The Playoffs start this Saturday, but only two of the eight first round matchups are etched in stone:
Eastern Conference
#1 Cleveland vs. #8 Detroit
#4 Atlanta vs. #5 Miami
Here are the scenarios for the 2009 NBA Playoffs, updated through games of Tuesday, April 14.
Eastern Conference seeds
1. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
2. BOSTON CELTICS
3. ORLANDO MAGIC
4. ATLANTA HAWKS
5. MIAMI HEAT
6. Chicago or Philadelphia
7. Chicago or Philadelphia
8. DETROIT PISTONS
Western Conference seeds
1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
2. Denver or Houston
3. Denver, Houston, Portland, or San Antonio
4. Houston, Portland, or San Antonio
5. Houston, Portland, or San Antonio
6. New Orleans, Dallas, or Utah
7. New Orleans, Dallas, or Utah
8. UTAH JAZZ
As you can see, the Western Conference is still in shambles!
Here are the possibilities for tonight and tomorrow night:
Eastern Conference scenarios
Chicago will be seeded:
• #6 if Bulls win and Sixers lose one game OR if Sixers lose both of their remaining games.
• #7 if Sixers win remaining two games OR Bulls lose and Sixers win one game.
Philadelphia will be seeded:
• #6 if Sixers win remaining two games OR Bulls lose and Sixers win one of their remaining two games
• #7 if Sixers lose one game and Bulls win OR Sixers lose both of their remaining games.
Western Conference scenarios
Denver will be seeded:
• #2 if Nuggets win OR Rockets lose
• #3 if Nuggets lose and Rockets win
Houston will be seeded:
• #2 if Rockets win and Nuggets lose
• #3 if Rockets win and Nuggets win OR if Spurs and Blazers lose.
• #4 if Rockets lose, Spurs win and Blazers lose OR if Rockets lose, Spurs lose and Blazers win.
• #5 if Rockets lose and Spurs and Blazers win.
Portland will be seeded:
• #3 if Blazers win and Rockets and Spurs lose.
• #4 if Blazers win and either Rockets or Spurs win (or both win) OR if Blazers and Spurs both lose.
• #5 if Blazers lose and Spurs win.
San Antonio will be seeded:
• #3 if Spurs win and Rockets lose.
• #4 if Spurs win, Rockets win and Blazers lose.
• #5 if Spurs lose OR if Rockets and Blazers win.
New Orleans will be seeded:
• #6 if Hornets win OR if Mavericks and Jazz lose.
• #7 if Hornets lose and either Mavericks or Jazz win (but not both)
Dallas will be seeded:
• #6 if Mavericks win and Hornets lose.
• #7 if Mavericks win and Hornets win OR if Mavericks lose
Game 1 Tentative schedule (all times Eastern):
Saturday 4/18
3:00pm (ABC-HD)
5:30pm (ESPN-HD)
8:00pm (ESPN-HD)
10:30pm (ESPN-HD)
Sunday 4/19
3:00pm (ABC-HD)
5:30pm (TNT-HD)
8:00pm (TNT-HD)
10:30pm (TNT-HD)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
When the seeding matchups become clear, then they make it. It is for logistical reasons, since some teams may play in the same time zone (If Cleveland versus Detroit) while others play as much as two zones apart (Lakers versus Mavericks)
they need to maximize ad revenue.
Schedule won’t come out until the night of regular season finale.
I think it’s gonna start on a Saturday what u think? Last year I went to the first 2 Magic home games and the first one was on a Saturday.