MAIN Sports Basketball NBA Playoffs & Finals

As the basketball season winds down, the excitement heats up as another NBA Playoff season kicks off in the battle to win the national championship.

This year, Wednesday, April 11, 2018 marks the end of the regular NBA season.

Three days later, the 2018 NBA playoffs games are scheduled to start on Saturday, April 14, 2018.

The NBA Playoffs feature the top eight teams in each NBA conference all doing battle on the court in a best of seven series.

NBA Playoffs TV schedule

ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV will be the stations to watch in primetime on weeknights, while ABC takes on select games during the weekend. Online, games will also be livestreamed via WatchESPN and WatchTNT.

Beginning in June, watch for the Western Conference finals to air on cable channel TNT with full coverage of the Eastern Conference finals on ESPN and ABC .... as NBA fans coast to coast cheer "Let the games begin!"

The NBA Final Championship games, which will air on ABC, are scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 31, 2018 in the ultimate showdown between the two top teams from each conference. And don't forget to grab the popcorn for the big finale - Championship Game 7 - set for Sunday, June 17 on ABC.

Meanwhile, keep it here for more on the complete NBA Playoff schedule including team match-ups, dates, and TV times as we fill in the blanks on our NBA Playoff bracket, leading up to the final 2018 NBA Championship in June.

also see -> NBA playoff party ideas

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards

Game 1: Toronto Raptors 114, Washington Wizards 106 - FINAL

Game 2: Toronto Raptors 130, Washington Wizards 119 - FINAL

Game 3: Washington Wizards 122, Toronto Raptors 103 - FINAL

Game 4: Washington Wizards 106, Toronto Raptors 98 - FINAL

Game 5: Toronto Raptors 108, Washington Wizards 98 - FINAL

*Game 6: Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards: April 27 at TBD

*Game 7: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors: April 29 at TBD

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1: Boston Celtics 113, Milwaukee Bucks - FINAL

Game 2: Boston Celtics 120, Milwaukee Bucks 106 - FINAL

Game 3: Milwaukee Bucks 116, Boston Celtics 92 - FINAL

Game 4: Milwaukee Bucks 104, Boston Celtics 102 - FINAL

Game 5: Boston Celtics 92, Milwaukee Bucks 87 - FINAL

Game 6: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks: April 26 at 8 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 7: Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics: April 28 at TBD

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Miami Heat

Game 1: Philadelphia 76ers 130, Miami Heat 103 - FINAL

Game 2: Miami Heat 113, Philadelphia 76ers 103 - FINAL

Game 3: Philadelphia 76ers 128, Miami Heat 108 - FINAL

Game 4: Philadelphia 76ers 106, Miami Heat 103 - FINAL

Game 5: Philadelphia 76ers 104, Miami Heat 91 - FINAL

Philadelphia 76ers win series 4-1

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers

Game 1: Indiana Pacers 98, Cleveland Cavaliers 80 - FINAL

Game 2: Cleveland Cavaliers 100, Indiana Pacers 97 - FINAL

Game 3: Indiana Pacers 92, Cleveland Cavaliers 90 - FINAL

Game 4: Cleveland Cavaliers 104, Indiana Pacers 100 - FINAL

Game 5: Cleveland Cavaliers 95, Indiana Pacers 89 - FINAL

*Game 6: Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers: April 27 at TBD

*Game 7: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers April 29 at TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Houston Rockets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Houston Rockets 104, Minnesota Timberwolves 101 - FINAL

Game 2: Houston Rockets 102, Minnesota Timberwolves 82 - FINAL

Game 3: Minnesota Timberwolves121, Houston Rockets 105 - FINAL

Game 4: Houston Rockets 119, Minnesota Timberwolves 100 - FINAL

Game 5: Houston Rockets 122, Minnesota Timberwolves 105 - FINAL

Game 6: Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves: April 27 at TBD

Game 7: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets: April 29 at TBD

No. 2 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs

Game 1: Golden State Warriors 113, San Antonio Spurs 92 - FINAL

Game 2: Golden State Warriors 116, San Antonio Spurs 101 - FINAL

Game 3: Golden State Warriors 110 San Antonio Spurs 97 - FINAL

Game 4: San Antonio Spurs 103, Golden State Warriors 90 - FINAL

Game 5: Golden State Warriors 99, San Antonio Spurs 91 - FINAL

Golden State Warriors win series 4-1

No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers vs. No. 6 New Orleans Pelicans

Game 1: New Orleans Pelicans 97, Portland Trail Blazers 95 - FINAL

Game 2: New Orleans Pelicans 111, Portland Trail Blazers 102 - FINAL

Game 3: New Orleans Pelicans 119, Portland Trail Blazers 102 - FINAL

Game 4: New Orleans Pelicans 131, Portland Trail Blazers 123- FINAL

New Orleans sweeps series 4-0

No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz

Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder 116, Utah Jazz 108 - FINAL

Game 2: Utah Jazz 102, Oklahoma City Thunder 95 - FINAL

Game 3: Utah Jazz 115, Oklahoma City Thunder 102 - FINAL

Game 4: Utah Jazz 113, Oklahoma City Thunder 96 - FINAL

Game 5: Oklahoma City Thunder 107, Utah Jazz 96 - FINAL

Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz: April 27 at TBD

Game 7: Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder: April 29 at TBD

DID YOU KNOW? NBA playoffs trivia & fun facts

1969: the Lakers, deflated.

• In 1969, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke though it was fate. He was so confident of the Lakers' win over the Celtics that he had the LA Forum rafters filled with thousands of balloons with "World Champion Lakers" printed on them to celebrate when they won. They didn't.

• Michael Jordan’s jump shot against Utah’s Byron Russell in Game 6 at the 1998 finals gave Chicago a razor thin 87-86 victory, and the championship. It was Jordan's last NBA finals of his career

• The Golden State Warriors were heavily favored to repeat as NBA champs in 2016, but they ultimately lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James. It was the first NBA title for the Cavs, and the first for LeBron James.

• The Unlucky 13 teams which still haven't won a championship? They include the Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New Orleans Pelicans.

NBA playoffs & finals around the Web:

Around the Web, get complete reports on stats, scores, and who was in and who was out of the running leading up to the finals championship. And don't forget to keep your TV remotes at the ready for the much-anticipated 2018 NBA draft in June....

NBA Playoffs - SB Nation - Check out the complete TV schedule, the latest scores, stats, breaking news and photos.

Slam! Sports - Basketball - Want to know the latest scores? Also check out daily stats on assists, blocks, points, steals, blocks and rebounds.