After a long, wild regular season, the NBA playoffs are finally upon us. There's plenty of intrigue to go around in both conferences, with some high seeds facing some incredibly difficult matchups. This is the type of postseason where you don't want to miss a single game, so we've helped you out with a handy schedule for each first-round game. We've also included the TV channel, so you're not scrambling around come game time.

Below are the schedules and dates for every first-round series:

No. 1 Toronto Raptors (59-23) vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards (43-39)
• Game 7 in Toronto: TBA (if necessary)

No. 2 Boston Celtics (55-27) vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks (44-38)
• Game 7 in Boston: TBA (if necessary)

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers (52-30) vs. No. 6 Miami Heat (44-38)

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (50-32) vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers (48-34)
• Game 7 in Cleveland: TBA (if necessary)

No. 1 Houston Rockets (65-17) vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves (47-35)

No. 2 Golden State Warriors (58-24) vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (47-35)
• Game 7 in Oakland: TBA (if necessary)

No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers (49-33) vs. No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans (48-34)
• Game 3 in New Orleans: Thursday, April 19, 9 p.m. ET, NBA TV
• Game 4 in New Orleans: Saturday, April 21, 5 p.m. ET, TNT
• Game 5 in Portland: TBA (if necessary)
• Game 6 in New Orleans: TBA (if necessary)



No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder (48-34) vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz (48-34)
• Game 5 in Oklahoma City: TBA (if necessary)</s>James Harden and the Houston Rockets are the top seed in the NBA Western Conference playoffs.

The long grind of the NBA playoffs tips off with first-round action on Saturday, April 14, featuring four games on ESPN/ABC. TNT's playoff coverage begins with a tripleheader on Sunday.

All Times Eastern. Schedule Subject to Change. TBD = To Be Determined * = If Necessary

No. 8 Washington Wizards vs. No. 1 Toronto Raptors

 Game 1: Saturday, April 14: Washington at Toronto, 5:30pm, ESPN

 Game 2: Tuesday, April 17: Washington at Toronto, 7pm, NBA TV

 Game 3: Friday, April 20: Toronto at Washington, 8pm, ESPN2

 Game 4: Sunday, April 22: Toronto at Washington, 6pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Wednesday, April 25: Washington at Toronto, TBD

 Game 6*: Friday, April 27: Toronto at Washington, TBD

 Game 7*: Sunday, April 29: Washington at Toronto, TBD

No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 2 Boston Celtics

 Game 1: Sunday, April 15: Milwaukee at Boston, 1pm, TNT

 Game 2: Tuesday, April 17: Milwaukee at Boston, 8pm, TNT

 Game 3: Friday, April 20: Boston at Milwaukee, 9:30pm, ESPN

 Game 4: Sunday, April 22: Boston at Milwaukee, 1pm, ABC

 Game 5*: Tuesday, April 24: Milwaukee at Boston, TBD

 Game 6*: Thursday, April 26: Boston at Milwaukee, TBD

 Game 7*: Saturday, April 28: Milwaukee at Boston, TBD, TNT

No. 6 Miami Heat vs. No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers

 Game 1: Saturday, April 14: Miami at Philadelphia, 8pm, ESPN

 Game 2: Monday, April 16: Miami at Philadelphia, 8pm, TNT

 Game 3: Thursday, April 19: Philadelphia at Miami, 7pm, TNT

 Game 4: Saturday, April 21: Philadelphia at Miami, 2:30pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Tuesday, April 24: Miami at Philadelphia, TBD

 Game 6*: Thursday, April 26: Philadelphia at Miami, TBD

 Game 7*: Saturday, April 28: Miami at Philadelphia, TBD, TNT

No. 5 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers

 Game 1: Sunday, April 15: Indiana at Cleveland, 3:30pm, ABC

 Game 2: Wednesday, April 18: Indiana at Cleveland, 7pm, TNT

 Game 3: Friday, April 20: Cleveland at Indiana, 7pm, ESPN

 Game 4: Sunday, April 22: Cleveland at Indiana, 8:30pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Wednesday, April 25: Indiana at Cleveland, TBD

 Game 6*: Friday, April 27: Cleveland at Indiana, TBD

 Game 7*: Sunday, April 29: Indiana at Cleveland, TBD

No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 1 Houston Rockets

 Game 1: Sunday, April 15: Minnesota at Houston, 9pm, TNT

 Game 2: Wednesday, April 18: Minnesota at Houston, 8pm, TNT

 Game 3: Saturday, April 21: Houston at Minnesota, 7:30pm, ESPN

 Game 4: Monday, April 23: Houston at Minnesota, 8pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Wednesday, April 25: Minnesota at Houston, TBD

 Game 6*: Friday, April 27: Houston at Minnesota, TBD

 Game 7*: Sunday, April 29: Minnesota at Houston, TBD

No. 7 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 2 Golden State Warriors

 Game 1: Saturday, April 14: San Antonio at Golden State, 3pm, ABC

 Game 2: Monday, April 16: San Antonio at Golden State, 10:30pm, TNT

 Game 3: Thursday, April 19: Golden State at San Antonio, 9:30pm, TNT

 Game 4: Sunday, April 22: Golden State at San Antonio, 3:30pm, ABC

 Game 5*: Tuesday, April 24: San Antonio at Golden State, TBD

 Game 6*: Thursday, April 26: Golden State at San Antonio, TBD

 Game 7*: Saturday, April 28: San Antonio at Golden State, TBD, TNT

No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers

 Game 1: Saturday, April 14: New Orleans at Portland, 10:30pm, ESPN

 Game 2: Tuesday, April 17: New Orleans at Portland, 10:30pm, TNT

 Game 3: Thursday, April 19: Portland at New Orleans, 9pm, NBA TV

 Game 4: Saturday, April 21: Portland at New Orleans, 5pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Tuesday, April 24: New Orleans at Portland, TBD

