NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: Updated Bracket…

Big names like Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to dominate the playoffs.Vaughn Ridley/Getty ImagesChris RolingFeatured ColumnistApril 18, 2017Little has caught fans off guard to start the 2017 NBA playoffs. Even the surprises aren’t really registering as such for those who pay close attention. The Chicago Bulls beating the Boston Celtics seems routine given the way the latter inherited a top seed. The Milwaukee Bucks taking down the Toronto Raptors makes sense given how Toronto collapses when it matters. Even the Utah Jazz beating the Los Angeles Clippers is right on cue, given the upward trajectory of the former and the usual disappointment of the latter.That isn’t to suggest the proceedings can’t get interesting in a hurry. Those series have legs as entertainment value…
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NBA playoffs 2017: Schedule, scores, bracket,…

The 2017 NBA playoffs are here, after a rather amazing — and record-breaking — regular season. While the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites to meet again in the NBA Finals — which would be the first time in league history two teams met in three straight Finals — both have faced obstacles this season. The Warriors won a league-best 67 games, the first team in NBA history to win at least 65 games in three straight seasons. They finished the season quite strong, with 15 wins in their last 16 games, but also lost Kevin Durant for five weeks with a knee injury and will have to acclimate him back in after playing just the final…
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NBA playoff bracket 2017: One factor…

While the Western Conference playoff order has been set for a while, the Eastern Conference went down to the final day of the regular season. The Pacers and Bulls punched their tickets to the postseason with wins against the Hawks and Nets respectively, and the Celtics held on to the No. 1 seed with a victory over the Bucks. That matched the Bulls up with the Celtics, the Pacers up with the Cavaliers and the Hawks with the Wizards, leaving the Raptors facing the Bucks in perhaps the most interesting first-round matchup. The top four teams dominated the conference for most of the season, but there’s more parity in the East when compared to the West. From whether the Pacers can…
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The NBA playoff bracket is now…

The Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls won their respective games on Wednesday night, eliminating the Miami Heat in the process. With those results, we now know all the playoff matchups when the NBA playoffs begin this weekend. With the Pacers beating the Atlanta Hawks, they secured the seventh seed and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. The Bulls clinched the eighth seed in the East and will face the Boston Celtics in the first round. As of this writing, the only question that still remains is who will have home-court advantage in the first-round series between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz. If the Clippers win on Wednesday night, they will host Game 1. Here…
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NBA playoff bracket 2017: Picks, predictions…

The NBA playoffs are finally here. Will the top four seeds in the East bracket advance (Celtics, Cavs, Raptors, Wizards), or could we see a huge first-round upset? No need to wait until the series start. Sporting News’ Sean Deveney is here to give his ironclad NBA playoff predictions — but don’t blame him if he’s wrong. Let’s dive in. NBA PLAYOFFS: Team-by-team game, TV schedule | Vegas championship odds NBA playoffs 2017: Eastern Conference predictions (1) Celtics vs. (8) Bulls The backstory Much intrigue here. The Celtics backed into the No. 1 overall seed, losing a big matchup with the Cavaliers last week but taking advantage of the Cavs’ subsequent fold-job to close out the year. Boston comes into the playoffs a deep and well-rounded team, but…
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NBA Playoff Bracket Round-by-Round Predictions

NBA Playoff Bracket Round-by-Round Predictions1 of 16Ben Margot/Associated PressDo you smell it? Not the flow of pollen from flower children filing out to California’s desert to Coachella. Not the sweet scents of spring holiday confections. And certainly not the stench of NBA teams tanking their way to more lottery combinations.No, the most pungent odor this time of year is the blood, sweat and tears of playoff basketball. There will be plenty of all three as the Cleveland Cavaliers flip the switch in defense of their title, the Golden State Warriors kick their juggernaut into high gear and the league’s long list of MVP candidates state their cases again, after the votes have already been tallied.With the start of the Association’s…
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NBA Playoff Standings 2017: Final Regular-Season…

Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics enter the NBA playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.Associated PressSteve SilvermanFeatured ColumnistApril 13, 2017The Boston Celtics have accomplished what many thought was out of their reach at the start of the season.They have dethroned the Cleveland Cavaliers and taken the top seed in the Eastern Conference. As far as the regular-season goes, the Celtics are the top team in their conference.”It’s very special. For me, it is,” star guard Isaiah Thomas said after the game (h/t Associated Press and ESPN.com). “I’ve never been a No. 1 seed. I’m excited now. But once you get the playoffs, the seedings go out the window.”The Celtics may eventually have to prove they can…
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NHL Playoff Bracket 2017: Complete 1st-Round…

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins begin defense of their Stanley Cup championship Wednesday night.Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesSteve SilvermanFeatured ColumnistApril 11, 2017The intensity factor gets ratcheted up in the playoffs, and it’s time for the NHL’s best teams to assert themselves and lay claim to Lord Stanley’s Cup.After running a marathon during the regular season, the eventual champion will run a marathon of sprints in the postseason. It requires four victories in four best-of-seven series that will leave the winner elated and exhausted.The Chicago Blackhawks were the best Western Conference team in the regular season, while the Washington Capitals won the Presidents’ Trophy as a result of having the best regular-season record in the league.These are the two favorites in this year’s…
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NBA Playoff Schedule 2017: Known Dates…

Tony Dejak/Associated PressPaul KasabianSenior ContributorApril 9, 2017The NBA Eastern Conference playoff race received some clarity on Saturday as the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks clinched postseason berths.However, the East’s remaining two spots are still undecided, as the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are all in the mix.Furthermore, no team has clinched its playoff position yet. Most notably, the No. 1 seed is still up for grabs.Here’s a look at the dates for each NBA playoff round as well as some Eastern Conference playoff race notes following Saturday’s games. NBA Playoff Round DatesRoundStart DateConference QuarterfinalsSaturday, April 15Conference SemifinalsMonday, May 1Conference FinalsTuesday, May 16 (possible move to Sunday, May 14 or Monday, May 15)NBA FinalsThursday, June 1NBA.com Eastern Conference NotesIndiana Moves One…
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