesn't have a ring to show for it. While he's never made it to the NBA Finals, Paul has averaged 20.6 points and 9.7 assists over 53 playoff games.
Charles Barkley offered his take on Paul being the scapegoat for the Clippers' shortcomings, via Dan Woike of the Orange County Register:
He's been overshadowed by younger guards in the West with James Harden and Stephen Curry flourishing this season. But, as Basketball Reference points out, there hasn't been a player more critical to his team than CP3:
In order to get to the second round, Paul and the Clippers will have to take down another emerging star. San Antonio is known for its dominance with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, but Kawhi Leonard has been equally as important over the last few years.
The 23-year-old forward has been a two-way star for the Spurs during his first four seasons. Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report notes just how crucial he's been to San Antonio's success:
Now the record stands at 100-30 after the Spurs finished 1-1 down the stretch. Let's just say that's really good.
Both franchises have their own set of elite players in the frontcourt and backcourt, making this a massive showdown. The Clippers might be the higher seed, but the Spurs are the clear favorite with 7-2 odds to win the Finals, according to OddsShark.com.
This matchup promises to be one of the best of the first round. Given the importance for Paul and the Clippers, this one should be an all-out brawl to the finish in six or seven games. That, my friends, is what NBA fans expect in the playoffs.
Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
