Updated NBA playoff bracket: results, schedule, and full NBA postseason picture
The NBA Playoffs are well underway with some second-round matchups having already started. Sunday marked the final game of the first round.
The Eastern Conference's No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers took down the No. 5 seed Orlando Magic in a thrilling second-half comeback victory in Game 7. Now, they get the luxury of taking on the best team (record-wise) in the NBA: The Boston Celtics. The other Eastern Conference matchup will feature the Indiana Pacers — fresh off upsetting Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks — taking on the New York Knicks.
The Western Conference, meanwhile, will feature the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the Dallas Mavericks as well as the Denver Nuggets squaring off against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Here is the schedule for the conference semis and finals, as well as predictions from around the internet.
2024 NBA playoffs: Printable bracket with postseason schedule and seeding
Opening Round Results
Eastern Conference:
No. 1 Boston Celtics def. No. 8 Miami Heat, 4-1
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers def. No. 5 Orlando Magic, 4-3
No. 6 Indiana Pacers def. No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks, 4-2
No. 2 New York Knicks def. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2
Western Conference:
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder def. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans, 4-0
No. 5 Dallas Mavericks def. No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers, 4-2
No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves def. No. 6 Phoenix Suns, 4-0
No. 2 Denver Nuggets def. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1
NBA Playoff Schedule
*All times Eastern
No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers
Game 1: Tuesday at Boston - 7 p.m., TNT
Game 2: Thursday at Boston - 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 3: May 11 at Cleveland - 8:30 p.m., ABC
Game 4: May 13 at Cleveland - Time TBD, TNT
Game 5: May 15 at Boston - Time TBD, TNT
Game 6: May 17 at Cleveland - Time TBD, ESPN
Game 7: May 19 at Boston - Time and TV TBD
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
Game 1: Monday at New York - 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 2: Wednesday at New York - 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3: May 10 at Indiana - 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: May 12 at Indiana - 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5: May 14 at New York - Time TBD, TNT
Game 6: May 17 at Indiana - Time TBD, ESPN
Game 7: May 19 at New York - Time and TV TBD
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
Game 1: Tuesday at Oklahoma City - 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2: Thursday at Oklahoma City - Time TBD, ESPN
Game 3: May 11 at Dallas - 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4: May 13 at Dallas - time TBD, TNT
Game 5: May 15 at Oklahoma City - Time TBD, TNT
Game 6: May 18 at Dallas - 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 7: May 20 at Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Minnesota 106, Denver 99
Game 2: Monday at Denver - 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3: May 10 at Minnesota - 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4: May 12 at Minnesota - 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5: May 14 at Denver - Time TBD, TNT
Game 6: May 16 at Minnesota - 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 7: May 19 at Denver - Time and TV TBD
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Brad Botkin, CBS Sports: Nuggets handle T-Wolves in 6
Botkin writes, "This is tight. Minnesota can match up with Jokic without having to waste Gobert on him, leaving the likely DPOY as a roving rim protector, and the Wolves' collective ball pressure is up to the task of reasonably challenging Jamal Murray and Denver's two-man action. But in the end, the Nuggets know exactly where to go for high-leverage buckets. It won them close games against the Lakers, and it'll win them close games against Minnesota."
Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report: OKC will hold Doncic to 40% shooting, but he will still average a triple-double
Bailey writes, "Even if he struggles to connect on shots at his typical level, Dončić will still average north of 25 points in this series (he's never been below 30 per game for a postseason). And commanding the attention of OKC's best perimeter defenders will give his teammates precious extra time to get shots off after his kickouts. He hasn't averaged double-figures in the assist column since the 2021 postseason, but he was at 9.8 this season. And the Thunder selling out on his drives and pick-and-rolls will give him enough assist opportunities to clear 10 per game for this series."
Chinmay Vaidya, DraftKings Network: Knicks in 5 games over Indiana
Vaidya writes, "[New York's] Josh Hart, Anunoby and Donte DiVincenzo have all taken on bigger roles with injuries to Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic. Even Miles McBride has stepped up in a big way. The Pacers haven’t dealt with that adversity and needed six games to take down a depleted Bucks team. Indiana’s offense is known for scoring points but it was inconsistent in the opening round. I see the Pacers being able to grab a game at home but the Knicks are the better overall unit and have the best player on the floor in Brunson. New York should take this series in five."
Stephen Noh, Sporting News: Celtics in four over Cleveland
Noh writes, "Cleveland does have an excellent defense that can at least slow Boston down a bit, but they haven't been playing their best ball, and their offensive struggles were very evident in their previous series. They're not going to be able to keep pace with the star power that Boston has."
2024 NBA Championship Odds:
With just eight teams remaining in the NBA Playoffs, here are each team's odds of winning the 2024 championship. Odds via BetMGM.
Boston Celtics (+125)
Denver Nuggets (+400)
Minnesota Timberwolves (+600)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+800)
Dallas Mavericks (+900)
New York Knicks (+1000)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+5000)
Indiana Pacers (+5000)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Updated NBA playoff bracket: results, schedule, and predictions
