The first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs is underway and expects plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.
The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. Among the series to watch in the East will be the No. 2 seed New York Knicks, who take on reigning MVP Joel Embiid and top seed #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the West, the defending champion Denver Nuggets are seeded 2, behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets matched zero for the first time. tour, facing LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs began with four games on April 20 and four more on April 21. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and compete in a best-of-seven series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7 and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the best regular season record in each series will have home-field advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the best record hosting games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).
We’ll have full coverage of the NBA Playoffs throughout the 2024 NBA Finals, which begin June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.
MORE: Previewing the 16 playoff teams | Offseason guides for every team
EAST CONFERENCE
Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
Game 2: Wednesday in Boston, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday, April 27 in Miami, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 in Miami
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 in Boston
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 in Miami
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 in Boston
Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
Game 3: Thursday in Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 in Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 in New York
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 2 in Philadelphia
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 in New York (TNT)
Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
Game 2: Tuesday at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 3: Friday at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 in Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 in Milwaukee
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 in Indiana
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 in Milwaukee (TNT)
Game 1: Horsemen 97, Magic 83
Game 2: Horsemen 96, Magic, 86
Game 3: Thursday in Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 4: Saturday, April 27 in Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 in Cleveland
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 in Orlando
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 in Cleveland
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
Game 2: Wednesday in Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday, April 27 in New Orleans, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 in New Orleans
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, May 1 in Oklahoma City
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 in New Orleans
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 5 in Oklahoma City
Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
Game 3: Thursday in Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Saturday, April 27 in Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday April 29 in Denver
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 in Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 in Denver (TNT)
Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
Game 2: Tuesday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 in Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 in Minnesota
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 in Phoenix
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 in Minnesota
Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
Game 2: Tuesday in Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 in Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1st in Los Angeles
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 in Dallas
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 in Los Angeles
