NBA Playoffs 2015: Matchups Bracket, Schedule Info, Round-by-Round Start Dates
The late-season cruise is finally over for the top teams in the NBA, and the dawn of the 2015 playoffs signals a time for those who fought all season for their spot to prove their worth against the best.
While the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors have essentially been playing scrimmages over the last several weeks with their top seeds secured, others needed hot streaks late in the season just to get here. The Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks are just a few who have the chance to continue their improbable runs in Round 1.
If Cinderella stories don't whet your palette, there is no shortage of enticing first-round battles between Western Conference foes that figure to go the distance.
With little time to spare before playoff madness invades television sets for the next two months, let's take a look at all of the essential information you need.
2015 NBA Playoffs: First-Round Schedule
| 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 Start Dates
First Round: April 18
Conference Semifinals: May 4 or 5 (possibly May 2 or 3)
Conference Finals: May 19 or 20 (possibly May 17 or 18)
The Finals: June 4
Dates courtesy of NBA.com.
Series to Watch: San Antonio Spurs (6) at Los Angeles Clippers (3)
The loaded West has an affinity for enticing first-round matchups this year, but this one more resembles the feel of a conference finals.
Thanks to a top-heavy Southwest division, the San Antonio Spurs found their way into the No. 6 seed despite peaking late in the season and making up considerable ground. They were one game away from being the second seed but now face the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers are only a few years into their new era, but already they can't seem to shake the early playoff exits that followed Chris Paul to L.A. There have been more signs this season than ever before that a deep run could be in order, which would silence the biggest criticism against the 10-year veteran for his career.
When Blake Griffin missed lengths of time, Paul went into superstar mode and reminded everyone why he's arguably the game's best point guard. Averaging 19.1 points along with a league-leading 10.2 assists and a top 10 player efficiency rating, he's no reason for the Clippers' lack of postseason success, as Charles Barkley told Orange County Register's Dan Woike:
But facing the defending champs despite finishing with the third-best record in the league is simply bad luck, and it's only compounded by the fact that they enter the postseason on a tear.
An 11-game win streak beginning in late March helped push the Spurs into the conversation for the second seed, but a season-finale loss ended those chances. The Clippers might be the only team capable of matching their late-season dominance, having won 14 of their last 15 games.
"We're pretty hot, too," Clippers coach Doc Rivers told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi. "Our goal is to win a title. You're not going to avoid anybody. If you're going to play, you got to play and you got to play for it. No one's going to give it to you. You have to go play for it and you got to earn it."
The late-season spurts shouldn't be surprising in either direction. San Antonio has simply been waiting for this time of year to peak in health and performance, while the Clips have undoubtedly been boosted by Griffin's return and the consistent play of a potent starting lineup.
The only real blemish of that starting five is DeAndre Jordan's free-throw shooting, which may be on display. In the teams' first meeting, Jordan went 10-of-28 from the line while being hacked repeatedly in the fourth quarter.
Leigh Ellis of The Starters on NBA TV forecasts it won't take long to see in Game 1:
In all honesty, the series won't come down to Jordan at the charity stripe late. It will be decided by what happens prior to that, and if the Clippers can somehow hold on for 48 minutes defensively for four victories.
While L.A. is around the middle of the pack defensively, giving up 100.1 points per game, the Spurs rank third in the same category—figuring to at least limit a Clippers offense that puts up more than 106 points per contest. With Boris Diaw on Griffin and Kawhi Leonard helping with Paul, the Spurs could push them into field-goal droughts to take advantage of.
A lot will be made of the Spurs having to go on the road virtually all postseason. But if they settle into their game and do enough to hold down the Clippers' stars, that won't matter much at all.
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