NBA Playoffs 2018: 1st-Round Schedule, TV Info and Underrated Potential Series
Unless your weekend plans involve purchasing a giant-screen TV, enjoying your beverage of choice and wearing out your couch cushions, you should probably cancel them.
NBA playoff hoops are tipping this weekend, and all 16 participants will have a game in the books by Sunday night.
The 2018 second season should be incredible. The Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors look more powerful than ever. Somehow, LeBron James does, too. The Philadelphia 76ers are playoff processing, and the Golden State Warriors remain juggernauts when healthy.
Playoff-opening four-game slates will air on ABC, ESPN and TNT this Saturday and Sunday. The first round could run through April 29 at the latest, with NBA TV and ESPN2 (and, if necessary, ESPNews) joining the broadcast group. The NBA Finals will open May 31 and close by June 17, airing entirely on ABC.
The broadcast schedule for the first week is listed below, via Sports Media Watch, and followed by a pair of underrated potential first-round matchups.
2018 NBA Playoffs Opening Week 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
Monday, April 16
Game 2, 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2, 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Tuesday, April 17
Game 2, 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 2, 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2, 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Wednesday, April 18
Game 2, 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Game 2, 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Thursday, April 19
Game 2, 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2, 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Friday, April 20
Game 3, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 3, 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Game 3, 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Underrated Potential Series
No. 4 Utah Jazz vs. No. 5 New Orleans Pelicans
The Western Conference playoff picture could change dramatically by Wednesday's completion, but if the hoops gods give us this series, just give thanks and cherish it.
The Utah Jazz's defense is a sight to behold in itself. Their post-All-Star defensive rating is an absurd 96.5. There's a gap of 4.9 points per 100 possessions between them and the second-ranked Philadelphia 76ers, a smaller one than what's between Philly and the 15th-ranked Los Angeles Lakers (4.8).
Dating back to March, Utah has gone 16-3. Only four of its 19 opponents have reached 100 points.
But if you had to pick one player to go up against an elite defense, Anthony Davis is on a short list of reasonable options.
The Brow has similarly elevated his play in the second half, a necessary surge to offset the loss of DeMarcus Cousins to a ruptured Achilles. Dating back to the All-Star break, Davis ranks first in blocks (3.5), second in scoring (30.1) and seventh in rebounds (11.7). He's one of only four players with top-20 ranks in all three categories, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Utah has defended Davis as well as anyone, but he still broke out for 29 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three steals during New Orleans' lone win in the series. He also authored a 25-point, 11-board, 10-block triple-double the last time they met.
"He can block the shot, can stay in between," Ricky Rubio said, per Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune. "You think about the shot, you think about the pass—he can cover both at the same time."
This series might not have the markets or the star power to register a national level. But it would have a chance to be the round's best. Between Utah's stoppers, Davis' playoff return, Donovan Mitchell's debut and Jrue Holiday's breakout, there are compelling storylines on both sides.
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Miami Heat
In a superstar-driven league, this might have the fewest needle-movers of the first round.
USA Basketball recently announced its 35-player pool for the 2018-20 men's national team. Only two players from this series were selected. And both of them are out for the year—Kyrie Irving (knee surgery) and Gordon Hayward (dislocated ankle, fractured tibia).
The Irving-less, Hayward-less Boston Celtics follow the lead of all-purpose glue guy Al Horford and up-and-comers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Miami Heat's most recognizable players are an All-Star injury replacement (Goran Dragic), an interior bag with sagging stats (Hassan Whiteside) and a 36-year-old sub (Dwyane Wade).
The lack of brand names could push this series off the radar. But it might be the closest of the eight matchups.
Miami actually took two of three during the regular season, with a healthy Irving pacing the Celtics in points each time. And Whiteside only played in one of those games, a year after bludgeoning Boston four times for 19.5 points, 14.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
Both clubs have elite defenses (Boston's is first, Miami's is tied for seventh) and bottom-half offenses (18th and 21st, respectively). They're almost identical in pace (98.13 to 97.79) and assist percentage (58.7 to 58.5). They're guided by two of the greatest coaching minds in the business with Brad Stevens and Erik Spoelstra, and their effort and execution bear that out.
If playoff chess matches are your thing, this is the first-round series to circle.
Statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
