NBA playoffs 2023: First-round bracket, schedule, how to watch games
It’s finally time for playoff basketball.
A thrilling 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament wrapped up with the Miami Heat beating the Chicago Bulls for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and the Minnesota Timberwolves taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder to claim the final playoff spot in the West.
The Heat and Timberwolves’ reward for making it out of the play-in? A date with the top team in their respective conferences.
With the bracket set, here’s what to know about the first round of the playoffs.
When do the 2023 NBA playoffs start?
The playoffs begin on Saturday, April 15.
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 at Bucks, April 16, 5:30 p.m., TNT
Game 2: Heat at Bucks, April 19, 9 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3: Bucks at Heat, April 22, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Bucks at Heat, April 24, TBD, TBD
*Game 5: Heat at Bucks, April 26, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Bucks at Heat, April 28, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Heat at Bucks, April 30, TBD, TBD
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Hawks at Celtics, April 15, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Hawks at Celtics, April 18, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3: Celtics at Hawks, April 21, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Celtics at Hawks, April 23, 7 p.m., TNT
*Game 5: Hawks at Celtics, April 25, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Celtics at Hawks, April 27, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Hawks at Celtics, April 29, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
Game 1: Nets at Sixers, April 15, 1 p.m., NBCSP/ESPN
Game 2: Nets at Sixers, April 17, 7:30 p.m., NBCSP/TNT
Game 3: Sixers at Nets, April 20, 7:30 p.m., NBCSP/TNT
Game 4: Sixers at Nets, April 22, 1 p.m., NBCSP/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 at Cavaliers, April 15, 6 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Knicks at Cavaliers, April 18, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Cavaliers at Knicks, April 21, 8:30 p.m., ABC
Game 4: Cavaliers at Knicks, April 23, 1 p.m., ABC
*Game 5: Knicks at Cavaliers, April 26, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Cavaliers at Knicks, April 28, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Knicks at Cavaliers, April 30, TBD, TBD
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Timberwolves at Nuggets, April 16, 10:30 p.m, TNT
Game 2: Timberwolves at Nuggets, April 19, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Nuggets at Timberwolves, April 21, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Nuggets at Timberwolves, April 23, 9:30 p.m., TNT,
*Game 5: Timberwolves at Nuggets, April 25, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Nuggets at Timberwolves, April 27, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Timberwolves at Nuggets, April 29, TBD, TNT
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1: Lakers at Grizzlies, April 16, 3 p.m., ABC
Game 2: Lakers at Grizzlies, April 19, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Grizzlies at Lakers, April 22, 10 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Grizzlies at Lakers, April 24, TBD, TBD
*Game 5: Lakers at Grizzlies, April 26, TBD, TBD
*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: Warriors at Kings, April 15, 8:30 p.m., ABC
Game 2: Warriors at Kings, April 17, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Kings at Warriors, April 20, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 4: Kings at Warriors, April 23, 3:30 p.m., ABC
*Game 5: Warriors at Kings, April 26, TBD, TBD
*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 at Suns, April 16, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 2: Clippers at Suns, April 18, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Suns at Clippers, April 20, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 4: Suns at Clippers, April 22, 3:30 p.m., TNT
*Game 5: Clippers at Suns, April 25, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Suns at Clippers, April 27, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Clippers at Suns, April 29, TBD, TBD
