The 2024 NBA Playoffs will officially get underway on Saturday, although postseason basketball has already begun with the Play-In Tournament that started on Tuesday night.
Those games saw the Lakers take hold of the West’s 7-seed to set up a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals with the 2-seeded Nuggets, while the Kings avenged a first round loss a year ago by sending the Warriors into their offseason in the 9/10 game. Sacramento will now go to New Orleans to play for the 8-seed and the right to face the Thunder in the first round, while the East’s Play-In action will get underway on Wednesday night.
The NBA waited for the West’s seeding to get sorted out before releasing the full schedule for the first round, but teams and networks needed to get travel plans together so late Tuesday night they released the complete schedule for the first week of games, along with the dates for all 7 potential games in a series — with the understanding anything beyond a Game 4 are only if necessary.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Pelicans/Kings
Game 1 (Sunday, 4/21): Pelicans/Kings at Thunder (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 2 (Wednesday, 4/24): Pelicans/Kings at Thunder (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Saturday, 4/27): Thunder at Pelicans/Kings (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4 (Monday, 4/29): Thunder at Pelicans/Kings (TBD, TBD)
Game 5 (Wednesday, 5/1): Pelicans/Kings at Thunder (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Friday, 5/3): Thunder at Pelicans/Kings (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Sunday, 5/5): Pelicans/Kings at Thunder (TBD, TBD)*
2. Denver Nuggets vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1 (Saturday, 4/20): Lakers at Nuggets (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 2 (Monday, 4/22): Lakers at Nuggets (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Thursday, 4/25): Nuggets at Lakers (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4 (Saturday (4/27): Nuggets at Lakers (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5 (Monday, 4/29): Lakers at Nuggets (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Thursday, 5/2): Nuggets at Lakers (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Saturday, 5/4): Lakers at Nuggets (TBD, TNT)*
3. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 6. Phoenix Suns
Game 1 (Saturday, 4/20): Suns at Wolves (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2 (Tuesday, 4/23): Suns at Wolves (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Friday, 4/26): Wolves at Suns (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4 (Sunday, 4/28): Wolves at Suns (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (Tuesday, 4/30): Suns at Wolves (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Thursday, 5/2): Wolves at Suns (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Saturday, 5/4): Suns at Wolves (TBD, TNT)*
4. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Dallas Mavericks
Game 1 (Sunday, 4/21): Mavs at Clippers (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 2 (Tuesday, 4/23): Mavs at Clippers (10:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Friday, 4/26): Clippers at Mavs (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4 (Sunday, 4/28): Clippers at Mavs (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5 (Wednesday 5/1): Mavs at Clippers (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Friday, 5/3): Clippers at Mavs (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Sunday, 5/5): Mavs at Clippers (TBD, TBD)*
1. Boston Celtics vs. 8. Hawks/Bulls/Heat/Sixers
Game 1 (Sunday, 4/21): 8-Seed at Celtics (1:00 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 2 (Wednesday, 4/24): 8-Seed at Celtics (7:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Saturday, 4/27): Celtics at 8-Seed (t:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4 (Monday, 4/29): Celtics at 8-Seed (TBD, TBD)
Game 5 (Wednesday, 5/1): 8-Seed at Celtics (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Friday, 5/3): Celtics at 8-Seed (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Sunday, 5/5): 8-Seed at Celtics (TBD, TBD)*
2. New York Knicks vs. 7. Heat/Sixers
Game 1 (Saturday, 4/20): Heat/Sixers at Knicks (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2 (Monday, 4/22): Heat/Sixers at Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3 (Thursday, 4/25): Knicks at Heat/Sixers (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4 (Sunday, 4/28): Knicks at Heat/Sixers (1:00 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5 (Tuesday, 4/30): Heat/Sixers at Knicks (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Thursday, 5/2): Knicks at Heat/Sixers (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Saturday, 5/4): Heat/Sixers at Knicks (TBD, TNT)*
3. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 6. Indiana Pacers
Game 1 (Sunday, 4/21): Pacers at Bucks (7:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 2 (Tuesday, 4/23): Pacers at Bucks (8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Game 3 (Friday, 4/26): Bucks at Pacers (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4 (Sunday, 4/28): Bucks at Pacers (7:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (Tuesday, 4/30): Pacers at Bucks (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Thursday, 5/2): Bucks at Pacers (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Saturday, 5/4): Pacers at Bucks (TBD, TNT)*
4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. Orlando Magic
Game 1 (Saturday, 4/20): Magic at Cavs (1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2 (Monday, 4/22): Magic at Cavs (7:00 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Game 3 (Thursday, 4/25): Cavs at Magic (7:00 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Game 4 (Saturday, 4/27): Cavs at Magic (1:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (Tuesday, 4/30): Magic at Cavs (TBD, TBD)*
Game 6 (Friday, 5/3): Cavs at Magic (TBD, TBD)*
Game 7 (Sunday, 5/5): Magic at Cavs (TBD, TBD)*