NBA Playoff Schedule 2018: TV Info and Outlook for Conference Semifinals
Among the four NBA conference semifinals contests, only one series ended in a sweep. Surprisingly, the No. 1-seeded Toronto Raptors couldn't come up with a single win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The remaining series could end after five games. The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets look to punch their tickets to the Western Conference Finals for a showdown between two of the top three scoring teams in the postseason.
The Boston Celtics lead the Philadelphia 76ers 3-1 with a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. They can finish the series on their home court Wednesday.
Let's take a look at the schedule for the upcoming semifinals games with dates extending to Game 7.
2018 NBA Conference Semifinals Schedule
Game 5: Utah at Houston: Tuesday, May 8 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 5: New Orleans at Golden State: Tuesday, May 8 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 5: Philadelphia at Boston: Wednesday, May 9 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
*Game 6: Houston at Utah: Thursday, May 10 TBD on ESPN
*Game 6: Golden State at New Orleans: Thursday, May 10 TBD on ESPN
*Game 6: Boston at Philadelphia: Friday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
*Game 7: Philadelphia at Boston: Sunday, May 13 TBD
*Game 7: Utah at Houston: Monday, May 14 TBD on TNT
*Game 7: New Orleans at Golden State: Monday, May 14 TBD on TNT
Note: *-indicates if necessary, schedule courtesy of NBA.com
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Leading 3-1, the short-handed Celtics will attempt to finish the series at TD Garden Wednesday, coming off a 103-92 loss in Game 4.
Forward Dario Saric led all scores in that game with 25 points. Head coach Brett Brown inserted point guard T.J. McConnell into the starting lineup over Robert Covington and the switch paid dividends. The third-year guard finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the victory.
When asked about McConnell remaining with the starters for Game 5, Brown all but confirmed it, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic:
Philadelphia shouldn't shy away from what worked in the previous outing. Along with a lineup change, the Sixers attacked the basket on the offensive end. They outscored the Celtics 52-30 in the painted area.
Boston will look to regain some composure. Head coach Brad Stevens, guard Terry Rozier and forward Jaylen Brown all collected technical fouls in Game 4. The added scoring opportunities didn't decide the contest, but the Celtics can't allow the pressure of closing out a series turn the tide on their momentum.
Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz
The Rockets lead the series 3-1 and won all their games by a double-digit margin against the Jazz. Utah has been without point guard Ricky Rubio since straining his hamstring in Game 6 of the team's previous series vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. He's already been ruled out for Wednesday's elimination game:
Guard Donovan Mitchell has put himself in the spotlight with stellar postseason performances, but he's playing with added ball-handling responsibilities without Rubio in the backcourt. The Rookie of the Year candidate has struggled to find his range during the series, shooting 33 percent or less from the field in three out of four games.
In order for Utah to stave off elimination, Mitchell must improve his scoring efficiency. As a team, the Jazz must find more contributors on the offensive end. They've failed to reach 100 points in all three losses.
Jazz head coach Quin Snyder needs more from Royce O'Neale, who's seeing significantly more minutes on the court compared to the previous series. Jae Crowder made just two field goals between Games 3 and 4. The offense needs all the firepower possible to keep pace with the Rockets at the Toyota Center Wednesday.
Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The Golden State Warriors find themselves in the same category as the Rockets—able to finish the series at home 4-1 en route to the Western Conference Finals.
Guard Stephen Curry returned to action from an MCL injury in the second game of this series, and he's not a decoy on the court.
The two-time league MVP hasn't missed a beat shooting from beyond the arc. Curry has made 12-of-28 three-point attempts in the series, but the Warriors have put on a scoring clinic, as expected, finishing with at least 118 points in all their victories.
Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday continue to look impressive as a tandem. Guard E'Twaun Moore has raised his level of play, averaging 15.5 points per game for the series. Yet, the cumulative effort hasn't been enough to escape an early elimination game in Oakland.
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