NBA Playoffs Begin In Disney Bubble
Monday is THE day for the NBA. The NBA Playoffs begin in the Disney “bubble.”
The Associated Press reported:
The matchups: Milwaukee-Orlando, Toronto-Brooklyn, Boston-Philadelphia and Indiana-Miami in the East, with the Lakers against play-in game winner Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers against Dallas, Denver-Utah and Houston-Oklahoma City.
Some of those clubs can say they are happy to be in the postseason. For others, only a title will do.
“I didn’t mention that we secured the 2 seed,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “I don’t think anybody in the locker room talked about it. We really don’t care. Like, we want to win it all. … That’s the only thing that matters right now for us.”
Unique Playoffs
Despite some of the familiar names, faces, and teams, this year’s NBA Playoffs remain unique in history.
“Teams have been in the bubble for nearly six weeks now, first for a couple weeks of training camp, then three scrimmages followed by eight seeding games that were critical to some clubs and little more than tune-ups to others,” added the AP.
NBA.com released the full NBA Playoffs schedule:
2020 NBA Western Conference First Round
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
- Game 1: Tue, Aug 18 Portland at Los Angeles, 9 ET, TNT
- Game 2: Thu, Aug 20 Portland at Los Angeles, 9 ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Sat, Aug 22 Los Angeles at Portland, 8:30 ET, ABC
- Game 4: Mon, Aug 24 Los Angeles at Portland, 9 ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Wed, Aug 26 Portland at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Los Angeles at Portland, TBD, TBD
- Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Portland at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD
(2) LA Clippers vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
- Game 1: Mon, Aug 17 Dallas at LA, 9 ET, ESPN
- Game 2: Wed, Aug 19 Dallas at LA, 9 ET, TNT
- Game 3: Fri, Aug 21 LA at Dallas, 9 ET, TNT
- Game 4: Sun, Aug 23 LA at Dallas, 3:30 ET, ABC
- Game 5*: Tue, Aug 25 Dallas at LA, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Thu, Aug 27 LA at Dallas, TBD, ESPN
- Game 7*: Sat, Aug 29 Dallas at LA, TBD, TNT
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Utah Jazz
- Game 1: Mon, Aug 17 Utah at Denver, 1:30 ET, ESPN
- Game 2: Wed, Aug 19 Utah at Denver, 4 ET, TNT
- Game 3: Fri, Aug 21 Denver at Utah, 4 ET, TNT
- Game 4: Sun, Aug 23 Denver at Utah, 9 ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Tue, Aug 25 Utah at Denver, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Thu, Aug 27 Denver at Utah, TBD, ESPN
- Game 7*: Sat, Aug 29 Utah at Denver, TBD, TNT
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Oklahoma City Thunder
- Game 1: Tue, Aug 18 Oklahoma City at Houston, 6:30 ET, TNT
- Game 2: Thu, Aug 20 Oklahoma City at Houston, 3:30 ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Sat, Aug 22 Houston at Oklahoma City, 6 ET, ESPN
- Game 4: Mon, Aug 24 Houston at Oklahoma City, 4 ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Wed, Aug 26 Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
- Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
2020 NBA Eastern Conference First Round
(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Orlando Magic
- Game 1: Tue, Aug 18 Orlando at Milwaukee, 1:30 ET, TNT
- Game 2: Thu, Aug 20 Orlando at Milwaukee, 6 ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Sat, Aug 22 Milwaukee at Orlando, 1 ET, TNT
- Game 4: Mon, Aug 24 Milwaukee at Orlando, 1:30 ET, NBATV
- Game 5*: Wed, Aug 26 Orlando at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Milwaukee at Orlando, TBD, TBD
- Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Orlando at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
(2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets
- Game 1: Mon, Aug 17 Brooklyn at Toronto, 4 ET, ESPN
- Game 2: Wed, Aug 19 Brooklyn at Toronto, 1:30 ET, NBATV
- Game 3: Fri, Aug 21 Toronto at Brooklyn, 1:30 ET, NBATV
- Game 4: Sun, Aug 23 Toronto at Brooklyn, 6:30 ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Tue, Aug 25 Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Thu, Aug 27 Toronto at Brooklyn, TBD, ESPN
- Game 7*: Sat, Aug 29 Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD, TNT
(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers
- Game 1: Mon, Aug 17 Philadelphia at Boston, 6:30 ET, ESPN
- Game 2: Wed, Aug 19 Philadelphia at Boston, 6:30 ET, TNT
- Game 3: Fri, Aug 21 Boston at Philadelphia, 6:30 ET, TNT
- Game 4: Sun, Aug 23 Boston at Philadelphia, 1 ET, ABC
- Game 5*: Tue, Aug 25 Philadelphia at Boston, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Thu, Aug 27 Boston at Philadelphia, TBD, ESPN
- Game 7*: Sun, Aug 29 Philadelphia at Boston, TBD, TNT
(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Miami Heat
- Game 1: Tue, Aug 18 Miami at Indiana, 4 ET, TNT
- Game 2: Thu, Aug 20 Miami at Indiana, 1 ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Sat, Aug 22 Indiana at Miami, 3:30 ET, TNT
- Game 4: Mon, Aug 24 Indiana at Miami, 6:30 ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Wed, Aug 26 Miami at Indiana, TBD, TBD
- Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Indiana at Miami, TBD, TBD
- Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Miami at Indiana, TBD, TBD
* – If Necessary; TBD – To Be Determined