NBA Playoff Schedule 2011: Times, TV Information For Heat Vs. Celtics Released

The series will tip off Sunday afternoon on ABC. All times are Eastern.

Game 1: Sun., May 1 in Miami, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Game 2: Tue., May 3 in Miami, Time TBD, TNT

Game 3: Sat., May 7 in Boston, 8:00 p.m., ABC

Game 4: Mon., May 9 in Boston, Time TBD, TNT

Game 5: Wed., May 11 in Miami, Time TBD, TNT

Game 6: Fri., May 13 in Boston, Time TBD, ESPN

Game 7: Mon., May 16 in Miami, 8:00 p.m., TNT

The 2011 NBA Playoff schedule tips off on Saturday with four games of varying intrigue. The opening day schedule is East-heavy, with the lone West matchup coming in the late game. But there’s playoff basketball from 1 p.m. until midnight ET, and no one can complain about that. (Except people who do not care for basketball.)

Pacers at Bulls, Game 1: 1 p.m. ET, ESPN.

The Chicago Bulls begin their quest for a title against the Indiana Pacers. This series is wildly expected to be a one-sided bulldozin’, but the East 1-8 matchup has given us some intrigue in the past.

Series Hub | Indy Cornrows | Blog-a-Bull

The 2011 NBA playoff schedule for the Western Conference bracket was released early Thursday after the final games of the regular season determined the first round matchups. The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers will get the West bracket started on Saturday.

See our coverage of the NBA playoff schedule for the East.

The 2011 NBA playoff schedule for the Eastern Conference’s first round was released late Wednesday. We already knew when the Game 1s would be held, but now we have the dates for the rest of the series. Television broadcast information is still to be released for numerous games.

Game 1: Sat., April 16 in Chicago, 1 p.m ET, ESPN

Game 2: Mon., April 18 in Chicago, 9:30 p.m., TNT

Game 3: Thu., April 21 in Indiana, TBD, NBA TV

Game 4: Sat., April 23 in Indiana, TBD, TNT

Game 5: Tue., April 26 in Chicago (if needed)

Game 6: Thu., April 28 in Indiana (if needed)

Game 7: Sat., April 30 in Chicago (if needed)

The full 2011 NBA Playoff Schedule will not be finalized until after the final day of the regular season on Wednesday, but we do know when the first game of the four series in the East bracket will be played. All four of those series are already set regardless of what happens Wednesday night, so the NBA went ahead and announced the times and TV information for Game 1 of each of those four matchups.

The Bulls Vs. Pacers will get things started Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, followed by the Heat Vs. 76ers Game 1 at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. Game 1 of the Magic Vs. Hawks series is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN, while Game 1 of the much-anticipated Celtics vs. Knicks series will be Sunday at 7 p.m. on TNT.