2011 NBA 1st Round Playoffs Schedule And Predicitons

Are you ready??? The NBA Playoffs are HERE!!! Before it kicks off, a few things you need to know.

In the West, Nuggets vs. Thunder is going to be one of the most exciting match ups. The Thunder are young, hungry and ready to crack the upper elchelon of the Western conference. The 1-2 combo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook is dangerous because of the length and lethal jumper from KD (his inside game is pretty nice too) along with the speed of Russell. Add to that Kendrick Perkins toughness on the interior, this match up puts a young hungry team against a Nugget team recently scorned by Carmelo and with a lot to prove.

In the East my top series is, the New look Knicks facing off against the NBA’s elder statesmen the Celtics.

This will be another great first round series. The only concern is that both the Knicks and their fans are overly happy about making it to the playoffs and forget there is actual hoops to be played.

The Below the schedule and my picks for the first round!

Game 1 – Sat April 16, Indiana at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN3D
Game 2 – Mon April 18, Indiana at Chicago, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 21, Chicago at Indiana, 7:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4 – Sat April 23, Chicago at Indiana, 2:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Chicago at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Indiana at Chicago, TBD, TNT

Game 1 – Sat April 16, Philadelphia at Miami, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 – Mon April 18, Philadelphia at Miami, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 21, Miami at Philadelphia, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 – Sun April 24, Miami at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Miami at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Philadelphia at Miami, TBD, TBD

Game 1 – Sun April 17, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Tue April 19, New York at Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 22, Boston at New York, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 24, Boston at New York, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD

Game 1 – Sat April 16, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 19, Atlanta at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 – Fri April 22, Orlando at Atlanta, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN3D
Game 4 – Sun April 24, Orlando at Atlanta, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Orlando at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Atlanta at Orlando, TBD, TNT

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Game 1 – Sun April 17, Memphis at San Antonio, 1:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 20, Memphis at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 – Sat April 23, San Antonio at Memphis, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 25, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, San Antonio at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Memphis at San Antonio, TBD, TBD

Game 1 – Sun April 17, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/R
Game 2 – Wed April 20, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 22, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 24, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 26, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TNT

Game 1 – Sat April 16, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 19, Portland at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 21, Dallas at Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 – Sat April 23, Dallas at Portland, 5:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Mon April 25, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 28, Dallas at Portland, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sat April 30, Portland at Dallas, TBD, TNT

Game 1 – Sun April 17, Denver at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 20, Denver at Oklahoma City, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 23, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/R
Game 4 – Mon April 25, Oklahoma City at Denver, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 27, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29, Oklahoma City at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1, Denver at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD