NBA Playoffs 2023: Bracket, start dates, TV times, and matchups for first round

The bracket for the 2023 NBA Playoffs is set.

The 2023 NBA Playoffs are finally here. The postseason bracket was set on the last day of the regular season, with four first round series locked in and four more ready to be determined by the NBA play-in tournament.

The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 7-8 matchup in the West play-in tournament, with the winner earning the 7-seed and drawing the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round best of seven series. The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 8-9 with the winner playing the loser of the Lakers/Wolves game for the No. 8 seed.

The Miami Heat host the Atlanta Hawks in the 7-8 matchup in the East, with the winner facing the Boston Celtics in the first round. The Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls in the 9-10 matchup in the East. The winner of Bulls/Raptors then faced the loser of Heat/Hawks for the No. 8 seed.

Read about the NBA play-in tournament rules here.

We already know the Philadelphia 76ers will face the Brooklyn Nets in the 3-6 matchup, and that the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the New York Knicks in the East’s 4-5 matchup. In the West, the Sacramento Kings face the Golden State Warriors in the 3-6 matchup, and the Phoenix Suns face the Los Angeles Clippers in the 4-5 matchup.

Here are the matchup we know so far in the East:

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 seed out of play-in tournament, best of seven series

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs No. 7 Atlanta Hawks, best of seven series

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets, best of seven series

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks, best of seven series

Here are the matchup we know so far in the West:

No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 seed out of play-in tournament, best of seven series

No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers, best of seven series

No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors, best of seven series

No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, best of seven series

NBA Playoffs 2023 bracket

NBA Playoffs 2023: Start dates, TV times, and more

Saturday, April 15

Game 1: No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets, 1 p.m., ESPN

Game 1: No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks, 3:30 p.m.. ESPN

Game 1: No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks, 6 p.m., ESPN

Game 1: No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors, 8:30 p.m., ABC

Sunday, April 16

Game 1: No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers, 3 p.m., ABC

Game 1: No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. East No. 8, 5:30 p.m., TNT

Game 1: No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, 8 p.m., TNT

Game 1: No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. West No. 8, 10:30 p.m., TNT

2023 NBA play-in tournament schedule and dates

April 11

Game 1: Atlanta Hawks 116, Miami Heat 105

Game 2: Los Angeles Lakers 108, Minnesota Timberwolves 102

April 12

Game 1: Chicago Bulls (East No. 10) at Toronto Raptors (East No. 9)

Game 2: Oklahoma City Thunder (West No. 10) at New Orleans Pelicans (West No. 9)

April 14

Game 1: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls

Game 2: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. West 9/10 winner

First Round Playoff Schedule and Results

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD @ Bucks | Sunday, April 16 | 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: TBD @ Bucks | Wednesday, April 19 | 9:00 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 3: Bucks @ TBD | Saturday, April 22 | 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Bucks @ TBD | Monday, April 24 | TBD
*Game 5: TBD @ Bucks | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD
*Game 6: Bucks @ TBD | Friday, April 28 | TBD
*Game 7: TBD @ Bucks | Sunday, April 30 | TBD

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

Game 1: Hawks @ Celtics | Saturday, April 15 | 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Hawks @ Celtics | Tuesday, April 18 | 7:00 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 3: Celtics @ Hawks | Friday, April 21 | 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Celtics @ Hawks | Sunday, April 23 | 7:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
*Game 5: Hawks @ Celtics | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD
*Game 6: Celtics @ Hawks | Thursday, April 27 | TBD
*Game 7: Hawks @ Celtics | Saturday, April 29 | TBD

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

Game 1: Nets @ 76ers | Saturday, April 15 | 1:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Nets @ 76ers | Monday, April 17 | 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: 76ers @ Nets | Thursday, April 20 | 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: 76ers @ Nets | Saturday, April 22 | 1:00 p.m ET (TNT)
*Game 5: Nets @ 76ers | Monday, April 24 | TBD
*Game 6: 76ers @ Nets | Thursday, April 27 | TBD
*Game 7: Nets @ 76ers | Saturday, April 29 | TBD

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

Game 1: Knicks @ Cavaliers | Saturday, April 15 | 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Knicks @ Cavaliers | Tuesday, April 18 | 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Cavaliers @ Knicks | Friday, April 21 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4: Cavaliers @ Knicks | Sunday, April 23 | 1:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
*Game 5: Knicks @ Cavaliers | TBD
*Game 6: Cavaliers @ Knicks | TBD
*Game 7: Knicks @ Cavaliers | TBD

Western Conference

No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD @ Nuggets | Monday, April 16 | 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: TBD @ Nuggets | Wednesday, April 19 | 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Nuggets @ TBD | Friday, April 21 | 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Nuggets @ TBD | Sunday, April 23 | 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
*Game 5: TBD @ Nuggets | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD
*Game 6: Nuggets @ TBD | Thursday, April 27 | TBD
*Game 7: TBD @ Nuggets | Saturday, April 29 | TBD

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

Game 1: Lakers @ Grizzlies | Sunday, April 16 | 3:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Lakers @ Grizzlies | Wednesday, April 19 | 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Grizzlies @ Lakers | Saturday, April 22 | 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Grizzlies @ Lakers | Monday, April 24 | TBD
*Game 5: Lakers @ Grizzlies | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD
*Game 6: Grizzlies @ Lakers | Friday, April 28 | TBD
*Game 7: Lakers vs. Grizzlies | Sunday, April 30 | TBD

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

Game 1: Warriors @ Kings | Saturday, April 15 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Warriors @ Kings | Monday, April 17 | 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Kings @ Warriors | Thursday, April 20 | 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Kings @ Warriors | Sunday, April 23 | TBD
*Game 5: Warriors @ Kings | Wednesday, April 26 | TBD
*Game 6: Kings @ Warriors | Friday, April 28 | TBD
*Game 7: Warriors @ Kings | Sunday, April 30 | TBD

No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers

Game 1: Clippers @ Suns | Sunday, April 16 | 8:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Clippers @ Suns | Tuesday, April 18 | 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Suns @ Clippers | Thursday, April 20 | 10:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 4: Suns @ Clippers | Saturday, April 22 | 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
*Game 5: Clippers @ Suns | Tuesday, April 25 | TBD
*Game 6: Suns @ Clippers | Thursday, April 27 | TBD
*Game 7: Clippers @ Suns | Saturday, April 29 | TBD (TNT)

* if necessary