New on Sports Illustrated: 2020 NBA Playoffs: First Round Matchups, Schedule

The first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs are set to begin on Monday, Aug. 17.

The matchups for the First Round of the 2020 NBA playoffs are set. 

The seeding in each conference was determined after teams completed their final eight games of the regular season of the restart in Orlando, Fla. The Portland Trail Blazers claimed the last spot of the upcoming postseason after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in a play-in game for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. 

Each series will be played every other day in the bubble with the traditional best-of-seven playoff format. The NBA Finals are currently scheduled to end no later than Oct. 13, though later rounds could be moved up based on previous outcomes. 

Here are the full NBA playoff matchups for the First Round and the schedule for each series. The First Round will begin on Monday, Aug. 17. 

Western Conference First Round Matchups

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

• Game 1: Aug. 18, Portland at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 2: Aug. 20, Portland at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 3: Aug. 22, Los Angeles at Portland, 8:30 p.m. EST, ABC
• Game 4: Aug. 24, Los Angeles at Portland, 9 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 5*: Aug. 26, Portland at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 28, Los Angeles at Portland, TBD, TBD
• Game 7*: Aug. 30, Portland at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD

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

• Game 1: Aug. 17, Dallas at L.A., 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 2: Aug. 19, Dallas at L.A., 9 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 3: Aug. 21, L.A. at Dallas, 9 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 4: Aug. 23, L.A. at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. EST, ABC
• Game 5*: Aug. 25, Dallas at L.A., TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 27, L.A. at Dallas, TBD, ESPN
• Game 7*: Aug. 29, Dallas at L.A., TBD, TNT

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

• Game 1: Aug 17, Utah at Denver, 1:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 2: Aug. 19, Utah at Denver, 4 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 3: Aug. 21, Denver at Utah, 4 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 4: Aug. 23, Denver at Utah, 9 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 5*: Aug. 25, Utah at Denver, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 27, Denver at Utah, TBD, ESPN
• Game 7*: Aug. 29, Utah at Denver, TBD, TNT

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

• Game 1: Aug. 18, Oklahoma City at Houston, 6:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 2: Aug. 20, Oklahoma City at Houston, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 3: Aug. 22, Houston at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 4: Aug. 24, Houston at Oklahoma City, 4 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 5*: Aug. 26, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 28, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
• Game 7*: Aug. 30, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD​​​​​​

Eastern Conference First Round Matchups

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

• Game 1: Aug. 18, Orlando at Milwaukee, 1:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 2: Aug. 20, Orlando at Milwaukee, 6 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 3: Aug. 22, Milwaukee at Orlando, 1 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 4: Aug. 24, Milwaukee at Orlando, 1:30 p.m. EST, NBATV
• Game 5*: Aug. 26, Orlando at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 28, Milwaukee at Orlando, TBD, TBD
• Game 7*: Aug. 30, Orlando at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD

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

• Game 1: Aug. 17, Brooklyn at Toronto, 4 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 2: Aug. 19, Brooklyn at Toronto, 1:30 p.m. EST, NBATV
• Game 3: Aug. 21, Toronto at Brooklyn, 1:30 p.m. EST, NBATV
• Game 4: Aug. 23, Toronto at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 5*: Aug. 25, Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 27, Toronto at Brooklyn, TBD, ESPN
• Game 7*: Aug. 29, Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD, TNT

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

• Game 1: Aug. 17, Philadelphia at Boston, 6:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 2: Aug. 19, Philadelphia at Boston, 6:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 3: Aug. 21, Boston at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 4: Aug. 23, Boston at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. EST, ABC
• Game 5*: Aug. 25, Philadelphia at Boston, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 27, Boston at Philadelphia, TBD, ESPN
• Game 7*: Aug. 29, Philadelphia at Boston, TBD, TNT

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

• Game 1: Aug. 18, Miami at Indiana, 4 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 2: Aug. 20, Miami at Indiana, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN
• Game 3: Aug. 22, Indiana at Miami, 3:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 4: Aug. 24, Indiana at Miami, 6:30 p.m. EST, TNT
• Game 5*: Aug. 26, Miami at Indiana, TBD, TBD
• Game 6*: Aug. 28, Indiana at Miami, TBD, TBD
• Game 7*: Aug. 30, Miami at Indiana, TBD, TBD

* – If Necessary
TBD – To Be Determined

August 16, 2020 at 06:10AM
2020 NBA Playoffs: First Round Matchups, Schedule