NBA Playoffs 2023: Schedule, Matchups, Game Times and Predictions

Author:
Zach Koons
Publish date:
Apr 15, 2023

The NBA playoffs are finally here.

After a particularly competitive regular 2022–23 season and a hotly-contested play-in tournament, 16 teams remain to compete for a championship. The playoffs will begin on Saturday April 15 and run through early June with the NBA Finals scheduled to begin on June 1.

This year’s postseason promises to bring forth a number of captivating storylines. LeBron James and the Lakers will look to complete their second-half turn-around, while the Warriors will try to steady the ship after a rocky regular season and repeat as NBA champions. Kevin Durant and new-look Suns will test their mettle against the league’s best, while the Celtics try to prove that last year’s run to the NBA Finals was no fluke. MVP frontrunners Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo will do their best to lead their respective teams to a championship while clubs like the Grizzlies, Kings and Cavaliers look to leave a lasting impression on the league’s landscape.

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Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 NBA playoffs schedule, complete with picks from Sports Illustrated’s roster of experts.

Eastern Conference First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks. vs. No. 8 Miami Heat

Game 1: Sunday, April 16, Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks (5:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19, Heat at Bucks (9 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Game 3: Saturday, April 22, Bucks at Heat (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Monday, April 24, Bucks at Heat (TBD, TBD)
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26, Heat at Bucks*
Game 6: Friday, April 28, Bucks at Heat*
Game 7: Sunday, April 30, Heat at Bucks*

Expert Predictions: Chris Herring (Bucks in 5), Chris Mannix (Bucks in 5), Rohan Nadkarni (Bucks in 4)

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: Saturday, April 15, Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 18, Hawks at Celtics (7 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Game 3: Friday, April 21, Celtics at Hawks (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 23, Celtics at Hawks (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 25, Hawks at Celtics*
Game 6: Thursday, April 27, Celtics at Hawks*
Game 7: Saturday, April 29, Hawks at Celtics*

Expert Predictions: Herring (Celtics in 6), Mannix (Celtics in 5), Nadkarni (Celtics in 4)

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets

Game 1: Saturday, April 15, Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Monday, April 17, Nets at 76ers (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3: Thursday, April 20, 76ers at Nets (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4: Saturday, April 22, 76ers at Nets (1 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5: Monday, April 24, Nets at 76ers*
Game 6: Thursday, April 27, 76ers at Nets*
Game 7: Saturday, April 29, Nets at 76ers*

Expert Predictions: Herring (76ers in 5), Mannix (76ers in 5), Nadkarni (76ers in 5)

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks

Game 1: Saturday, April 15, New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 18, Knicks at Cavaliers (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3: Friday, April 21, Cavaliers at Knicks (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 4: Sunday, April 23, Cavaliers at Knicks (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26, Knicks at Cavaliers*
Game 6: Friday, April 28, Cavaliers at Knicks*
Game 7: Sunday, April 30, Knicks at Cavaliers*

Expert Predictions: Herring (Cavs in 7), Mannix (Cavs in 7), Nadkarni (Cavs in 5)

Western Conference First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Sunday, April 16, Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19, Timberwolves at Nuggets (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3: Friday, April 21, Nuggets at Timberwolves (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 23, Nuggets at Timberwolves (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 25, Timberwolves at Nuggets*
Game 6: Thursday, April 27, Nuggets at Timberwolves*
Game 7: Saturday, April 29, Timberwolves at Nuggets*

Expert Predictions: Herring (Nuggets in 6), Mannix (Nuggets in 6), Nadkarni (Nuggets in 5)

No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Game 1: Sunday, April 16, Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies (3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19, Lakers at Grizzlies (7:30 p.m., TNT)
Game 3: Saturday, April 22, Grizzlies at Lakers (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Monday, April 24, Grizzlies at Lakers (TBD, TBD)
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26, Lakers at Grizzlies*
Game 6: Friday, April 28, Grizzlies at Lakers*
Game 7: Sunday, April 30, Lakers at Grizzlies*

Expert Predictions: Herring (Grizzlies in 6), Mannix (Lakers in 6), Nadkarni (Grizzlies in 6)

No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors

Game 1: Saturday, April 15, Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 2: Monday, April 17, Warriors at Kings (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3: Thursday, April 20, Kings at Warriors (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 4: Sunday, April 23, Kings at Warriors (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26, Warriors at Kings*
Game 6: Friday, April 28, Kings at Warriors*
Game 7: Sunday, April 30, Warriors at Kings*

Expert Predictions: Herring (Warriors in 6), Mannix (Warriors in 7), Nadkarni (Warriors in 5)