NBA playoffs 2021: Start times, odds and bracket originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2021 NBA Play-In Tournament has been a nice prelude to playoff basketball.
The LeBron James versus Steph Curry showdown lived up to the hype on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles to claim the West’s No. 7 seed. After beating Memphis on the final day of the regular season for the eighth seed in the play-in, the Warriors will host the Grizzlies yet again, this time on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
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Over in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics took down the Washington Wizards to hold onto the No. 7 seed, setting up a battle between Indiana and Washington on Thursday night for the eighth and final playoff spot.
With just the two No. 8 seeds up for grabs, the 2021 NBA playoffs are right around the corner.
From series schedules to NBA Finals odds, here’s everything you need to know before the first round gets underway.
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When do the 2021 NBA playoffs start?
The first round of the playoffs begins on Saturday, May 22, the day after the Play-In Tournament ends. In a rematch from last year’s playoffs, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks host Jimmy Butler’s sixth-seeded Miami Heat to kick off a four-game slate on Saturday. The Bucks will be out for revenge after being upset by the eventual Eastern Conference-champion Heat in 2020.
The postseason will run as late as July 22, which is when Game 7 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for. The Finals start on July 8.
Will the 2021 NBA playoffs be in a bubble?
Unlike last year, when the entire postseason was played at Disney World in Orlando, the 2021 playoffs won’t be held in a bubble. Teams will host playoff games at their respective home arenas just as they did throughout the 2020-21 regular season.
What is the 2021 NBA playoff schedule?
Here is the East bracket and full first-round series schedule:
No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards/Indiana Pacers
Game 1: Sunday, May 23, Washington/Indiana at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET, NBCSP/TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26, Washington/Indiana at Philadelphia, 7 p.m., NBCSP/NBA TV
Game 3: Saturday, May 29, Philadelphia at Washington/Indiana, TBD, NBCSP/ESPN
Game 4: Monday, May 31, Philadelphia at Washington/Indiana, TBD, NBCSP/TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2, Washington/Indiana at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4, Philadelphia at Washington/Indiana, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6, Washington/Indiana at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
No. 4 New York Knicks vs. No. 5 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Sunday, May 23, Atlanta at New York, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26, Atlanta at New York, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Friday, May 28, New York at Atlanta, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Sunday, May 30, New York at Atlanta, 1 p.m., 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)
No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Miami Heat
Game 1: Saturday, May 22, Miami at Milwaukee, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: Monday, May 24, Miami at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27, Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4: Saturday, May 29, Milwaukee at Miami, 1:30 p.m., 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)
No. 2 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics
Game 1: Saturday, May 22, Boston at Brooklyn, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25, Boston at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., NBCSB/TNT
Game 3: Friday, May 28, Brooklyn at Boston, 8:30 p.m., NBCSB/ABC
Game 4: Sunday, May 30, Brooklyn at Boston, 7 p.m., NBCSB/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)
And in the West:
No. 1 Utah Jazz vs. No. 8 Golden State Warriors/Memphis Grizzlies
Game 1: Sunday, May 23, Golden State/Memphis at Utah, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, May 26, Golden State/Memphis at Utah, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Saturday, May 29, Utah at Golden State/Memphis, TBD, ESPN
Game 4: Monday, May 31, Utah at Golden State/Memphis, TBD, TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2, Golden State/Memphis at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4, Utah at Golden State/Memphis, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6, Golden State/Memphis at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
Game 1: Saturday, May 22, Dallas at L.A. Clippers, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25, Dallas at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3: Friday, May 28, L.A. Clippers at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Sunday, May 30, L.A. Clippers at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5: Wednesday, June 2, Dallas at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 4, L.A. Clippers at Dallas, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 6, Dallas at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers
Game 1: Saturday, May 22, Portland at Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSNW/ESPN
Game 2: Monday, May 24, Portland at Denver, 10 p.m., NBCSNW/TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27, Denver at Portland, 10:30 p.m., NBCSNW/NBA TV
Game 4: Saturday, May 29, Denver at Portland, 4 p.m., NBCSNW/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)
No. 2 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1: Sunday, May 23, L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Tuesday, May 25, L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Thursday, May 27, Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 10 p.m., TNT
Game 4: Sunday, May 30, Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 3:30 p.m., 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)
Who is favored to win the 2021 NBA Finals?
The Brooklyn Nets enter the playoffs as the NBA Finals favorites at +225. The defending-champion Lakers have the second-best odds at +400 followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at +550, the Utah Jazz at +700, the Sixers at +750 and the Bucks at +800.
Here’s a full look at the 2021 NBA championship odds, per PointsBet:
Brooklyn Nets, +225
Los Angeles Lakers, +400
Los Angeles Clippers, +550
Utah Jazz, +700
Philadelphia 76ers, +750
Milwaukee Bucks, +800
Phoenix Suns, +2500
Denver Nuggets, +3300
Miami Heat, +3300
Dallas Mavericks, +5000
Portland Trail Blazers, +5000
Atlanta Hawks, +10000
New York Knicks, +10000
Golden State Warriors, +10000
Boston Celtics, +10000
Washington Wizards, +25000
Memphis Grizzlies, +25000
Indiana Pacers, +50000
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links
