NBA playoffs 2024: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights

The 2023-24 NBA regular season is complete and the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs is almost here. Expect plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.

The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. They'll await the results of the play-in tournament to know their first-round opponent, as will the No. 2 seed New York Knicks.

In the West, the defending championDenver Nuggetsare the 2-seed, behind the top-seededOklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and are looking to win the team's first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.

After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs will begin with four games on Saturday and four more on Sunday. Eight teams from each conference will reach the first round and face off in a best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have homecourt advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.

MORE: Play-in tournament coverage| Previewing all 20 postseason teams | What eliminated teams need to do this summer?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TBD

Boston Celtics (1) vs. TBD (8)

Game 1: Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2: Wednesday April 24 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Monday April 29 at play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Boston

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Boston

• Holiday lands contract extension ahead of playoffs


• Celtics set NBA record with 0 FT in loss to Bucks


• Pelton's regular-season grades: Celtics get an A

New York Knicks (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7)

Game 1:at New York (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Game 2:at New York, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3:Thursday April 25 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4:Sunday April 28 at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary):Tuesday April 30 at New York

Game 6 (if necessary):Thursday May 2 at Philadelphia

Game 7 (if necessary):Saturday May 4 at New York (TNT)

• Knicks clinch 2-seed on season's final day


• Randle's season ends due to shoulder injury


• How OG Anunoby turbocharged the Knicks' offense

Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)

Game 1:Sunday at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 2:Tuesday at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 3:Friday April 26 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4:Sunday April 28 at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary):Tuesday April 30 at Milwaukee

Game 6 (if necessary):Thursday May 2 at Indiana

Game 7 (if necessary):Saturday May 4 at Milwaukee (TNT)

• Lillard back in limited practice as Bucks' G1 nears


• Sources: Bucks preparing to be without Giannis to start playoffs


• Bucks look to put emotions aside vs. familiar foe


• Pacers avoid play-in on season's final day


• Game balls, Dame Time taunts and the budding Bucks-Pacers beef

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)

Game 1:Saturday at Cleveland, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 2:Monday at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 3:Thursday April 25 at Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 4:Saturday April 27 at Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary):Tuesday April 30 at Cleveland

Game 6 (if necessary):Friday May 3 at Orlando

Game 7 (if necessary):Sunday May 5 at Cleveland

• Magic win on season's final day to set up first-round series with Cavs


• Cavs' LeVert maintains resilience after cancer surgery in 2021


• Inside the beef between Dan Gilbert and Mat Ishbia


• How a 5-20 slump turned the Magic into one of the NBA's best surprises

WESTERN CONFERENCE

TBD

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. TBD

Game 1:Sunday at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 2:Wednesday April 24 at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3:Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4:Monday April 29 at play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary):Wednesday May 1 at Oklahoma City

Game 6 (if necessary):Friday May 3 at play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Oklahoma City

• Thunder clinch 1-seed, keep 'eyes on the prize'


• Daigneault wins NBCA Coach of the Year honors


• Inside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's improbable rise

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Game 1:Saturday at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2:Monday at Denver, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3:Thursday April 25 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary):Monday April 29 at Denver

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Los Angeles

Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Denver (TNT)

• LeBron: Lakers' series vs. Nuggets not about past


• Why Nuggets are a matchup nightmare for Lakers


• Lakers' Ham slams idea of trying to dodge Nuggets


• Lakers survive Pels' rally, advance to playoffs


• How Jokic became the best passer in the NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)

Game 1:Saturday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 2:Tuesday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3:Friday April 26 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4:Sunday April 28 at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary):Tuesday April 30 at Minnesota

Game 6 (if necessary):Thursday May 2 at Phoenix

Game 7 (if necessary):Saturday May 4 at Minnesota

• Suns' final day win over Wolves sets up playoff rematch


• Towns makes return ahead of postseason


• What's next for the sale of the Timberwolves


• What to make of a topsy-turvy season for the Suns

LA Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

Game 1:Sundayat Los Angeles, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2:Tuesday at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3:Friday April 26 at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary):Wednesday May 1 at Los Angeles

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Dallas

Game 7 (if necessary):Sunday May 5 at Los Angeles

• The moment that transformed Westbrook and the Clippers' title chase


• Washington, Gafford raise Mavericks' title hopes


• How Paul George became the archetype for an NBA generation


• The Mavs' gamble on the Kyrie-Luka partnership is paying off