NBA Playoff Schedule 2019: 1st-Round Dates, TV Info and Projected Matchups
Although only one spot for the 2019 NBA playoffs is still available, the final days of the regular season are packed with drama.
The Eastern Conference has already crowned a champion in the Milwaukee Bucks but lacks clarity at the bottom of the standings. All eight playoffs spots in the West are locked up, yet the No. 2 seed and first-round matchups for the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets remain unsettled.
Since the regular season ends Wednesday, one single result can have a major impact in the standings.
2019 NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend TV Schedule
Saturday, April 13 (All times ET)
Game 1: 12:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 1: 3 p.m. on ESPN
Game 1: 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 1: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, April 14
Game 1: 3 p.m. on ESPN
Game 1: 5:30 p.m. on TNT
Game 1: 8 p.m. on TNT
Game 1: 10:30 p.m. on TNT
Projected Matchups
Eastern Conference
No. 8 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks
No. 7 Orlando Magic vs. No. 2 Toronto Raptors
No. 6 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers
No. 5 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 4 Boston Celtics
Note: Clinched seeds in bold.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have earned home-court advantage, and it could propel them to the NBA Finals. Milwaukee's 33-7 home record is tied with Denver atop the league.
Toronto and Philadelphia are the No. 2 and 3 seeds and hoping All-Star additions (Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler, respectively) can change their playoff trends. Toronto has never reached the NBA Finals, while Philly's last appearance came in 2001.
Both the Raptors and Sixers are waiting for their opponent. One of them will challenge the Nets, and the other is likely to take on the Magic. Orlando needs either a victory over the Charlotte Hornets or a Pistons loss for that to happen.
Detroit holds a one-game advantage on the Hornets and Miami Heat, and all three franchises have two games left. Charlotte has the tiebreaker on both Detroit and Miami, but the Pistons end the season against the Memphis Grizzles and New York Knicks.
The Hornets need some help. And the Heat? Well, let's just say Dwyane Wade's career isn't ending in terrific fashion.
Boston wrapped up the fourth seed―and final home-court slot―with a pair of late-season wins over Indiana.
Western Conference
No. 8 LA Clippers vs. No. 1 Golden State Warriors
No. 7 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 2 Houston Rockets
No. 6 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 3 Denver Nuggets
No. 5 Utah Jazz vs. No. 4 Portland Trail Blazers
Note: Clinched seeds in bold.
We know Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and the Warriors have the No. 1 seed. The question is what happens behind them.
Houston has steadily recovered from an 11-14 start to the campaign. Since the All-Star break, the Rockets are 20-4. The surge has positioned them for a first-round series with the Thunder, against whom Houston went 1-2 during the regular season.
The Rockets hold a head-to-head tiebreaker on the Nuggets, potentially dropping them to No. 3. Denver owns a half-game edge on Houston entering Tuesday but cannot afford losses to the Jazz or Minnesota Timberwolves if the Rockets topple OKC.
Oklahoma City has benefited from the Clippers' late-season slide. However, the Thunder can only edge the Spurs for the No. 6 seed with season-ending wins over both Houston and Milwaukee―unless San Antonio falls to the Dallas Mavericks.
That seems unlikely at best, meaning the Spurs get a chance at Denver in the opening round of the playoffs.
Portland and Utah haven't locked up the fourth and fifth seeds, but Utah only needs one victory to make it official. During the regular season, the teams split four matchups. The key difference is Portland will be without star center Jusuf Nurkic (leg).
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
