Advertisement

Clippers to open playoffs Saturday; Lakers aiming for Sunday

Lakers forward Anthony Davis attempts to grab a rebound from Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard, left, and the fourth-seeded Clippers would not face Anthony Davis and the Lakers in the NBA playoffs until the Western Conference finals.
(AP)
Share via

The Clippers will open their first-round playoff series against Dallas on Saturday at home at 1:30 p.m. while the Lakers, who must qualify through the play-in tournament, would be on the road Sunday, according to a release of Game 1 schedules by the NBA on Tuesday.

The fourth-seeded Clippers will play the second of four games Saturday, with Brooklyn hosting the Boston Celtics and Miami traveling to Milwaukee in the early games from the Eastern Conference. Portland at Denver would be the nightcap in the West.

The seventh-seeded Lakers would open the first round Sunday at Phoenix if they defeat Golden State on Wednesday in the play-in tournament opener or at top-seeded Utah that day if they lose to the Warriors and beat the survivor of Memphis-San Antonio play-in game Friday.

Advertisement

The early games Sunday in the East would be top-seeded Philadelphia hosting a play-in team and fourth-seeded New York hosting Atlanta.

The Lakers will host Golden State on Wednesday in the NBA play-in tournament with the seventh seed on the line. The first and only order of business is slowing down Stephen Curry, whom LeBron James praised as worthy of winning the MVP award.

May 17, 2021

Advertisement