2024 NBA playoffs: First-round scores, schedule, times, TV, key stats, who to watch

The Oklahoma City Thunder were 40-42 last season and didn't make the playoffs. This season, they were 57-25 and earned the top seed in the Western Conference.

In 2022-23, the Minnesota Timberwolves were 42-40, and this season, they finished 56-26, the No. 3 seed in the West.

The Orlando Magic had just 34 victories last season and posted a 47-35 mark this season, good for the No. 5 seed.

While it's a changing NBA in some ways, some things are familiar. The Boston Celtics went from 57-25 to 64-18 (top seed in the East), and the defending champion Denver Nuggets had four more wins this season, finishing 57-25 (second seed in the West).

Will one of the upstarts get to the NBA Finals or will the two teams (Celtics, Nuggets) many expect to get there meet for the title?

Here are NBA series matchups and schedules for the first round of the playoffs:

Eastern Conference first-round series, schedules

No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat

Celtics lead series 3-1

• Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94

• Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101

• Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84

• Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88

• Game 5, Wednesday: at Boston, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT

• Game 6, Friday: at Miami (if necessary), TBD

• Game 7, May 5: at Boston (if necessary), TBD

Key stats: The Celtics finished first offensively (122.2 points per 100 possessions) and No. 2 defensively (110.6 points per 100 possessions).

Who to watch: The Celtics have the best starting five: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.

No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

Knicks lead series 3-1

• Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104

• Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101

• Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114

• Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92

• Game 5, Tuesday: Philadelphia at New York, 7 p.m. ET, TNT

• Game 6, Thursday: New York at Philadelphia (if necessary), TBD

• Game 7, May 4: Philadelphia at New York (if necessary), TNT

Season series: Knicks won 3-1

Key stats: Four teams finished in the top 10 offensively and defensively, and the Knicks were one of them.

Who to watch: Jalen Brunson and his ability to carry the Knicks without Julius Randle, and the Sixers have two All-Stars in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers

Pacers lead series 3-1

• Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94

• Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108

• Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 (OT)

• Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113

• Game 5, Tuesday: Indiana at Milwaukee, TBD

• Game 6, Thursday: Milwaukee at Indiana (if necessary), TBD

• Game 7, May 4: Indiana at Milwaukee (if necessary), time TBD, TNT

Season series: Pacers won 4-1

Key stats: Get ready for scoring. The Pacers had the No. 2 offense (120.5 points per 100 possessions), the Bucks are No. 6 (117.6 points per 100 possessions) and neither ranked in the top 15 defensively.

Who to watch: The health of Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (missed final three regular-season games with a strained left calf), and Damian Lillard (sore adductor muscle) and the Tyrese Haliburton-Pascal Siakam playoff debut for the Pacers.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic

Series tied 2-2

• Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83

• Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic 86

• Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 86

• Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89

• Game 5, Tuesday: Orlando at Cleveland, 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV

• Game 6, Friday: Cleveland at Orlando, TBD

• Game 7, May 5: Orlando at Cleveland (if necessary), TBD

Season series: Tied 2-2

Key stats: The Magic’s No. 3 defense (110.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) vs. the Cavaliers’ No. 7 defense (112.1 points allowed per 100 possessions).

Who to watch: Second-year All-Star Paolo Banchero and third-year forward Franz Wagner are appearing in their first playoff series, and the Cavaliers feature Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley – a formidable inside-outside foursome.

Western Conference first-round series, schedules

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans

Thunder win series 4-0

• Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92

• Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92

• Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85

• Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89

Key stats: The Thunder were one of two teams to finish the regular season with a top-four offensive and defensive ranking.

Who to watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams of the Thunder are the present and the future.

No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Nuggets win series 4-1

• Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103

• Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99

• Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105

• Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108

• Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106

Key stats: The Nuggets are No. 5 offensively (117.8 points per 100 possessions) and No. 8 defensive (112.3 points allowed per 100 possessions).

Who to watch: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, a wizards with the basketball, may just end up winning his third MVP in four seasons, and LeBron James and Anthony Davis are back.

No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns

Timberwolves win series 4-0

• Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95

• Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93

• Game 3: Timberwolves 126, Suns 109

• Game 4, Sunday: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116

Season series: Suns won 3-0

Key stats: It’s the Timberwolves’ top-ranked defense (108.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) against the Suns’ No. 10 offense (116.8 points per 100 possessions).

Who to watch: Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony form a Big 3 for the Timberwolves, and Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal do the same for the Suns.

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks

Series tied 2-2

• Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97

• Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93

• Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90

• Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111

• Game 5, Wednesday: Dallas at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

• Game 6, Friday: Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas (if necessary), 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

• Game 7, May 5: Dallas at Los Angeles Clippers (if necessary), TBD

Season series: Clippers won 2-1

Key stats: Who likes offense? The Clippers are No. 4 (117.9 points per 100 possessions) and the Mavericks are No. 8 (117 points per 100 possessions).

Who to watch: The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden present problems on both sides of the court; Dallas’ Luka Doncic keeps inching closer to an MVP.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoffs 2024: First-round scores, schedule, times, TV, key stats