NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: 1st-Round Dates, TV Info and Projected Matchups

Fourteen of 16 NBA playoff spots have been claimed thus far, and the last two will not be decided until the final day of the regular season on Wednesday, April 12.

Once the field is settled, the NBA playoffs should provide plenty of intrigue. Will anyone beat the Golden State Warriors? Will the Cleveland Cavaliers right the ship? Is there a dark horse lurking out there somewhere?

Those questions will be answered soon enough, but, first, here's a look at the first-round dates and television information via Sports Media Watch, followed by the projected first-round matchups. 

Date	Game	Time (ET)	Television
Saturday, April 15	1	3 p.m.	ABC
Saturday, April 15	1	5:30 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, April 15	1	8 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, April 15	1	10:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sunday, April 16	1	3 p.m.	ABC
Sunday, April 16	1	5:30 p.m.	TNT
Sunday, April 16	1	8 p.m.	TNT
Sunday, April 16	1	10:30 p.m.	TNT
Monday, April 17	2	7 p.m.	NBA TV
Monday, April 17	2	7/8 p.m.	TNT
Monday, April 17	2	9/10:30 p.m.	TNT
Tuesday, April 18	2	7 p.m.	NBA TV
Tuesday, April 18	2	7/8 p.m.	TNT
Tuesday, April 18	2	9/10:30 p.m.	TNT
Wednesday, April 19	2	7/8 p.m.	TNT
Wednesday, April 19	2	9/10:30 p.m.	TNT
Thursday, April 20	3	7 p.m.	NBA TV
Thursday, April 20	3	7/8 p.m.	TNT
Thursday, April 20	3	9/10:30 p.m.	TNT
Friday, April 21	3	8 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, April 21	3	10 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, April 21	3	10:30 p.m.	ESPN2
Saturday, April 22	3 or 4	2 p.m.	TNT
Saturday, April 22	3 or 4	4:30 p.m.	TNT
Saturday, April 22	3 or 4	8 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, April 22	3 or 4	10:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sunday, April 23	4	1 p.m.	ABC
Sunday, April 23	4	3:30 p.m.	ABC
Friday, April 28	6 *	7 p.m.	ESPNEWS
Friday, April 28	6 *	8 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, April 28	6 *	9:30 p.m.	ESPNEWS
Friday, April 28	6 *	10:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sunday, April 30	7 *	1 p.m.	ABC
Sunday, April 30	7 *	3:30 p.m.	ABC

Projected Matchups

The Western Conference matchups are official, in addition to six of the eight playoff seeds. However, the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz are still fighting for the No. 4 seed (which would mean home-court advantage in the first round). Both teams are tied at 50-31, but the Clips have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series.

The Clippers play the Sacramento Kings at home to close the season, while Utah will host the San Antonio Spurs. If the Clippers win or the Jazz lose, then the Clippers will be the No. 4 seed. If Utah wins and the Clippers lose, then the Jazz will be No. 4.

For now, here's a look at the Western Conference bracket as it stands:

First Round	Semifinals	Finals
No. 1 Golden State Warriors
No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers	GSW/POR winner
	vs.
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers	LAC/UTAH winner
No. 5 Utah Jazz
		Semifinal winners
No. 3 Houston Rockets
No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder	HOU/OKC winner
	vs.
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs	SAS/MEM winner
No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies

None of the Eastern Conference matchups are set yet. In fact, only two teams even know their seeds (the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards will be Nos. 3 and No. 4, respectively). Two postseason spots are also up for grabs with just one game remaining.

First, take a look at the current seeding possibilities, courtesy of Atlanta Hawks writer KL Chouinard:

Here are the current Eastern Conference postseason projections:

No. 1 Boston vs. No. 8 Chicago

It's pretty simple for Boston: If the Celtics beat Milwaukee at home on Wednesday, they will be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Even if the C's lose, they'll be the No. 1 seed if the Cleveland Cavaliers (losers of 14 of their last 25 games) fall to the Toronto Raptors, winners of 11 of their last 13 games.

Expect Boston to exact revenge on Milwaukee for beating the C's on the road in March.

The Bulls, the current eighth seed in the East, just need to beat the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night to make the playoffs. Although the Nets are 20-61, which is the worst record in the NBA, that might be easier said than done. Chicago has been up and down all year and just lost to Brooklyn on Saturday.

However, the Nets are a terrible road team, going just 7-33 away from the Barclays Center this year. Although the Bulls have been mediocre, they are a good home team, going 24-16 in the Windy City. They should win this one and seal a playoff bid.

No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 7 Indiana

LeBron James won't play against Toronto on Wednesday, and Kyrie Irving may not either, per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic:

With Toronto already locked into the third seed, they may rest some of their players as well, leaving the Cavs-Raptors matchup as a big question mark.

Ultimately, Cleveland does not control its own destiny for the No. 1 seed after losing to Miami on Monday night, and, as written before, Boston is the pick to beat Milwaukee on Wednesday and take the East's top spot. That would leave the No. 2 seed for Cleveland.

The Pacers will miss the playoffs if they lose to Atlanta at home, Chicago beats Brooklyn and Miami takes down Washington on Wednesday. That would leave all three teams at 41-41. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record among all three teams, and the Pacers would have the worst mark at 3-4.

However, a win will secure at least a seventh seed. If the Pacers win or Miami loses, then Indiana clinches a spot. The guess here is that Indiana and Miami win, given that their respective opponents will likely have nothing to play for (see below).

No. 3 Toronto vs. No. 6 Milwaukee and No. 4 Washington vs. No. 5 Atlanta

These two matchups will go in the same section because the scenarios go hand in hand.

Toronto is locked into the third seed. The Washington Wizards are just a game back in fourth place, but the Raps hold the tiebreaker thanks to winning the season series. That, in turn, locks the Wizards into the fourth spot.

Likewise, Cleveland can finish with the same record as Toronto, but it holds the tiebreaker over the Raps.

Given the scenarios and picks outlined above, Milwaukee would finish with a 42-40 record and tied with the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks won the season series, so that would grant them a sixth seed at least.

The Hawks can clinch the fifth seed with a win at home on Tuesday over the Charlotte Hornets, who will be missing their star player, according to Chris Kroeger of WFNZ:

Atlanta, which is currently a 7.5-point favorite to win, per OddsShark, should take care of business, which would mean a date with Washington in the first round. Even if the Hawks lose, they'd still clinch the fifth seed as long as the Bucks lose to the Celtics, as Atlanta holds the tiebreaker over Milwaukee.