 Game 6*: Thursday, April 26: Portland at New Orleans, TBD

 Game 7*: Saturday, April 28: New Orleans at Portland, TBD, TNT

No. 5 Utah Jazz vs. No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder

 Game 1: Sunday, April 15: Utah at Oklahoma City, 6:30pm, TNT

 Game 2: Wednesday, April 18: Utah at Oklahoma City, 8pm, NBA TV

 Game 3: Saturday, April 21: Oklahoma City at Utah, 10pm, ESPN

 Game 4: Monday, April 23: Oklahoma City at Utah, 10:30pm, TNT

 Game 5*: Wednesday, April 25: Utah at Oklahoma City, TBD

 Game 6*: Friday, April 27: Oklahoma City at Utah, TBD

 Game 7*: Sunday, April 29: Utah at Oklahoma City, TBD</s>Behind the brilliant play of Chris Paul and James Harden, the Houston Rockets enter the 2018 NBA playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed.

The 2017-18 NBA regular season wrapped up with one last wild Wednesday that saw the West’s final playoff berth decided, Russell Westbrook rebound his way into even more history, and all eight first-round playoff series locked in on the campaign’s final day. (Lots of last-minute flights getting booked in the wee hours of the night, y’all.)

[NBA Playoffs Bracket Challenge: $1M for the perfect bracket]

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Here’s a quick guide to every first-round series, including records, seeds, and some brief notes on where everybody stands entering the start of Round 1 on Saturday.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Houston Rockets (65-17) vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves (47-35)

The Rockets have been the NBA’s best team since just about the starting gun this season, taking down the defending champion Warriors at Oracle Arena on opening night and never looking back. Daryl Morey’s big summertime swing to create a two-headed point-guard monster has worked brilliantly, with James Harden turning in a dominant season that’s likely to earn him the first Most Valuable Player trophy of his career and Chris Paul playing about as well as ever both alongside him and in his stead, ensuring that there’s always an All-NBA pilot at the controls of Mike D’Antoni’s offense.

Houston boasts the NBA’s No. 1 offense and a sixth-ranked defense, led by shot-swatting Swiss center Clint Capela and some nasty defenders on the wing. They just lost an important one, veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, for at least the first round, but they’re still a heavy favorite to advance to the conference semis for the third time in four years.

Story continues

While Houston had its postseason ticket punched ages ago, the Wolves had to work overtime on the regular season’s final night to knock off the Denver Nuggets and earn their spot in the top eight. Minnesota’s been up-and-down for months, going 11-10 with a barely-positive point differential since the All-Star break. But the bulk of that iffy play came with All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler sidelined following surgery to repair a torn right meniscus suffered in the Wolves’ first post-All-Star affair.

Butler’s back now, turning in three straight solid games to help push Minnesota over the finish line; when he’s been on the court this season, according to Ben Falk’s numbers at Cleaning the Glass, the Wolves have produced the kind of point differential you’d expect from a 62-win team. If Butler’s ready to serve as that sort of rising tide, and All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns can wreak havoc inside and out against Capela and company, Minnesota might be able to trade baskets with the Rockets for a while. Whether a maddeningly somehow-bottom-10-ranked defense will be able to get enough stops to get serious, though, very much remains to be seen.

• Game 1 @HOU: 9 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 15 (TNT)

• Game 2 @HOU: 9:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 18 (TNT)

• Game 3 @MIN: 7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 21 (ESPN)

• Game 4 @MIN: 8 p.m. ET, Monday, April 23 (TNT)

• Game 5 @HOU: TBD, Wednesday, April 25 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @MIN: TBD, Friday, April 27 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @HOU: TBD, Sunday, April 29 (TBD)*

No. 2 Golden State Warriors (58-24) vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (47-35)

It feels odd to say that a defending champ that just won 58 games and features four All-Stars feels shaky, but the Warriors really stumbled their way to the finish line this season. Golden State lost six of its last 10, capped by a 40-point pasting in Utah; that the late March/early April swoon came despite the presence of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green lends credence to the belief that, no matter how much talent the Warriors accrue, everything Golden State is still revolves around Stephen Curry. With the two-time MVP unlikely to return from his MCL sprain before the end of the first round, the Warriors still enter the postseason as a title favorite, but they also feel as vulnerable as they have in the Steve Kerr era.

Unfortunately for San Antonio, they’re not working at full strength, either. The Spurs have operated nearly all season long without their best player, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and top-three MVP finisher Kawhi Leonard, who’s been dealing since preseason with right quadriceps tendinopathy. Barring any super-long-con trickery, that’s expected to continue come Saturday.

