/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46159924/GettyImages-159701579.0.jpg)
The NBA Playoffs starts today, and as a result, the most exciting part of the NBA Season begins! Let's get you all the info you want, in one place:
- SB Nation's 2015 NBA Playoff Guide
- NBA Playoff Schedule
- SB Nation Team Blog Individual Previews
- NBA Game-by-Game Odds
As a Utah Jazz fan I'm hyped for the NBA Draft, but man, the Western Conference playoffs is where it's at. Watch this video, and then recognize that you don't want the basketball season to end just yet.
Anyway, let's get to the games....
.
Eastern Conference:
Atlanta Hawks (1) vs. Brooklyn Nets (8) | ||||||||||
1 | Nets | @ | Hawks | - | SUN | April | 19 | 3:30 PM MT | TNT | |
2 | Nets | @ | Hawks | - | WED | April | 22 | 5:00 PM MT | NBATV | |
3 | Hawks | @ | Nets | - | SAT | April | 25 | 1:00 PM MT | TNT | |
4 | Hawks | @ | Nets | - | MON | April | 27 | TBD | TBD | |
5 | Nets | @ | Hawks | - | WED | April | 29 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Hawks | @ | Nets | - | FRI | May | 1 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Nets | @ | Hawks | - | SUN | May | 3 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Hawks Roster | Nets Roster | |||||||||
Jeff Teague | PG | Deron Williams | ||||||||
Kyle Korver | SG | Markel Brown | ||||||||
DeMarre Carroll | SF | Joe Johnson | ||||||||
Paul Millsap | PF | Thaddeus Young | ||||||||
Al Horford | C | Brook Lopez |
Nets worked hard to make the playoffs, the Hawks have been in cruise control for about a month now, but I don't think the North East Jazz can beat the South East Jazz.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Boston Celtics (7) | ||||||||||
1 | Celtics | @ | Cavaliers | - | SUN | April | 19 | 1:00 PM MT | ABC | |
2 | Celtics | @ | Cavaliers | - | TUE | April | 21 | 5:00 PM MT | TNT | |
3 | Cavaliers | @ | Celtics | - | THU | April | 23 | 5:00 PM MT | TNT | |
4 | Cavaliers | @ | Celtics | - | SUN | April | 26 | 11:00 AM MT | ABC | |
5 | Celtics | @ | Cavaliers | - | TUE | April | 28 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Cavaliers | @ | Celtics | - | THU | April | 30 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Celtics | @ | Cavaliers | - | SUN | May | 2 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Cavaliers Roster | Celtics Roster | |||||||||
Kyrie Irving | PG | Avery Bradley | ||||||||
J.R. Smith | SG | Marcus Smart | ||||||||
LeBron James | SF | Evan Turner | ||||||||
Kevin Love | PF | Brandon Bass | ||||||||
Timofey Mozgov | C | Tyler Zeller |
King James and his jester's court go up against the traditional Kings of the NBA. These games are going to be slow, gritty, and not fun to watch.
Chicago Bulls (3) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (6) | ||||||||||
1 | Bucks | @ | Bulls | - | SAT | April | 18 | 5:00 PM MT | ESPN | |
2 | Bucks | @ | Bulls | - | MON | April | 20 | 6:00 PM MT | TNT | |
3 | Bulls | @ | Bucks | - | THU | April | 23 | 6:00 PM MT | NBATV | |
4 | Bulls | @ | Bucks | - | SAT | April | 25 | 3:30 PM MT | TNT | |
5 | Bucks | @ | Bulls | - | MON | April | 27 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Bulls | @ | Bucks | - | THU | April | 30 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Bucks | @ | Bulls | - | SAT | May | 2 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Bulls Roster | Bucks Roster | |||||||||
Derrick Rose | PG | Michael Carter-Williams | ||||||||
Jimmy Butler | SG | Khris Middleton | ||||||||
Mike Dunleavy | SF | Giannis Antetokounmpo | ||||||||
Pau Gasol | PF | Ersan Ilyasova | ||||||||
Joakim Noah | C | Zaza Pachulia |
Speaking of slow and painful basketball . . . I don't expect any upsets so far in this playoffs yet.
Toronto Raptors (4) vs. Washington Wizards (5) | ||||||||||
1 | Wizards | @ | Raptors | - | SAT | April | 18 | 10:30 AM MT | ESPN | |
2 | Wizards | @ | Raptors | - | TUE | April | 21 | 6:00 PM MT | NBATV | |
3 | Raptors | @ | Wizards | - | FRI | April | 24 | 6:00 PM MT | ESPN | |
4 | Raptors | @ | Wizards | - | SUN | April | 26 | 5:00 PM MT | TNT | |
5 | Wizards | @ | Raptors | - | WED | April | 29 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Raptors | @ | Wizards | - | FRI | May | 1 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Wizards | @ | Raptors | - | SUN | May | 3 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Raptors Roster | Wizards Roster | |||||||||
Kyle Lowry | PG | John Wall | ||||||||
Terrence Ross | SG | Bradley Beal | ||||||||
DeMar DeRozan | SF | Otto Porter | ||||||||
Amir Johnson | PF | Nene Hilario | ||||||||
Jonas Valanciunas | C | Marcin Gortat |
I'm going to go with the Raps here, most of the world seems to agree as well, for whatever reasons. I'd love to see these guys get out of the first round, it's been a long time since that happened. So I'm expecting the top four seeds to all advance to the next round, out East.
