NBA Playoffs 2015: Updated Postseason Standings, Bracket Results and Highlights

Most signs thus far in the 2015 NBA playoffs indicate a short first round across the board, but Friday night's action could put that in jeopardy.

The lone series that split the opening two games was out West between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, and it is now headed to the defending champions' house for a pivotal Game 3. The No. 4 and No. 5 matchup in the East between Washington and Toronto has also been back and forth, but the Wizards have the opportunity to go up three games to none Friday.

For the Houston Rockets, their matchup with the Dallas Mavericks hasn't brought the trouble that many expected. But that could all change if Dirk Nowitzki and Co. have a champion's response in Game 3 at home.

Needless to say, things are amping up in the postseason as the weekend looms. Here's a look at everything you need to know.

2015 NBA Playoffs Schedule and Bracket Results

Date	Matchup (ATL leads 2-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (CLE leads 3-0)	Time (ET)/Score
Date	Matchup (CHI leads 3-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (WSH leads 2-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (GS leads 3-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (HOU Leads 2-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (Tied 1-1)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Date	Matchup (MEM leads 2-0)	Time (ET)/Score	TV
Sunday, April 19	(8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks	Hawks, 99-92	TNT
Wednesday, April 22	(8) Brooklyn Nets at (1) Atlanta Hawks	Hawks, 96-91	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	Cavaliers, 113-100	TV
Tuesday, April 21	(7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers	Cavaliers, 99-91	ABC
Thursday, April 23	(2) Cleveland Cavaliers at (7) Boston Celtics	Cavaliers 103-95	TNT
Sunday, April 26	(2) Cleveland Cavaliers at (7) Boston Celtics	1 p.m.	TNT
Tuesday, April 28 *	(7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers	TBD	ABC
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	Bulls, 103-91	ESPN
Monday, April 20	(6) Milwaukee Bucks at (3) Chicago Bulls	Bulls, 91-82	TNT
Thursday, April 23	(3) Chicago Bulls at (6) Milwaukee Bucks	Bulls, 113-106 (2OT)	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	Wizards, 93-86 (OT)	ESPN
Tuesday, April 21	(5) Washington Wizards at (4) Toronto Raptors	Wizards, 117-106	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	Warriors, 106-99	ABC
Monday, April 20	(8) New Orleans Pelicans at (1) Golden State Warriors	Warriors, 97-87	TNT
Thursday, April 23	(1) Golden State Warriors at (8) New Orleans Pelicans	Warriors, 123-119 (OT)	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	Rockets, 118-108	ESPN
Tuesday, April 21	(7) Dallas Mavericks at (2) Houston Rockets	Rockets, 111-99	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	Clippers, 107-92	TNT
Wednesday, April 22	(6) San Antonio Spurs at (3) Los Angeles Clippers	Spurs, 111-107	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	Grizzlies, 100-86	TNT
Wednesday, April 22	(4) Portland Trail Blazers at (5) Memphis Grizzlies	Grizzlies, 97-82	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

Updated bracket available at NBA.com

Friday's Game to Watch

Game 3: Los Angeles Clippers at San Antonio Spurs

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

If you're growing weary of the less-than-compelling first-round series that look bound to end in a bunch of sweeps, Friday night's Game 3 in San Antonio is just what the doctor ordered.

The Spurs fell to the No. 6 seed on the closing night of the season, immediately producing an opening-round matchup for the ages against a third-seeded Clippers team that finished the season winning 14 of its final 15 games. The intrigue only spiked when L.A. made it 15 of 16 and took Game 1 in convincing fashion.

Adversity threatened to push the Spurs into a 2-0 hole when Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili missed the closing moments and overtime due to injury and fouling out, respectively. But the ageless Tim Duncan logged 44 minutes and carried San Antonio to a win.

To say the Clippers' hopes of knocking off the defending champs took a shot would be putting it lightly, as ESPN's Arash Markazi uncovered:

Blake Griffin has had no trouble establishing himself as the best player in the series, averaging 27.5 points, 12 rebounds and over eight assists per game after putting up 25 and 10 in the four-game season series against San Antonio. But he'll want to redeem himself in Game 3 after some sloppy turnovers helped to put the nail in the Clippers' coffin.

The Clippers can't hang their heads too much, knowing they were just one bucket away from taking a 2-0 lead into San Antonio. That's especially so after some of the Spurs' leaders have struggled to start the series.

From Ginobili's comments to USA Today's Sam Amick, the usual fire may not be there:

Of course, just being on the floor would help the Spurs' leaders to get it rolling. There's no worry of Parker's availability for Game 3, as Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News noted:

Parker has beat out his injury scare to be able to suit up for Game 3, but beating out Chris Paul in a point guard matchup that he's struggled with so far will be another story entirely. Paul is loading the stat sheet with more than 25 points per game, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. Parker has 11 points, six assists and four rebounds in the entire series.

Kawhi Leonard's defensive presence was enough to keep Paul out of rhythm late in Game 2, and the Spurs will need that same dominance from the Defensive Player of the Year in order to set the tone in Game 3. Along with that, they can ill afford to let Griffin go off again like he did in L.A.