It hasn’t always been pretty without Kawhi making two-way magic, but the Spurs, as ever, have kept on keeping on. Gregg Popovich’s club has weathered the end of its 18-year 50-win season streak by extending its 21-year playoff streak behind tremendous play from big man LaMarcus Aldridge, a defense that has remained in the top five in points allowed per possession all year despite lacking its best perimeter stopper, a knack for taking care of home court that’s seen them go 33-8 at AT&T Center, and timely contributions from a deep bench led by 40-year-old legend Manu Ginobili and professional scorer Rudy Gay. Their reward for all that perseverance? A first-round date with KD, Klay and Draymond. Not the coolest gift, if you ask me.

• Game 1 @GS: 3 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 14 (ABC)

• Game 2 @GS: 10:30 p.m. ET, Monday, April 16 (TNT)

• Game 3 @SA: 10:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 19 (TNT)

• Game 4 @SA: 3:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 22 (ABC)

• Game 5 @GS: TBD, Tuesday, April 24 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @SA: TBD, Thursday, April 26 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @GS: TBD, Saturday, April 28 (TBD)*

No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers (49-33) vs. No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans (48-34)

Damian Lillard’s been just about as good as it gets at the guard position this year, bombing away and dishing and controlling the game at a career-best level to propel the Blazers to the top of the tier just below Houston and Golden State out West. A Portland club that has long relied on its offense to outscore opponents now packs a defense that can clamp down, ranking in the top 10 in defensive efficiency throughout the season. If C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic and Terry Stotts’ army of intriguing specialists can hold up their end of the bargain and keep things close, the Blazers feel awfully confident that they’ll come out on top when the game gets to Dame Time.

A Pelicans team intended to be built around twin towers has instead wound up relying on a lone superstar to guide them, and man, has Anthony Davis ever delivered in the absence of injured partner DeMarcus Cousins.

The Brow averaged nearly 31 points, 12 rebounds and five combined blocks and steals over the final 30 games of the season, utterly dominating opposing defenses from every part of the court, raining down terror from above the rim and helping fuel New Orleans’ rise to a top-five defensive efficiency mark after the All-Star break. He’s had help — the finally healthy Jrue Holiday has been fantastic, as have post-shave Nikola Mirotic and veteran point guard Rajon Rondo — and he’ll need more of it if he’s going to not only earn the first playoff victory of his career, but push New Orleans out of Round 1 for the first time in a decade.

• Game 1 @POR: 10:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 14 (ESPN)

• Game 2 @POR: 10:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 17 (TNT)

• Game 3 @NO: 9 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 19 (NBA)

• Game 4 @NO: 5 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 21 (TNT)

• Game 5 @POR: TBD, Tuesday, April 24 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @NO: TBD, Thursday, April 26 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @POR: TBD, Saturday, April 28 (TBD)*

No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder (48-34) vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz (48-34)

The Jazz have been one of the year’s best stories, a team that looked dead in the water multiple times this season — including before it, after losing All-Star forward Gordon Hayward and starting point guard George Hill in free agency — only to go on an absolute tear after getting Defensive Player of the Year candidate Rudy Gobert back from a knee injury. Utah’s been one of the hottest teams in the NBA for three solid months, riding the league’s stingiest defense and the shot creation of Rookie of the Year hopeful Donovan Mitchell all the way from a possible lottery bid to the middle of the Western playoff pack.

While the Jazz have been on a nearly uninterrupted roll since mid-January, the Thunder have been a team operating in fits and starts all season long. On their best nights, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Steven Adams and company can lay waste to championship favorites. On their worse evenings, they can look like a team without a clear sense of what it wants to do and who it wants to be, struggling even against some of the league’s lesser lights.

George bounced back from an ice-cold shooting stretch with a 40-point explosion in the season finale, during which Westbrook rebounded his way to averaging a triple-double for the second straight season. Both have shown the capacity to take over games, even in the playoffs, and Adams is just the sort of bruiser who’ll relish going toe-to-toe with Gobert inside. What kind of impact Anthony, who has largely struggled to make his presence felt has a lower-tier option, can make on the proceedings could go a long way toward determining the Thunder’s chances of advancing.

• Game 1 @OKC: 6:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 15 (TNT)

• Game 2 @OKC: 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 18 (NBA)

• Game 3 @UTH: 10 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 21 (ESPN)

• Game 4 @UTH: 10:30 p.m. ET, Monday, April 23 (TNT)

• Game 5 @OKC: TBD, Wednesday, April 25 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @UTH: TBD, Friday, April 27 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @OKC: TBD, Sunday, April 29 (TBD)*

***

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Toronto Raptors (59-23) vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards (43-39)

After a disappointing end to last season, the Raptors set about triggering a “culture reset” aimed at moving away from isolation-heavy offense and facilitating a more free-flowing, ball- and player-movement-heavy style. The results have been fantastic: Toronto’s owned one of the NBA’s best offenses despite All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry each doing a little bit less, with coach Dwane Casey empowering a young, hungry second unit to step up and prove they deserve more shots, more opportunities and more minutes. The Raptors have ridden the more egalitarian approach to the best record in franchise history and home-court advantage throughout the Eastern playoffs; they believe they’re good enough to win it all, even if the rest of the NBA-watching world still needs some convincing.

Their path to proving it will begin with a visit from the Wizards, who infamously swept a higher-seeded Toronto club out of the first round back in 2015. Alas: this time around, Paul Pierce works for ESPN.

John Wall and Bradley Beal are still around, though, and as long as the Wizards have their All-Star backcourt intact along with frontcourt bully Markieff Morris and do-everything wings Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr., they’ve got a puncher’s chance of taking it to anybody in the East. The problem with the Wizards, however, is that they can also look capable of laying an egg against just about anybody in the East. Sometimes, they can look both ways in the same night. They’ll need the coin to land on heads more often than not to stand a chance to toppling a heavily favored Toronto team.

