NBA Playoff Schedule 2018: 1st-Round Dates, TV Info and Projected Matchups
As the NBA closes in on Wednesday's season-ending 12-game slate, only one postseason position remains unclaimed.
It's down to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, who happen to close the campaign in a win-or-go-fishing contest against one another on Wednesday. Besides them, the other 15 playoff participants have already punched their tickets, with the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans securing their spots in Monday night victories.
Once the field is cemented, the playoffs should be packed with drama. Is this the year one (or both) of the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers fail to escape their conference? Can the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors make the most of their respective No. 1 seeds? Is there a dark-horse contender flying under the radar somewhere?
Only time will tell for those answers. For now, these are the certainties.
The playoffs will commence with four-game schedules this Saturday and Sunday on ABC, ESPN and TNT. The first round could last until April 29 at the latest, airing on the same channels and NBA TV, ESPN 2 and (if needed) ESPN News. The NBA Finals start May 31 and will be completed by June 17, airing entirely on ABC.
Below, we have the first weekend's broadcast schedule, via Sports Media Watch, plus a brief breakdown of the projected matchups.
2018 NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend TV Schedule
Saturday, April 14
Game 1, 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Game 1, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 1, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 1, 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Sunday, April 15
Game 1, 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Game 1, 5:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 1, 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 1, 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Projected Matchups
Even with fewer than 48 hours remaining in the season, little has been decided in terms of seeding. Only the top two seeds in each conference can be written in permanent marker—the Houston Rockets first and Golden State Warriors second out West, the Toronto Raptors at No. 1 and the Boston Celtics at No. 2 in the East.
To get a sense of the remaining congestion, check out the breakdown by The Athletic's Anthony Slater regarding Golden State's possible first-round opponents:
Remember wondering throughout school when you'd actually apply math skills in real life? This is where those calculations will pay off.
Math wasn't my strong suit, though, so I'll instead take a simple look at the field if the postseason tipped today, starting out East.
Eastern Conference Current Bracket
No. 1 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Miami Heat
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers
Any series jump off the page here? For me, drool has been spilling out ever since spotting that possible Philly-Milwaukee tussle.
It feels like a glimpse into the conference's near-future. There's Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons on one side, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker on the other. If that isn't must-see TV, I'm not sure what is.
Antetokounmpo's two-game averages against Philly this season are 33.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. In the lone meeting without the Greek Freak, Embiid took center stage with 29 points, nine boards, two blocks and two triples.
The star power is enough to hook you. But once you add in the youthful energy, length and athleticism, this has obvious appointment-viewing potential.
The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards feel like two teams we won't really get to know until the playoffs, so that could be an informative series. The Miami Heat get the first crack at seeing how vulnerable the Boston Celtics are without Kyrie Irving. And LeBron James avoids a top-10 defense, so the King should be ready to roll.
While the West's board can (and almost certainly will) change by Wednesday's completion, let's scan through its current setup.
Western Conference Current Bracket
No. 1 Houston Rockets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 2 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 7 Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers vs. No. 6 San Antonio Spurs
No. 4 Utah Jazz vs. No. 5 New Orleans Pelicans
Even though it's highly unlikely to happen, how good would Golden State-Oklahoma City be out of the gate? With Stephen Curry sidelined, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would take center stage. Count Durant among those pulling for this to become a reality.
"It would be a fun, incredible matchup," Durant said, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. "They gave us some problems earlier this year. ... They're physical. They play hard. They get in the passing lanes. You've got to take care of the basketball."
The two teams split their regular-season series. Westbrook averaged 34 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists in OKC's wins. Durant averaged 31 points in Golden State's victories.
There are other reasons to watch, but Durant vs. Westbrook speaks for itself.
It'd be interesting to see if the Timberwolves are ready for a test like the Rockets—and vice versa. Minnesota's postseason resume is nonexistent, while Houston's key figures all have warts on their playoff pasts.
The other two matchups hold more chess-match appeal for hardcore hoop fans.
In one, you'd get Gregg Popovich trying to neutralize Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, a backcourt responsible for 48.2 points and 9.9 assists per game. In the other, you'd have the second half's top defense (Utah, 96.5 defensive rating) against one of its most brilliant performers (Anthony Davis, 30.1 points and 11.7 rebounds since intermission).
There isn't an unfavorable outcome amid the myriad possibilities still in play. It will be chaotic through Wednesday's final tilt and just as exhilarating during the second season.
Statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
