NBA Playoff Schedule 2020: 1st-Round TV Info and Predictions

The results of the eight seeding games inside the NBA bubble have given us plenty of intriguing first-round playoff matchups to consider. 

The final matchup to be set could end up as the most entertaining first-round series since the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference will enter its showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers off a play-in series victory. 

Milwaukee and Toronto are experiencing the opposite of what the Lakers are going through, as they are locked into series against Brooklyn and Orlando, respectively. 

Although Boston has secured the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed, it does not have a set opponent yet, but its potential opponent could give it the easiest path to the second round of the championship contenders.

The first round is scheduled to begin Monday, and games will be televised on ESPN, TNT and NBA TV.

Predictions

Lakers Face Stiff Challenge At Start Of Series

One of the quirks of the seeding-game setup is the Lakers are at a disadvantage compared to everyone else when it comes to preparing for their first-round opponent. 

The Lakers may not find out until Sunday which team they will go up against from the play-in series. Portland and Memphis were in the play-in positions going into Wednesday, while Phoenix and San Antonio are still in contention. 

Frank Vogel's side fixed some of its offensive issues in Monday's win over Denver in which LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma all produced over 25 points. 

Even though the trio played well, it still took a game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left to defeat a Denver team that played its second unit for all of the fourth quarter. 

In addition to having a small amount of time to prepare for a specific matchup, the Lakers could be at a disadvantage in the backcourt if it faces Portland or Phoenix. 

Damian Lillard and Devin Booker have been the two hottest scorers in the bubble, and the West's top seed does not have a dominant perimeter defender. 

A combination of Danny Green, Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kuzma will be tasked with slowing down one of the guards, if they qualify as the No. 8 seed. 

Memphis presents the most favorable matchup for the Lakers since it does not have a high-volume scorer in its backcourt. 

Even if the Grizzlies manage to win out and get in as the No. 8 seed, they would be riding a large wave of momentum and could use that to compete and possibly come out with a win in Game 1. 

With James and Davis in tow, the Lakers should still be able to win their first seven-game series, but it may come with some difficulties given the form of the teams in competition for the No. 8 seed.

Boston Has Easiest Path To 2nd Round

Boston's first-round opponent is not confirmed yet, but there is a high chance it will be Philadelphia. 

NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg noted there is a 94.8 percent chance the Celtics open with the Sixers and the next Indiana victory or Philadelphia defeat will confirm that matchup. 

Even though Boston owns a 1-3 regular-season record against Philadelphia, it could be the easiest first-round matchup for any of the top four seeds in each conference to face. 

The Sixers will be without Ben Simmons, who is having surgery on his left knee, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and Joel Embiid is dealing with an ankle issue. 

Even if Embiid is close to full strength for the potential first-round series, he could have trouble finding scoring support. 

Boston has an abundance of defenders, led by Marcus Smart, that can shut down the scoring production of Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson and others. 

On the other end of the court, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum could overwhelm Philadelphia's defense with their movement in offensive sets and three-point shooting ability. 

Since Boston carries plenty of advantages into a matchup with Philadelphia, we could see a series similar to the 2018 second round in which the Celtics won 4-1. 

A quick victory would allow Boston ample time to prepare for a potential showdown with Toronto in what would be one of the most anticipated second-round matchups.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NBA.com.