• Game 1 @TOR: 5:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 14 (ESPN)

• Game 2 @TOR: 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 17 (NBA)

• Game 3 @WAS: 8 p.m. ET, Friday, April 20 (ESPN2)

• Game 4 @WAS: 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 22 (TNT)

• Game 5 @TOR: TBD, Wednesday, April 25 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @WAS: TBD, Friday, April 27 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @TOR: TBD, Sunday, April 29 (TBD)*

No. 2 Boston Celtics (55-27) vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks (44-38)

The Celtics went from Eastern Conference finals hopeful to The Team Everyone Wants to Play in the time it took to announce that All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving won’t be suiting up in the postseason. Led by All-Star center Al Horford, Boston will still defend with intensity, precision and activity, and has enough young talent — wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, reserve guard Terry Rozier, among others — to produce something special on any given night. But they’ve had trouble scoring without Irving on the floor all season long, and those problems only figure to increase in the pressurized atmosphere of the postseason.

The question, though, is whether or not the Bucks can capitalize on what’s arguably the most favorable upset opportunity on the board in Round 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been unbelievable all year, an MVP-caliber scorer, facilitator and defensive game-wrecker. There’s more talent alongside him than there was this time last year, too, with Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker both healthy and point guard Eric Bledsoe in tow. And yet, the Bucks have felt somewhat like a team underperforming its talent level all season long — a group with a transcendent, incandescent star at the top, but without a sound plan for maximizing his contributions or those of the roster around him.

That doesn’t sound like a recipe for knocking off a well-drilled and disciplined Brad Stevens-led team. Then again, while all things might not quite be possible through Giannis, overwhelming a wounded Boston squad four times in seven games just might.

• Game 1 @BOS: 1 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 15 (TNT)

• Game 2 @BOS: 8 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 17 (TNT)

• Game 3 @MIL: 9:30 p.m. ET, Friday, April 20 (ESPN)

• Game 4 @MIL: 1 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 22 (ABC)

• Game 5 @BOS: TBD, Tuesday, April 24 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @MIL: TBD, Thursday, April 26 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @BOS: TBD, Saturday, April 28 (TBD)*

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers (52-30) vs. No. 6 Miami Heat (44-38)

Two years ago, the Sixers were two years into Sam Hinkie’s hyper-aggressive, sink-to-the-bottom-themed, multi-year rebuilding plan, and all they had to show for it were 10 measly wins. Now, though … well, if you didn’t get the idea back then, you sure do now.

Ben Simmons is a revelation, a skyscraper of a point guard who guards four positions expertly, devours whatever the defense gives him and stuffs the box score like no rookie since Magic Johnson. Dario Saric is everywhere Brett Brown needs him to be, all the time. Markelle Fultz is out of the wilderness and posting triple-doubles. The Sixers, shockingly, have barely missed a beat without All-Star center Joel Embiid, and enter the playoffs owning an NBA-best 16-game winning streak. They lock down, they hunt 3s in transition, they push the pace and they work you until you break. They’re the genuine article, and they were worth the wait.

In the other corner: a Miami side built primarily at the other end of the lottery, in the second round and through free-agent signings that, be honest, led you to cock an eyebrow or two as you wondered what exactly Pat Riley thought he was constructing down in South Beach. The Heat are a perpetually hard-charging tough out that beats you with grinding defense, waves of wings, the playmaking of Goran Dragic, occasional interior dominance from Hassan Whiteside and more James Johnson than you ever realized you wanted or needed. They don’t have the top-end talent Philly can unleash with Simmons and Embiid, but Erik Spoelstra’s club won’t beat itself, and will take advantage of every Sixer misstep it can.

In that respect, the Heat are a perfect opening test for Brett Brown’s young club, a kind of next-level professional proving ground. If Philly can calmly handle its business here and get Embiid back in time for Round 2 … well, let’s just say things could get awfully scary in the Eastern bracket.

• Game 1 @PHI: 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 14 (ESPN)

• Game 2 @PHI: 8 p.m. ET, Monday, April 16 (TNT)

• Game 3 @MIA: 7 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 19 (TNT)

• Game 4 @MIA: 2:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 21 (TNT)

• Game 5 @PHI: TBD, Tuesday, April 24 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @MIA: TBD, Thursday, April 26 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @PHI: TBD, Saturday, April 28 (TBD)*

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (50-32) vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers (48-34)

It’s been a chaotic season for the Cavs — if we’re being honest, it’s felt like three or maybe four seasons, really — but it’s ended in a very familiar place. LeBron James is going to start a playoff series at home, looking at a bracket full of teams he doesn’t believe can stop him enough times to matter, and plotting a course to an eighth straight NBA Finals.

The path there might be a bit bumpier than it’s been in years past. James and head coach Tyronn Lue are still working out the kinks on a roster that, save for holdovers like Kevin Love and J.R. Smith, was roundly shuffled up at the February trade deadline in hopes of ameliorating the damage done by the preseason trade that swapped a disgruntled Kyrie Irving for an injured Isaiah Thomas. A spate of late-season injuries have kept Cleveland from getting a long look at how all the pieces fit together. But there’s nobody in the basketball world better equipped at that particular act of on-the-fly problem-solving than James, who’s producing at an unprecedented level for a player in his 15th pro season, who ended the season on a rampage, and who looks poised to offer his annual late-spring/early-summer reminder that all of us who’d seriously consider others to be this league’s most valuable player are, on some level, kidding ourselves.

