NBA Playoffs 2020: 1st-Round Schedule, TV Info and Underrated Potential Series

For all that's unique about the 2019-20 NBA season, the Western Conference playoff field looks typically loaded.

It isn't all the way cemented just yet, as four clubs are fighting for the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds and the ticket they'll provide to the weekend's play-in tournament. But the other three-first round matchups in the conference—and all four of the East's series—are all set, even if a few seeds could change.

Some of the matchups are already generating major buzz. Joel Embiid motoring forward without Ben Simmons to battle the Boston Celtics should be incredible to watch. James Harden and Russell Westbrook facing Chris Paul and the Oklahoma City Thunder feels like destiny. The Los Angeles Lakers are always on the radar, and they could draw one of the bubble's hottest teams.

After laying out the latest bracket and scheduling information, we'll break down three off-the-radar first-round series you won't want to miss.

Current Playoff Bracket

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic

No. 4 Miami Heat vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers

No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers

No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets

Western Conference

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers

No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz

No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks

First-Round Scheduling and Broadcast Information

Play-In Game No. 1: Saturday, Aug. 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Play-In Game No. 2: Sunday, Aug. 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (if necessary)

First-Round Start Date: Monday, Aug. 17

First-Round Latest End Date: Sunday, Aug. 30

TV: ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBATV (Broadcast schedule to be determined)

Underrated First-Round Series

Heat vs. Pacers

The Jimmy Butler-T.J. Warren beef will be billed on the marquee, and maybe it should be. Butler is the leader of the Heat, and Warren has led the bubble Pacers. NBA drama doesn't get much better than when a pair of top talents are going back-and-forth.

But that's hardly the only reason to keep watch.

They'll enter the playoffs having faced off twice in the seeding round's final week. That's enough to flare up emotions in what's already an intense situation.

Then, there's the unsettled future of Victor Oladipo (a known target of Miami's in 2021), which will surely be discussed at length throughout this series. Add two of the top defensive bigs to the equation (Bam Adebayo and Myles Turner), and there are narratives to follow other than the heavyweight rematch between Butler and Warren.

Nuggets vs. Jazz

The Jazz aren't holding the West's No. 6 seed without fleecing the Nuggets a few times on draft night.

It started in 2013, when Utah traded up to grab Rudy Gobert and sent Erick Green and cash to Denver. Gobert is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-NBA selection. Green played 52 games across two NBA seasons before continuing his career overseas.

It happened again in 2017, as the Jazz moved up to add Donovan Mitchell for Trey Lyles and Tyler Lydon. Mitchell debuted as a 20-points-per-game scorer and has only increased his output since. He booked his first All-Star trip this season. Lyles gave the Nuggets two mediocre seasons before signing with the San Antonio Spurs last offseason. Lydon played just 26 games in Denver, was allowed to leave in free agency after only two seasons and is out of the league now.

That subplot gives this series a fascinating backdrop, but the basketball itself holds the biggest appeal. Gobert and Nikola Jokic are two of the best centers in the game. Mitchell and Jamal Murray are two of the top young scorers. The Nuggets have massive wild cards in Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol. The Jazz have another gear (or more) defensively and still seem like they can get more out of Mike Conley.

"It's a really good matchup," Jokic said, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. "It's always kind of tough between us and them. It's going to be a really interesting series."

Clippers vs. Mavericks

It shouldn't be possible for this series to fly under the radar.

One team hails from L.A. The other resides in Dallas. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are on one side of the matchup. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are on the other. Even the coaches, Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle, are household names.

And yet, the early attention in the West seems most focused on Westbrook battling his old team and Harden going against his old team and more recent running mate (Paul). If the Blazers or even the Suns secure the No. 8 seed after a blistering bubble run, their matchup with the Lakers won't hurt for attention.

So, yeah, somehow it does seem possible this star-studded affair could be relatively glossed over.

It shouldn't be, of course. Judging by net efficiency rating, the series has the league's third- (Clippers) and sixth-best (Mavericks) teams. Leonard and Doncic are on the Association's short list of full-fledged superstars. George and Porzingis are two of the best costars in the business. The marquee players are supported by impressive depth on both sides.

This could quietly be the best series of the first round.