What NBA games are on today, Saturday April 16?
As we come into the NBA’s Playoff brackets, each game is now do-or-die, and any team, from the top seed to the play-ins, can take it all home.
The NBA Play-In Tournament concluded on Friday, with the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Pelicans the final two teams to book their spots in the 2022 Playoffs. Twenty-four hours on, it’s time for the postseason proper to begin, with four Game 1 matchups in prospect on Saturday.
noLA in the Playoffs 🙌#WBD | #ONENOLA pic.twitter.com/Q5okze66b4
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 16, 2022
What NBA Playoff games are on today?
Western Conference:
Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks (Game 1), American Airlines Center, Dallas, 1 p.m. ET
The fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks will be without star man Luka Doncic for Game 1 against fifth seeds the Utah Jazz. The Slovenian injured his left calf in the Mav’s final regular-season game against the San Antonio Spurs, and may also miss Game 2 against the Jazz.
While Dallas have won 20 of their last 27, the NBA’s Shaun Powell notes, Utah are on a rather less auspicious run of seven defeats in 11.
TV: ESPN
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic will be out of the lineup for Game 1 of the first-round series against the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.https://t.co/YIjMeXTgTp
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 15, 2022
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Memphis Grizzlies (Game 1), FedExForum, Memphis, 3:30 p.m. ET
Led by Ja Morant, the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Saturday’s second Game 1 clash. The Grizzlies, who are on a run of eight wins in their last 10, but were well beaten on home court by the Boston Celtics in their final regular-season game.
Minnesota reached the Playoffs via the Play-In Tournament, beating the New Orleans Pelicans to the seventh seed.
TV: ESPN
It’s official: the Timberwolves will take on the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 13, 2022
Who you got? 🍿 pic.twitter.com/r9zjZgbQbq
Eastern Conference:
Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers (Game 1), Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, 6:00 p.m. ET
Chasing their first NBA title in four decades, the fourth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers welcome fifth seeds the Toronto Raptors to Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. With Joel Embiid and James Harden, Phillay has the two best players in the series, but the Raptors have won three out of their four meetings this season. Toronto will either have to shut down Embiid or let him score and shut down everyone else.
TV: ESPN
NBA Playoff Previews Guide: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors is a clash of styles https://t.co/0UuzMZRBjh
— 1👈🏾Wise🙏🏾(azz)MF’er😉 (@WiseAssMoFo) April 15, 2022
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors (Game 1) Chase Center, San Francisco, 8:30 p.m. ET
Denver might have finished the sixth seed but bring heavy artillery in the reigning Most Valuable Player, Nikola Jokic. But he will have to carry the lion’s share of the load since the Nuggets are missing Jamal Murry and Michael Porter Jr. They will have to go up against shoe-in hall-of-famer Steph Curry and the Warriors, who may have missed the last 12 regular season games due to ligament and foot issues, but just having him on the floor changes the Warriors into a far more potent side.
TV: ABC
It’s official.
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 11, 2022
The Warriors will face the Nuggets in Round 1 👀 pic.twitter.com/evyxPBMy6W
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