Standing in James’ way: a Pacers team that nobody expected to be part of the East’s top eight when they traded away franchise player Paul George on the eve of free agency. But then, we didn’t know that Victor Oladipo was about to make the quantum leap from “pretty good player who hasn’t really put it all together yet” to “deserving All-Star, legitimate No. 1 scoring option and top perimeter defender, clutch monster and possible All-NBA guard.” (If we had known, we probably could’ve made a lot of money on that extremely specific future bet.)

The Pacers don’t play fast, they don’t bomb away from deep, and they don’t have a whole lot of players most casual fans could pick out of a lineup. What they do have, though, are pieces that fit together — guys who move without the ball, get hands in passing lanes, get out in transition, and make you earn it. They’ve been one of the league’s best stories, and best-kept secrets, all year long, and they’re capable of ruining your day if you don’t take them seriously. Unfortunately for them, LeBron doesn’t tend to lose focus too often this time of year.

• Game 1 @CLE: 3:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 15 (ABC)

• Game 2 @CLE: 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 18 (TNT)

• Game 3 @IND: 7 p.m. ET, Friday, April 20 (ESPN)

• Game 4 @IND: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 22 (TNT)

• Game 5 @CLE: TBD, Wednesday, April 25 (TBD)*

• Game 6 @IND: TBD, Friday, April 27 (TBD)*

• Game 7 @CLE: TBD, Sunday, April 29 (TBD)*

More NBA coverage:

– – – – – – –

Dan Devine is a writer and editor for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@oath.com or follow him on Twitter!

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</s>After a regular season that seemingly went by in a blink, the 2018 NBA Playoffs are upon us. Much anticipation has been built up throughout the season as teams hit the ground running as soon as last year’s Finals concluded. With an assortment of stacked rosters and new, dynamic schemes, hungry NBA stars are eyeing the prize like never before during this blooming “super team” era. Here’s the breakdown of all the 1st round matchups getting started this weekend:

(1) Houston Rockets vs (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

 After finishing the most impressive season collectively of the year, the Rockets cruise into the playoffs with a commanding first seed. Behind the new most dangerous backcourt in the league in James Harden and Chris Paul, Houston’s high octane offense and pace of play have them on a historic pace as a team, and behind Harden’s MVP-cinching season they could power their way to the Finals on hunger and determination alone. But demons of the past still haunt both Paul and Harden, as doubts are starting to sound off on if this season could end on another bitter note for the two stars who have both become known for coming up short during the playoffs. As for Minnesota, after ending the longest current playoff drought in the NBA, the T-Wolves managed to oust Denver for the last seed in the West. Even though their happy Jimmy Butler’s back, they can’t be uppity for long as they’re already faced with potentially the toughest possible matchup of the first round. Even though their core including Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns is young, will Butler and his playoff experience be able to rally the team to more milestones? Series winner: Rockets

(2) Golden State vs (7) San Antonio

 The Warriors have finally stumbled their way to the postseason. After finishing with a 6-11 record in their final 17 games. They’ve really been missing Stephen Curry, whose been out since March 23 with a sprained MCL. Golden State will desperately need Curry if they hope to have any chance of once again representing the conference in the Finals. While Curry is the only one of Golden State’s big 4 that is currently out, they’re all feeling banged up; from Klay’s broken thumb (on shooting hand) to Kevin Durant’s rib troubles. But they’re not the only ones with injury issues, as San Antonio at this point is expecting to attempt a run this postseason without perennial star Kawhi Leonard, who has been out indefinitely and whose situation is currently thrown up in mystery for the Spurs’ long term plans. It will be interesting to watch the Spurs and how they can manage to tango with a top tier team without their star, something they’ve been accustomed to all season under some great play by LaMarcus Aldridge. And on the other side, if KD can manage to step up as leader for Golden State and calm the storm of worry that looms as long as they’re Curry-less. Series winner: Warriors

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs (6) New Orleans Pelicans

 Usually used to being an underdog coming into this point in the season, the Portland Trail Blazers ended up being one of the pleasant surprises in the league this season, landing the 3-seed even though the conference is stacked more than ever before. The explosive backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum look to make sparks fly this postseason once again, harkening back to Dame’s 2013 buzzer beating heartbreaker vs Houston. With talented big Jusuf Nurkic back and fully healthy this go-round, it won’t be hard for them to make a splash. Even though New Orleans has been missing DeMarcus Cousins after his discouraging achilles injury since January, that set in motion the unleashing of Anthony Davis, who has single-handedly carried the Pelicans in the tail end of this season to keep their playoffs spot. While at this point there are no expectations for the team, it’ll be intriguing to see if Davis can keep his momentum and possibly be the catalyst of a New Orleans miracle. Series winner: Trail Blazers

