Full TV schedule for first round of 2021 NBA Playoffs

We look at the full TV schedule including dates and times for each game in the 2021 NBA play-in tournament

By kate.magdziuk@katemagdziuk May 20, 2021, 8:03am PDT

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A general view inside The Field House before game five of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.

The 2021 NBA Playoffs tip off on Saturday following the close of the play-in tournament. The newly added play-in tournament is deciding the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in each conference and then first round play gets going to formally kick off the “playoffs.”

The play-in tournament wraps up on Friday, but in the meantime, the NBA has announced the first round television schedule. Games will air on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT starting Sunday and running no later than Sunday, June 6 if some of the series go seven games.

If you’re unable to watch the games on TV, you have the option to live stream. You can stream games airing on TNT on Watch TNT or via their mobile app, the ESPN broadcasts via WatchESPN or the ESPN app, and NBA TV games at the NBA TV site. All three options will require a cable login, however. If you don’t have a cable log in, you can get a free trial from YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, or Sling TV to stream the games.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia 76ers (1) vs. Washington Wizards/Indiana Pacers (8)

Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | WAS/IND at Philadelphia, 1 ET, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | WAS/IND at Philadelphia, 7 ET, NBA TV
Game 3: Saturday, May 29 | Philadelphia at WAS/IND, TBD, ESPN
Game 4: Monday, May 31 | Philadelphia at WAS/IND, TBD, TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | WAS/IND at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4 | Philadelphia at WAS/IND, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | WAS/IND at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Brooklyn Nets (2) vs. Boston Celtics (7)

Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Boston at Brooklyn, 8 ET, ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | Boston at Brooklyn, 7:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Friday, May 28 | Brooklyn at Boston, 8:30 ET, ABC
Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | Brooklyn at Boston, 7 ET, TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Boston at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Brooklyn at Boston, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Boston at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Miami Heat (6)

Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Miami at Milwaukee, 2 ET, ESPN
Game 2: Monday, May 24 | Miami at Milwaukee, 7:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 ET, TNT
Game 4: Saturday, May 29 | Milwaukee at Miami, 1:30 ET, TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

New York Knicks (4) vs. Atlanta Hawks (5)

Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Atlanta at New York, 7 ET, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | Atlanta at New York, 7:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Friday, May 28 | New York at Atlanta, 7 ET, ESPN
Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | New York at Atlanta, 1 ET, ABC
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Atlanta at New York, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4 | New York at Atlanta, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Atlanta at New York, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Western Conference

Utah Jazz (1) vs. Golden State Warriors/Memphis Grizzlies (8)

Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | GSW/MEM at Utah, 9:30 ET, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | GSW/MEM at Utah, 10 ET, TNT
Game 3: Saturday, May 29 | Utah at GSW/MEM, TBD, ESPN
Game 4: Monday, May 31 | Utah at GSW/MEM, TBD, TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | GSW/MEM at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4 | Utah at GSW/MEM, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | GSW/MEM at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Phoenix Suns (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, 3:30 ET, ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, 10 ET, TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 10 ET, TNT
Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 3:30 ET, ABC
Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Denver Nuggets (3) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (6)

Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Portland at Denver, 10:30 ET, ESPN
Game 2: Monday, May 24 | Portland at Denver, 10 ET, TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Denver at Portland, 10:30 ET, NBA TV
Game 4: Saturday, May 29 | Denver at Portland, 4 ET, TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Portland at Denver, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Denver at Portland, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Portland at Denver, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Los Angeles Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Dallas at LA Clippers, 4:30 ET, ESPN
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | Dallas at LA Clippers, 10:30 ET, NBA TV
Game 3: Friday, May 28 | LA Clippers at Dallas, 9:30 ET, ESPN
Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | LA Clippers at Dallas, 9:30 ET, TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Dallas at LA Clippers, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4 | LA Clippers at Dallas, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Dallas at LA Clippers, TBD, TBD (if necessary)