NBA Playoffs First-Round Schedule, Matchups

DALLAS (Sporting Alert) — Following Wednesday night’s final set of regular season games, here is the official NBA playoffs first-round schedule heading into the opening set of games this weekend.

The number one top seeded team for the entire playoffs are the Golden State Warriors, who ended the season with the best record, at 67-15. This means the Western Conference champions will have home court advantage throughout the entire 2015 playoffs.

Meanwhile, claiming the number one seed in the Eastern Conference were the Atlanta Hawks, who ended the term with a 60-22 record.

Some interesting playoffs matchups have been set after the regular season final day, including an interesting first round battle in the Western Conference between defending champions San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The No. 3 seeded L.A. Clippers will start its playoffs series with home court advantage over San Antonio, which suffered a defeat away to the  New Orleans Pelicans and missed out at the No. 2 slot.

The opening game of this series begins on Sunday at Staple Center, beginning at 10:30 PM, with TNT carrying live coverage from Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the battling win over the Spurs on Wednesday night saw Anthony Davis and the Pelicans grabbing the eighth and final slot from the Western Conference.

They collected the spot on tie break ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had won their game as well on the night.

Elsewhere in other first-round playoff matchups, No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers face No. 7 Boston Celtics in the East, while top seed Atlanta Hawks get the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets.

The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday, with ESPN, ABC and TNT and TNT Overtime providing the live broadcasting coverage.

EASTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

(1) Atlanta Hawks vs. (8) Brooklyn Nets

Game 1 – Sun. April 19, Brooklyn at Atlanta, 5:30 PM, TNT
Game 2 – Wed . April 22, Brooklyn at Atlanta, 7:00 PM, NBA TV
Game 3 – Sat. April 25, Atlanta at Brooklyn, 3:00 PM, TNT
Game 4 – Mon. April 27, Atlanta at Brooklyn, TBD
Game 5 * – Wed. April 29, Brooklyn at Atlanta, TBD
Game 6 *- Fri. May 1, Atlanta at Brooklyn, TBD
Game 7 *- Sun. May 3, Brooklyn at Atlanta, TBD

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Boston Celtics

Game 1 – Sun. April 19, Boston at Cleveland, 3:00 PM, ABC/R
Game 2 – Tue. April 21, Boston at Cleveland, 7:00 PM, TNT
Game 3 – Thu. April 23, Cleveland at Boston, 7:00 PM, TNT
Game 4 – Sun. April 26, Cleveland at Boston, 1:00 PM, ABC
Game 5 * – Tue. April 28, Boston at Cleveland, TBD
Game 6 * – Thu. April 30, Cleveland at Boston, TBD
Game 7 * – Sat. May 2, Boston at Cleveland , TNT

(3) Chicago Bulls vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1 – Sat. April 18, Milwaukee at Chicago, 7:00 PM, ESPN
Game 2 – Mon. April 20, Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:00 PM, TNT
Game 3 – Thu. April 23, Chicago at Milwaukee, 8:00 PM, NBA TV
Game 4 – Sat . April 25, Chicago at Milwaukee, 5:30 PM, TNT
Game 5 *- Mon. April 27, Milwaukee at Chicago, TBD
Game 6 * – Thu. April 30, Chicago at Milwaukee, TBD
Game 7 * – Sat. May 2, Milwaukee at Chicago, TNT

(4) Toronto Raptors vs. (5) Washington Wizards

Game 1 – Sat. April 18, Washington at Toronto, 12:30 PM, ESPN
Game 2 – Tue. April 21, Washington at Toronto, 8:00 PM, NBA TV
Game 3 – Fri. April 24, Toronto at Washington, 8:00 PM, ESPN2
Game 4 – Sun. April 26, Toronto at Washington, 7:00 PM, TNT
Game 5 *- Wed. April 29, Washington at Toronto, TBD
Game 6 * – Fri. May 1 ,Toronto at Washington, TBD
Game 7 * – Sun. May 3, Washington at Toronto, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans

Game 1 – Sat. April 18, New Orleans at Golden State, 3:30 PM, ABC/R
Game 2 – Mon. April 20, New Orleans at Golden State, 10:30 PM , TNT
Game 3 – Thu. April 23, Golden State at New Orleans, 9:30 PM, TNT
Game 4 – Sat. April 25, Golden State at New Orleans, 8:00 PM ,ESPN
Game 5 * – Tue. April 28, New Orleans at Golden State, TBD
Game 6 * – Fri. May 1, Golden State at New Orleans, TBD
Game 7 * – Sun. May 3, New Orleans at Golden State, TBD

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Game 1 – Sat. April 18, Dallas at Houston, 9:30 PM, ESPN
Game 2 – Tue. April 21, Dallas at Houston, 9:30 PM, TNT
Game 3 – Fri. April 24, Houston at Dallas, 7:00 PM, ESPN
Game 4 – Sun. April 26, Houston at Dallas, 9:30 PM, TNT
Game 5 * – Tue. April 28, Dallas at Houston, TBD
Game 6 * – Thu. April 30, Houston at Dallas, TBD
Game 7 * – Sat. May 2, Dallas at Houston, TNT

(3) L.A. Clippers vs. (6) San Antonio Spurs

Game 1 – Sun. April 19, San Antonio at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 PM, TNT
Game 2 – Wed. April 22, San Antonio at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 PM, TNT
Game 3 – Fri. April 24, L.A. Clippers at San Antonio, 9:30 PM, ESPN
Game 4 – Sun. April 26, L.A. Clippers at San Antonio, 3:30 PM, ABC
Game 5 – * Tue. April 28, San Antonio at L.A. Clippers,TBD
Game 6 – * Thu. April 30, L.A. Clippers at San Antonio,TBD
Game 7 – * Sat. May 2, San Antonio at L.A. Clippers, TNT

(4) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies

Game 1 – Sun. April 19, Portland at Memphis, 8:00 PM, TNT
Game 2 – Wed. April 22, Portland at Memphis, 8:00 PM, TNT
Game 3 – Sat. April 25, Memphis at Portland, 10:30 PM, ESPN
Game 4 – Mon. April 27, Memphis at Portland, 10:30 PM, TNT
Game 5 *- Wed. April 29, Portland at Memphis, TBD
Game 6 * – Fri. May 1, Memphis at Portland, TBD
Game 7 *- Sun. May 3, Portland at Memphis, TBD