(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (5) Utah Jazz

 In possibly the tightest of the Western conference matchups of the first round at a glance, the Thunder and Jazz, sitting right below the high echelon of elite super teams, look to both make some noise of their own in this postseason. Unfortunately for one of them though, the road stops here, which for OKC and team’s superstar Russell Westbrook, might not be an option. Westbrook, after averaging a triple-double for the second consecutive season, looks to silence his “stat-padding” critics and the like with some definitive results. Will Paul George and Carmelo Anthony be able to rise up when their leader needs them? As for Utah, they were another of the biggest surprises of the regular season. Led by the insatiable Donovan Mitchell, who has recently been publicly laying claim to the prize of Rookie of the Year, they seek to continue surprising on a tough potential path. After leading a young team with no expectations to a 5-seed in a stacked conference as an NBA freshman, Mitchell might just have the best case. Series winner: Thunder

(1) Toronto Raptors vs (8) Washington Wizards

 With the way the league has been arranged after last season and with what will come in the future, this season could be Toronto’s best shot at a race for the title. All-around, they have the most well-rounded roster in the East and have seen significant improvement in play from stars DeMar Derozan and Kyle Lowry, as well as coaching in probably the finest job done by Dwane Casey since his defensive schemes as an assistant helped the Dallas Mavericks win their first and only championship. Toronto knows, however, that The King (LeBron James, who we’ll discuss later) will be looming any and every postseason, and that’s one obstacle they have yet to best. Could this be the year? For the Wizards, the regular season actually ended up being quite the disappointment, as the team couldn’t live up to the expectations they set prior to the year. With a lack of team synergy (especially when John Wall is active, which is both puzzling and unfortunate), it’s hard to see them getting out of the first round unless Wall and Bradley Beal can cook up something special and finally realize their squad’s potential. Series winner: Raptors

(2) Boston Celtics vs (7) Milwaukee Bucks 

 The Celtics, even with the 2-seed, couldn’t possibly be more discouraged going into this postseason. After losing Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season after knee surgery, and already having Gordon Hayward gone for the year, Boston has no perennial star to guide the young guns this playoffs. At this point, these playoffs serve as extention to the development of Jayson Tatum, Terry Rozier, and the rest of the Celtics up-and-coming young core as they gain more experience for future endeavors, when their team is hopefully 100 percent and raring to go. While the Milwaukee Bucks were another of the teams to slightly under-perform during the course of the regular season. However, this could possibly be attributed to the reworking of a gameplan to include a finally-healthy Jabari Parker and a newer teammate in Eric Bledsoe. But after having plenty of time for that, it’s time for rising superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and company to finally step up and take it to the next level. Series winner: Bucks

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (6) Miami Heat

 It seems “The Process” has finally fruited some results it promised to obtain. After finishing the regular season on a 16-game winning streak and a 52-30 overall record, Philly nation is rumbling like it’s the AI days once again. Behind young, budding stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid (whose scheduled to come back for Game 2, donning a mask), the Sixers may already be ahead of schedule as a legitimate contender to go the distance. With the readdition of Fultz adding even more firepower to the blooming squad, could The Process already come full circle in year 1 of full operation? Not if Miami has anything to say about it, as the Heat look to be the conference’s dark horse during this postseason, refusing to heed to the Sixers so easily. This could be the tightest series of the East in round 1, and will definitely be a fun watch. Series winner: 76ers

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (5) Indiana Pacers

 LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers let themselves slip to the 4-seed, but heed James’ warning: Seeding doesn’t matter, give him a chance and he’ll take it before you know it. While LeBron and company are practically guaranteed to make a mess of things in the East in any given season, this year there seems to be some tough competition out of a conference that’s struggled to escape the West’s shadow in recent years. This includes the Pacers, who after completely rebooting from the Paul George saga, are already back on the up-trend as they ended up being another great surprise during this NBA season. Victor Oladipo has really stepped it up in his first year with the team, showing that he still has awesome potential as an all star for years to come this conference could surely use. LeBron has been known to have at least a little trouble with Indy in the past during the playoffs, will they be able to do the same now to James and his reworked team? Series winner: Cavaliers

With the start of the playoffs imminent and the excitement at this point being practically tangible, which teams will make it out of round 1? It’s win or go home, and we’ll be there every step of the way for updates on the ongoing events of the postseason.</s>While it's easy to predict that the Cavaliers will be the team to make it through the Eastern Conference to the NBA Finals, it's really not so simple this year. It's not even that simple for the Cavs, as they have to take on a Pacers team that beat Cleveland in three of four games this season.

Those two teams face off Sunday in Game 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN), but the playoffs start a day earlier.

The NBA Eastern Conference playoffs tip off Saturday when the Wizards take on the Raptors at 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Here's a look at the first round in the Eastern Conference:

No. 1 Raptors vs. No. 8 Wizards

Players to watch: Guard John Wall is back for the Wizards, which means Washington instantly has a better chance against the Raptors. However, Toronto is a balanced team that includes a bench that can compete with many starting lineups. Roommates Pascal Siakam and Jacob Poeltl give great energy off the bench and will be a challenge for Washington.

Stat to know: The Raptors are second in the NBA in point differential as they rank third in points per game (111.7) and sixth in points allowed (103.9). Only the Rockets outscore their opponents by more per game than Toronto.

Hidden storyline: The Raptors' identity is very much formed by its bench play as Fred VanVleet, Poeltl, Siakam and C.J. Miles help Toronto score 41.8 points per game, nearly four buckets more than the Wizards bench.

No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Bucks

Players to watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo was in the MVP conversation early in the season, and while he slowed somewhat he still leads the Bucks in points (26.9) and rebounds (10.0) and is second in assists (4.8). Jaylen Brown averaged 20.8 points per game in five April games to lead the Celtics and leads Boston in scoring since Kyrie Irving (knee) went out in March.

