NBA playoff schedule: How to watch the first round originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs is underway.
After a thrilling Play-In Tournament, 16 teams have entered the postseason with dreams of hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.
Will the Golden State Warriors be able to successfully defend their crown? Or will a different team reach the mountaintop?
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From the matchups to the schedule and more, here's what to know as the road to the Finals begins in Round 1.
When do the 2023 NBA playoffs start?
The playoffs begin on Saturday, April 15.
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How do the NBA playoffs work?
All playoff series are best of seven with the higher seed holding home-court advantage. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the lower seed gets Games 3, 4 and 6.
There is no reseeding in the NBA playoffs. So the winner of the 1-8 matchup meets the winner of the 4-5 series in the second round, while the winner of the 2-7 matchup meets the winner of the 3-6 series.
What are the 2023 NBA playoff matchups?
East
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks
West
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
What is the schedule for the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs?
Here are the updated schedules for each first-round series (all times Eastern, * = if necessary):
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
Game 1: Heat 130, Bucks 117 (MIA leads 1-0)
Game 2: Bucks 128, Heat 122 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Heat 121, Bucks 99 (MIA leads 2-1)
Game 4: Heat 119, Bucks 114 (MIA leads 3-1)
Game 5: Heat 128, Bucks (MIA wins 4-1)
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Celtics 112, Hawks 99 (BOS leads 1-0)
Game 2: Celtics 119, Hawks 106 (BOS leads 2-0)
Game 3: Hawks 130, Celtics 122 (BOS leads 2-1)
Game 4: Celtics 129, Hawks 121 (BOS leads 3-1)
*Game 5: Hawks 119, Celtics 117 (BOS leads 3-2)
*Game 6: Celtics at Hawks, April 27, TBD
*Game 7: Hawks at Celtics, April 29, TBD
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
Game 1: Sixers 121, Nets 101 (PHI leads 1-0)
Game 2: Sixers 96, Nets 84 (PHI leads 2-0)
Game 3: Sixers 102, Nets 97 (PHI leads 3-0)
Game 4: Sixers at Nets, April 22, 1 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia/TNT
*Game 5: Nets at Sixers, April 24, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Sixers at Nets, April 27, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Nets at Sixers, April 29, TBD, TBD
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks
Game 1: Knicks 101, Cavaliers 97 (NYK leads 1-0)
Game 2: Cavaliers 109, Knicks 90 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Knicks 99, Cavaliers 79 (NYK leads 2-1)
Game 4: Knicks 102, Cavaliers 93 (NYK leads 3-1)
Game 5: Knicks 106, Cavaliers 95 (NYK wins 4-1)
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Nuggets 109, Timberwolves 80 (DEN leads 1-0)
Game 2: Nuggets 122, Timberwolves 113 (DEN leads 2-0)
Game 3: Nuggets at Timberwolves, April 21, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Nuggets 108 (OT) (DEN leads 3-1)
Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 109 (DEN wins 4-1)
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1: Lakers 128, Grizzlies 112 (LAL leads 1-0)
Game 2: Grizzlies 103, Lakers 93 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Lakers 111, Grizzlies 101 (LAL leads 2-1)
Game 4: Lakers 117, Grizzlies 111 (LAL leads 3-1)
Game 5: Lakers at Grizzlies, April 26, 7:30 p.m., TNT
*Game 6: Grizzlies at Lakers, April 28, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Lakers at Grizzlies, April 30, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
Game 1: Kings 126, Warriors 123 (SAC leads 1-0)
Game 2: Kings 114, Warriors 106 (SAC leads 2-0)
Game 3: Warriors 114, Kings 97 (SAC leads 2-1)
Game 4: Warriors 126, Kings 125 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5: Warriors 123, Kings 116 (GSW leads 3-2)
*Game 6: Kings at Warriors, April 28, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Warriors at Kings, April 30, TBD, TBD
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
Game 1: Clippers 115, Suns 110 (LAC leads 1-0)
Game 2: Suns 123, Clippers 109 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Suns 129, Clippers 124 (PHX leads 2-1)
Game 4: Suns 112, Clippers 100 (PHX leads 3-1)
Game 5: Suns 136, Clippers 130 (PHX wins 4-1)
