The Magic Number For The Next Two Months Is 16; NBA Playoff Picture Finally Set
In exciting fashion, the 2012-13 NBA Season finally concluded last night, with the Los Angeles Lakers winning in overtime against the Houston Rockets, locking down the 7th seed in the upcoming playoffs. Both teams were obviously trying to avoid playing the Western Conference favorite Oklahoma City Thunder, to face the beat up San Antonio Spurs, who are dealing with injuries from Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili.
The Lakers are dealing with injury problems themselves (Kobe Bryant is out until 2014 with a torn Achilles), but the front court of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol can be a threat out West, as the two put up a combined 33 points and 38 rebounds for last night’s win. James Harden will get the privilege of playing his former team in the first round and try to pull the upset; while Golden St. and Denver will battle it out to make a name for themselves in the national audience.
The rubber match-up and standout opening round series for the West will be a rematch between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies, who pushed each other to the limit (7 games), with the Clippers winning the thriller at home.
Moving along to the Eastern Conference, the Heat essentially have a bye in the first round, against the Milwaukee Bucks and have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Pacers have an easy destination as well, landing against the Atlanta Hawks, while the Bulls will try to make some playoff noise without their superstar guard Derrick Rose.
The Knicks, led by the 2013 scoring champion Carmelo Anthony, are the team with the most pressure to have a deep postseason run in the NBA. They achieved their first 50+ win season in nearly 20 years, oming together at just the right time. Their first-round match-up will be against their historic rival, the Boston Celtics, who will be playing without their captain Rajon Rondo.
Boston, who’s seen the emergence of Jeff Green, still has enough depth in Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jordan Crawford to help out the starters. This will most likely be the best series in the first round and the only Eastern Conference match-up we’re looking forward to.
WESTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND
(1) Oklahoma City vs. (8) Houston
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Houston at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Houston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Oklahoma City at Houston, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/R
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
(2) San Antonio vs. (7) L.A. Lakers
Game 1 – Sun April 21, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Wed April 24, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TNT
(3) Denver vs. (6) Golden State
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Golden State at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Golden State at Denver, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, Denver at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Denver at Golden State, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Denver at Golden State, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TNT
(4) L.A. Clippers vs. (5) Memphis
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sat April 27, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD
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EASTERN CONFERENCE – FIRST ROUND
(1) Miami vs. (8) Milwaukee
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Milwaukee at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Miami at Milwaukee, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Miami at Milwaukee, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 5 * Tue April 30, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TNT
(2) New York vs. (7) Boston
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Boston at New York, 3 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Boston at New York, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, New York at Boston, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, New York at Boston, 1 p.m., ABC/R
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
(3) Indiana vs. (6) Atlanta
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Atlanta at Indiana, 1 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Atlanta at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
(4) Brooklyn vs. (5) Chicago
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Brooklyn at Chicago, 8:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 4 – Sat April 27, Brooklyn at Chicago, 2 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 29, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2, Brooklyn at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TNT
* if necessary
All times are Eastern
TBD – To Be Determined
R – ESPN radio
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