Stat to know: Since losing Irving to injury after a game March 11, the Celtics are scoring three fewer points per game and turning it over two more times. That may seem small, but for a team that doesn't excel on the offensive end it matters a lot.

Hidden storyline: Boston is one of the best teams defending inside the 3-point line this season, and the Bucks love to attack the paint. This battle will be key to who wins the series.

No. 3 76ers vs. No. 6 Heat

Players to watch: JJ Redick signed with the 76ers for this moment. His experience will be key to Philadelphia's success in the playoffs. The Heat's Kelly Olynyk is the king of getting into opponents' heads, and the 76ers are young and impressionable.

Stat to know: Ben Simmons has not made a 3-pointer this year. He played in 81 games and went 0 for 11.

Storyline: Will Joel Embiid get back on the court? If the 2014 No. 3 overall pick can play, then the 76ers could run away with this series. If he doesn't, then the Heat could steal it.

No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Pacers

Players to watch: Victor Oladipo turned into a different player when he came to the Pacers in the trade for Paul George. As he goes, so will the Indiana. The Cavaliers acquired Rodney Hood at the trade deadline to score off the bench.

Stat to know: The Cavaliers are 11-2 when Hood scores at least 10 points, but they also are 14-6 when Jordan Clarkson does the same. However, the team is just 2-1 when Clarkson scores 20.

Hidden Storyline: LeBron James teams have not lost a first-round game since 2011-12, when the Heat fell to the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony. James' teams have won 21 consecutive first-round games.</s>Could a date with The King LeBron James be on the cards for Aussie Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers? Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Could a date with The King LeBron James be on the cards for Aussie Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers? Picture: Getty Images/AFP

THE season after the season is under way in the NBA as 16 teams battle it out for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

It's the NBA's holy grail, but 16 teams - eight in each conference - will be whittled down to two for an epic NBA finals.

Basketball has enjoyed a reinvigoration in Australia and that is due to the record number of Aussies playing in the NBA - seven of them are on playoff teams, including boom Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons.

Here is everything you need to know about this year's playoffs and finals.

WHO ARE THE AUSSIES TO FOLLOW IN THE PLAYOFFS

While Rookie of the Year favourite Ben Simmons' stellar play has already made him one of the biggest names in Australian sport, six other Aussies will compete with his Philadelphia 76ers for a chance to hold the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Joe Ingles and Dante Exum in Utah, Matthew Dellavedova and Thon Maker in Milwaukee, Patty Mills in San Antonio and Aron Baynes in Boston round out the distinct Aussie playoff flavour, with little-used Charlotte Hornet Mangok Mathiang the only contracted Australian not to make it (Andrew Bogut left the Los Angeles Lakers in January).

WHICH TEAMS MADE THE PLAYOFFS? NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND 1 MATCH UPS AND ODDS

WHEN ARE THE NBA FINALS?

Game 1 of the finals series is slated for Thursday, May 31, US time, which means in Australia, fans can catch it on Friday, June 1.

The best of seven series will be decided when one of the two teams reaches four wins.

The last possible date is Sunday, June 17 in the US, Monday June 18 in Australia.

HOW THE FINALS WORK AND WHERE TO WATCH

A 2-2-1-1-1 format for which team hosts, with the club with the best record playing at home in the first two games of the series.

And you'll be able to watch them all on ESPN or NBA League Pass.

WHAT ABOUT THE ROY?

After a historic season, Simmons is the presumptive Rookie of the Year. But there is a groundswell of support for high volume Utah Jazz scorer Donovan Mitchell.

The rivalry between the pair has hit fever pitch with each player throwing barbs - supported by their fans - in the campaign for the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy.

But we will have to wait until after the NBA finals to find out if the voters did the right thing and gave it to our Ben, or inexplicably got sucked in by the hype and awarded the gong to Ingles' and Exum's young star teammate (no Aussie bias here at all).

The MVP - Rockets star James Harden is the favourite - Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year, among a raft of other awards will be bestowed at a gala night at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California

It's on Monday, June 29, at 9pm US time, which means it will be at 11am on Tuesday, June 30.

Platinum recording artist Drake hosted the event last year, but details of this year's talent are yet to be announced.</s>The 2017-18 regular season was a sprint to the finish line, but we finally have the full NBA playoff bracket and first-round matchups in place.

After the Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets on Wednesday night, we now know the final eight teams in the competitive Western Conference. The Eastern Conference playoff matchups are also locked in from top to bottom.

You can find the daily NBA playoff schedule with times and TV channels for every first-round game below.

When do the 2018 NBA playoffs start?

Playoff rosters must be set by Friday at 3 p.m. ET, and the first round of the NBA playoffs begin Saturday.

The conference semifinals series are scheduled for April 30/May 1 but could be moved up to April 28/April 29.

The conference finals series are scheduled for May 15/May 16 but could be moved up to May 13/May 14.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for May 31 with a Game 7 on June 17 if necessary.

Here's how to watch every first-round NBA playoff game live.</s>The 2018 NBA playoffs tip off Sunday with four series-opening games: Spurs at Warriors, Wizards at Raptors, Heat at 76ers and Pelicans at Trail Blazers.

MORE: Win a trip to NBA tip-off 2018/19 with NBA Australia's Bracket Challenge

Monday features four more Game 1s: Bucks at Celtics, Pacers at Cavs, Jazz at Thunder and Timberwolves at Rockets.

