NBA Playoffs 2017: TV Schedule and Predictions for Saturday's Round 1 Games

The pathway to the NBA Finals and a shot at hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy starts on Saturday. 

With four games slated to tip off the 2016-17 NBA postseason, first-round storylines enrich the playoff experience. Should we worry about the Cleveland Cavaliers? Or did they sleep walk through the season after the All-Star break?

The Los Angeles Clippers could lose forward Blake Griffin and guard Chris Paul in the offseason due to early termination clauses in their contracts, per Spotrac. Sharpshooter J.J. Redick will become a free agent. Barring a deep postseason run, the Clippers may have to reconstruct their starting lineup for next season.

Do the San Antonio Spurs have enough assets around forwards Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge for multiple series victories?

Matchup	Time	TV	Prediction
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers	3:00 p.m.	ABC	Cavaliers
Milwaukee Bucks at Toronto Raptors	5:30 p.m.	ESPN	Raptors
Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs	8:00 p.m.	ESPN	Spurs
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers	10:30 p.m.	ESPN	Clippers

Are the Cleveland Cavaliers Sleeping Giants? 

Casual basketball fans made a big deal about the Boston Celtics finishing ahead of the Cavaliers in playoff seeding. In reality, LeBron James has fared well as the No. 2 seed:

As defending champions, the Cavaliers shouldn’t emphasize the regular season outside of getting in tune for the playoffs. For the record, Cleveland won their season series (3-1) against Boston. Regardless of seed, the Cavaliers remain the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

The pesky Indiana Pacers will hang around for some fiercely competitive games, but they’ll fall in five contests. If this series extends to six or seven games, Cleveland’s issues may linger, which makes them vulnerable for a second-round upset. 

James posted a tweet that indicates it’s time to turn his play up a notch via his Twitter account:

It’s worth noting, James logged career-highs in rebounds (8.6) and assists (8.7) per game while leading the league in minutes played per contest (37.8). Like every season, he’s put his best on the court. Now, he must find a way to involve his teammates and build their confidence levels going forward.

Los Angeles Clippers Need a Strong Playoff Run 

Is it over for Lob City? Will Paul and Griffin want out after the postseason? The Clippers’ playoff success or lack thereof could factor into offseason decisions.

Los Angeles allowed a 3-1 series lead slip away during the 2014-15 postseason. Last year, the injury bug bit Paul and Griffin during the playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers. Both players appeared in four contests, and the Blazers won in six games.

Whether it’s poor play or injuries, the Clippers have run out of excuses for underwhelming postseason play. As the No. 4 seed, they’ll draw the toughest first-round matchup among the Western Conference pairings. The Utah Jazz allowed the least amount of points per game (96.8), which adds a good reason for a potential upset. 

For April, Paul earned Player of the Month honors, and the team went 5-0 going into the postseason:

The Clippers need their floor general at his best against an opponent capable of chasing scorers away from the three-point line and defending the paint. This smells like a six-game series at the very least. Los Angeles should rise to the occasion in a hard-fought series.

San Antonio Spurs: Old and Reliable?

Even without Tim Duncan, you can expect older veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to lead this team with playoff savvy. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge will carry a heavy workload as primary scorers—the former will also be locking down the opponent’s best player on certain nights.

A sibling battle between Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol provides a subplot to this series. Production-wise the younger brother, Marc, should have the upper hand.

During the regular season, the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs split the season series (2-2). In those four contests, the winning team eclipsed the 100-point threshold just once.

Swingman Tony Allen’s absence due to a muscle strain in his right leg will cost the Grizzlies some stops. Ginobili referenced the notable loss, per San Antonio Express-News reporter Tom Orsborn:

Despite his mature age at 35, Allen remains an elite defender who can irritate pure scorers. This series won’t entertain basketball fans looking for high-scoring games. Rebounding and physicality will be overlaying factors in deciding San Antonio's opening matchup. Give the edge to the Spurs, who possess a deeper roster than their opponent.