NBA Playoff Schedule 2019: Known Dates for Round-by-Round Bracket
We're down to the final day of the 2018-19 NBA season. While the playoff field is nearly set—either the Detroit Pistons or the Charlotte Hornets will take the final slot in the East—there is some shuffling in the seedings that can occur.
While the exact matchups of the postseason have yet to be determined, we do have a tentative schedule for how the playoffs will work. We'll examine that here, along with some of the latest playoff-related storylines.
The regular season has been full of drama and excitement, even where non-playoff teams are concerned (yes, we're looking at you, L.A. Lakers). However, things are really going to heat up now that it's elimination time.
Known Start Dates for Round-by-Round Bracket (via NBA.com)
First Round: Saturday, April 13
Conference Semifinals: Monday, April 29 or Tuesday, April 30 (possible move up to April 27-28)
Conference Finals: Tuesday, May 14 or Wednesday, May 15 (possible move up to May 12-13)
Finals: Thursday, May 30
It's Down to Two
As previously mentioned, either the Pistons or the Hornets will claim the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Miami Heat were officially eliminated on Tuesday when Detroit took a 100-93 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Pistons have a one-game lead over Charlotte, but the Hornets hold the tiebreaker thanks to a 4-0 record in head-to-head matchups. This means that if the Hornets win their final game over the Orlando Magic and the Pistons lose to the New York Knicks, Charlotte can still clinch a playoff berth.
This is a tough situation for Charlotte to be in, though, as the Knicks (17-64) are the worst team in the NBA. Still, the Hornets are going to approach Wednesday's game like a win-and-in contest.
"We'll be energized," Hornets guard Kemba Walker told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. "That's for sure."
New York has already locked up the worst record in the league, so it'll be fun to see if they can ride their two-game winning streak into a spoiler's role on Wednesday.
Will the Bucks Maintain Momentum?
While the Knicks have secured the worst record in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks have locked up the league's best (60-21). This means that if they reach the Finals, they'll hold home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
The challenge, of course, will be cutting through the field in the East to actually reach the Finals. Milwaukee has dealt with injuries over the final month of the season—Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, Donte DiVincenzo and Khris Middleton have all missed time—and yet, the Bucks have still essentially been able to coast into the postseason.
Can superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the healthy Milwaukee players ratchet up the intensity against the likes of the Hornets, Pistons Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers? That's the pressing question.
"I think for our fans, for our organization it's been a really special year," head coach Mike Budenholzer said, per Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I think the entire organization has done phenomenal things. … Now the real season will start in a week or so."
As last year's Toronto Raptors team can tell you, owning the best record in the conference means nothing in and of itself come playoff time.
Should the Warriors Rest Curry?
The Golden State Warriors secured the best record in the Western Conference well before Tuesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. This means there was nothing on the line other than the health of the team's key players.
Naturally, star shooter Stephen Curry suffered an ankle injury during the matchup:
Head coach Steve Kerr stated after the game that he expects Curry to be ready for Game 1 of the opening round, according to Dieter Kurtenbach of the Mercury News. However, Golden State may still want to be careful with its star point guard.
This means we might see a limited amount of Curry in the opening round. The Warriors will face either the Los Angeles Clippers or the San Antonio Spurs, depending on how Wednesday's games unfold, and they may not need to be at full strength to win the series.