Follow along with live updates, scores and schedule for today's NBA playoff games.

Today's NBA playoff games, scores and how to watch live (all times Eastern).</s>The 2018 NBA playoffs tip off Saturday. The last three NBA Finals have featured the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Warriors taking two of the three titles in 2015 and 2017.

Will we see Cavs-Warriors IV? Can the Warriors repeat?

AccuScore has simulated the NBA playoffs thousands of times to calculate probabilities for each team to win its first-round series and advance to win the NBA Finals. Championship probabilities for all playoff teams are listed in the table below and will be updated throughout the postseason.

There's a clear gap after the Warriors' title chances, but the Houston Rockets are No. 2 with a 16-percent probability to win the NBA championship, followed by Eastern Conference heavyweights Philadelphia, Cleveland and Toronto.

When comparing these win probabilities to Vegas' NBA championship odds, only a few teams have some value for bettors. AccuScore predicts that Philadelphia will win the Eastern Conference and, based on our simulations, the 76ers' win probability is about seven points higher compared to Vegas odds. The Celtics' win probability is six points higher than Vegas even without Kyrie Irving, as it looks like sportsbooks are not believing in Boston’s chances for a long postseason run.

As usual, some of the first-round matchups are very uneven. Teams like Toronto (No. 1 seed in the East) and Cleveland (No. 2) should easily cruise into the second round. However, some matchups are predicted to be very tight, especially in the Western Conference. We think the series between the Thunder and Jazz will most probably be decided in Game 7, with the Thunder holding a slight edge.</s>It's that time of the year again – the 2018 NBA playoffs get underway on Saturday.

The regular season is done and dusted and now the serious competition and drama commences.

Defending champions the Golden State Warriors will be looking to emerge from a loaded Western Conference and win a third title in four years, while the Toronto Raptors will have designs on overthrowing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.

With the bracket set and the start of the action imminent, we take a look at the first-round match-ups.

The Raptors held off the Boston Celtics to clinch the number one seed and their reward is a series against the Wizards.

Led by DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, Toronto won the second-most games of any NBA team during the regular season, with only the Houston Rockets surpassing their 59 victories.

However, the Wizards beat the Raptors twice this term. They were without John Wall on those occasions and the All-Star point guard returned from a knee injury last month.

The Celtics come into the postseason severely understrength with superstar point guard Kyrie Irving having joined Gordon Hayward on the sidelines for the remainder of the campaign.

Coach Brad Stevens will need the likes of Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to come up big if they are to repeat last year's run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

As if their injury concerns were not enough to deal with, Boston must contend with Bucks sensation Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 33.5 points against them in the regular season.

The Sixers have been a revelation, finishing the regular season with 16 straight victories after riding their talented and dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to the three seed just two years after going 10-72.

Simmons is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year after posting 12 triple-doubles, while Embiid was elected to his first All-Star Game and leads the team in scoring at 22.9 points per match – though the latter is a doubt for the first encounter with the Heat due to an orbital fracture.

Miami have been steady this term with domineering center Hassan Whiteside the focal point of their starting unit, while veteran former champion Dwyane Wade provides invaluable experience.

It has been a season of turmoil for Cleveland, their inconsistent play, roster turnover and the health of head coach Tyronn Lue sending them swirling in adversity.

However, they boast arguably the best player in the league in LeBron James – his 18 triple-doubles in 2017-18 matching his tally from the past three regular seasons combined – and now have a steady supporting cast around him.

Indiana by contrast have quietly put together a mightily impressive campaign, headlined by shooting guard Victor Oladipo and center Myles Turner, ensuring the loss of Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder has not been felt sorely.

Suggestions the combination of Chris Paul and leading MVP candidate James Harden would not work have been emphatically brushed aside, with the Rockets entering the playoffs with the best record in the regular season (65-17).

Paul and Harden have formed a duo capable of bulldozing any team, with the Timberwolves facing a serious challenge to ensure that fate does not befall them.

But with Jimmy Butler, who last week returned from a knee injury, joined by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota have the potential to become a major force in the Western Conference.

The Warriors still boast the same core of outstanding players that went all the way to the championship last year, making them the favourites to go back to back this season.

Kevin Durant appears more comfortable alongside Stephen Curry in his second year with Golden State, but the two-time MVP faces a race against time to recover from a knee injury.

His absence would boost the Spurs' chances, but it has been far from a vintage season for Gregg Popovich's side with All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard sitting out all but nine games of the campaign due to a quadriceps injury.

The Trail Blazers hit a lull entering the playoffs, losing four of their six games in April, though they rounded off the regular season with a victory against the Utah Jazz.

Meanwhile, New Orleans have won five straight – including triumphs versus the Spurs and the Warriors – and will hope power forward Anthony Davis can continue to carry them, having lost DeMarcus Cousins to an Achilles tendon rupture in January.

Oklahoma initially struggled for chemistry after recruiting George and Carmelo Anthony to play alongside the irrepressible Russell Westbrook, but with such a talented roster they stand every chance of a deep run.

Westbrook made history by becoming the first player to average a triple-double in successive NBA seasons and he will be keen to back it up by leading the Thunder further than last term's opening-round exit.

But Utah's potential Rookie of the Year Donovan Mitchell has been sensational, providing several clutch moments, and rangy center Rudy Gobert provides staunch defence.
The first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs begins.