.
Western Conference:
Golden State Warriors (1) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8) | ||||||||||
1 | Pelicans | @ | Warriors | - | SAT | April | 18 | 1:30 PM MT | ABC | |
2 | Pelicans | @ | Warriors | - | MON | April | 20 | 8:30 PM MT | TNT | |
3 | Warriors | @ | Pelicans | - | THU | April | 23 | 7:30 PM MT | TNT | |
4 | Warriors | @ | Pelicans | - | SAT | April | 25 | 6:00 PM MT | ESPN | |
5 | Pelicans | @ | Warriors | - | TUE | April | 28 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Warriors | @ | Pelicans | - | FRI | May | 1 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Pelicans | @ | Warriors | - | SUN | May | 3 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Warriors Roster | Pelicans Roster | |||||||||
Stephen Curry | PG | Jrue Holiday | ||||||||
Klay Thompson | SG | Eric Gordon | ||||||||
Harrison Barnes | SF | Tyreke Evans | ||||||||
Draymond Green | PF | Anthony Davis | ||||||||
Andrew Bogut | C | Omer Asik |
It's fun not to see the Thunder there, but this series is going to be the end of a monster movie where the highly trained specialists come out and succeed against a huge man-beast.
Houston Rockets (2) vs. Dallas Mavericks (7) | ||||||||||
1 | Mavericks | @ | Rockets | - | SAT | April | 18 | 7:30 PM MT | ESPN | |
2 | Mavericks | @ | Rockets | - | TUE | April | 21 | 7:30 PM MT | TNT | |
3 | Rockets | @ | Mavericks | - | FIR | April | 24 | 5:00 PM MT | ESPN | |
4 | Rockets | @ | Mavericks | - | SUN | April | 26 | 7:30 PM MT | TNT | |
5 | Mavericks | @ | Rockets | - | TUE | April | 28 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Rockets | @ | Mavericks | - | THU | April | 30 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Mavericks | @ | Rockets | - | SAT | May | 2 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Rockets Roster | Mavericks Roster | |||||||||
Jason Terry | PG | Rajon Rondo | ||||||||
James Harden | SG | Monta Ellis | ||||||||
Trevor Ariza | SF | Chandler Parsons | ||||||||
Terrence Jones | PF | Dirk Nowitzki | ||||||||
Dwight Howard | C | Tyson Chandler |
This is going to be lots of fun because of star calls. Rondo can't shoot. Parsons is gimpy. And we just saw the Rockets, and are aware of their flaws -- even if we're not able to capitalize on them.
Los Angeles Clippers (3) vs. San Antonio Spurs (6) | ||||||||||
1 | Spurs | @ | Clippers | - | SUN | April | 19 | 8:30 PM MT | TNT | |
2 | Spurs | @ | Clippers | - | WED | April | 22 | 8:30 PM MT | TNT | |
3 | Clippers | @ | Spurs | - | FRI | April | 24 | 7:30 PM MT | ESPN | |
4 | Clippers | @ | Spurs | - | SUN | April | 26 | 1:30 PM MT | ABC | |
5 | Spurs | @ | Clippers | - | TUE | April | 28 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Clippers | @ | Spurs | - | THU | April | 30 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Spurs | @ | Clippers | - | SAT | May | 2 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Clippers Roster | Spurs Roster | |||||||||
Chris Paul | PG | Tony Parker | ||||||||
J.J. Redick | SG | Danny Green | ||||||||
Matt Barnes | SF | Kawhi Leonard | ||||||||
Blake Griffin | PF | Tiago Splitter | ||||||||
DeAndre Jordan | C | Tim Duncan |
LETS GO SPURS!
Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (5) | ||||||||||
1 | Trail Blazers | @ | Grizzlies | - | SAT | April | 18 | 10:30 AM MT | ESPN | |
2 | Trail Blazers | @ | Grizzlies | - | TUE | April | 21 | 6:00 PM MT | NBATV | |
3 | Grizzlies | @ | Trail Blazers | - | FRI | April | 24 | 6:00 PM MT | ESPN | |
4 | Grizzlies | @ | Trail Blazers | - | SUN | April | 26 | 5:00 PM MT | TNT | |
5 | Trail Blazers | @ | Grizzlies | - | WED | April | 29 | TBD | TBD | * |
6 | Grizzlies | @ | Trail Blazers | - | FRI | May | 1 | TBD | TBD | * |
7 | Trail Blazers | @ | Grizzlies | - | SUN | May | 3 | TBD | TBD | * |
* = if necessary | ||||||||||
Trail Blazers Roster | Grizzlies Roster | |||||||||
Damian Lillard | PG | Mike Conley | ||||||||
Arron Afflalo | SG | Courtney Lee | ||||||||
Nicolas Batum | SF | Jeff Green | ||||||||
LaMarcus Aldridge | PF | Zach Randolph | ||||||||
Robin Lopez | C | Marc Gasol |
The Blazers don't have come court, and are kinda gimpy right now. I don't think they are going to advance.
.
So I have all Top Seeds advancing, as MEM is the top seed here. The games start today at 10:30 AM on ESPN!
- WAS @ TOR -- 10:30 AM (ESPN)
- NOP @ GSW -- 1:30 PM (ABC)
- MIL @ CHI -- 5:00 PM (ESPN)
- DAL @ HOU -- 7:300 PM (ESPN)