How to watch the 2023 NBA Playoffs: Full playoff bracket, Schedule, TV Channel
How to watch the 2023 NBA Playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The 2023 NBA Playoffs have produced plenty of drama. But as the calendar flips to June, just two teams remain and the NBA Finals is officially here.
The Denver Nuggets, the Western Conference's No. 1 seed, swept LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to earn their first Finals berth in franchise history. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who finished runner-up for the award this year to Joel Embiid, was named the Western Conference Finals MVP. Denver star point guard Jamal Murray also had an excellent series, averaging over 32 points per game in Denver's four victories.
In the East, the Miami Heat jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, only for Boston to win the next three games and set up an epic Game 7 for the second straight year. Game 7 didn't live up to expectations, however, as the Heat blew out Boston to advance to their second Finals in the past four years.
Denver. Miami. It all begins Thursday.
Here's everything you need to know about the NBA Finals...
2023 NBA Finals Schedule
Game 1: Thursday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 2: Sunday, June 4 at 8 p.m. on ESPN
Game 3: Wednesday, June 7 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 4: Friday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 5*: Monday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 6*: Thursday, June 15 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 7*: Sunday, June 18 at 8 p.m. on ESPN
* if necessary
Full 2023 NBA Playoff Schedule
April 11-14: NBA Play-In Tournament
April 15: First round of NBA Playoffs begin
May 1-2: Second round of NBA Playoffs begin (potential to begin on April 29-30 depending on first-round results)
May 16-17: NBA Conference Finals begin
June 1: NBA Finals begin
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
The Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference are set to participate in the NBA's third annual Play-In Tournament. Here's how it works:
-The No. 7 seed in each conference hosts the No. 8 seed in each conference, while the No. 9 seed hosts the No. 10 seed.
-The winner of the 7 seed-8 seed matchup will be the No. 7 seed in the postseason. The loser of the 7-8 game plays the winner of the 9-10 game for the No. 8 seed, the final playoff spot in the conference.
2023 Play-In Tournament Results
Eastern Conference
No. 8 Atlanta Hawks defeat No. 7 Miami Heat, 116-105. (Hawks become No. 7 seed in East)
No. 10 Chicago Bulls defeat No. 9 Toronto Raptors, 109-105
Miami Heat defeat Chicago Bulls, 102-91 (Heat become No. 8 seed in East)
Western Conference
No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers defeat No. 8 Timberwolves, 108-102 (Lakers remain No. 7 seed in West)
No. 10 OKC Thunder defeat No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans, 123-118
Minnesota Timberwolves defeat OKC Thunder, 120-95 (Timberwolves become No. 8 seed in West)
2023 NBA First Round
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat (Heat win, 4-1)
Game 1: Heat 130, Bucks 117
Game 2: Bucks 138, Heat 122
Game 3: Heat 121, Bucks 99
Game 4: Heat 119, Bucks 114
Game 5: Heat 128, Bucks 126
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks (Celtics win, 4-2)
Game 1: Celtics 112, Hawks 99
Game 2: Celtics 119, Heat 106
Game 3: Hawks 130, Celtics 122
Game 4: Celtics 129, Hawks 121
Game 5: Hawks 119, Celtics 117
Game 6: Celtics 128, Hawks120
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets (Sixers win, 4-0)
Game 1: 76ers 121, Nets 101
Game 2: 76ers 96, Nets 84
Game 3: 76ers 102, Nets 97
Game 4: 76ers 96, Nets 88
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks (Knicks win, 4-1)
Game 1: Knicks 101, Cavaliers 97
Game 2: Cavaliers 107, Knicks 90
Game 3: Knicks 99, Cavaliers 79
Game 4: Knicks 102, Cavaliers 93
Game 5: Knicks 106, Cavaliers 95
Western Conference
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves (Nuggets win, 4-1)
Game 1: Nuggets 109, Timberwolves 80
Game 2: Nuggets 122, Timberwolves 113
Game 3: Nuggets 120, Timberwolves 111
Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Nuggets 108
Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 109
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (Lakers win, 4-2)
Game 1: Lakers 128, Grizzlies 112
Game 2: Grizzlies 103, Lakers 93
Game 3: Lakers 111, Grizzlies 101
Game 4: Lakers 117, Grizzlies 111
Game 5: Grizzlies 116, Lakers 99
Game 6: Lakers 125, Grizzlies 85
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors (Warriors win, 4-2)
Game 1: Kings 126, Warriors 123
Game 2: Kings 114, Warriors 106
Game 3: Warriors 114, Kings 97
Game 4: Warriors 126, Kings 125
Game 5: Warriors 123. Kings 116
Game 6: Kings 118, Warriors 99
Game 7: Warriors 120, Kings 100
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers (Suns win, 4-1)
Game 1: Clippers 115, Suns 110
Game 2: Suns 123, Clippers 109
Game 3: Suns 129, Clippers 124
Game 4: Suns 112, Clippers 100
Game 5: Suns 136, Clippers 130
2023 NBA Second Round
Eastern Conference
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers (Celtics win, 4-3)
Game 1: Sixers 119, Celtics 115
Game 2: Celtics 121, Sixers 87
Game 3: Celtics 114, Sixers 102
Game 4: Sixers 116, Celtics 115
Game 5: Sixers 115, Celtics 103
Game 6: Celtics 95, Sixers 86
Game 7: Celtics 112, Sixers 88
No. 5 New York Knicks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat (Heat win, 4-2)
Game 1: Heat 108, Knicks 101
Game 2: Knicks 111. Heat 105
Game 3: Heat 105, Knicks 86
Game 4: Heat 109, Knicks 101
Game 5: Knicks 112, Heat 103
Game 6: Heat 96, Knicks 92
Western Conference
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 4 Phoenix Suns (Nuggets win, 4-2)
Game 1: Nuggets 125, Suns 107
Game 2: Nuggets 97, Suns 87
Game 3: Suns 121, Nuggets 114
Game 4: Suns 129, Nuggets 124
Game 5: Nuggets 118, Suns 102
Game 6: Nuggets 125, Suns 100
No. 6 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (Lakers win, 4-2)
Game 1: Lakers 117, Warriors 112
Game 2: Warriors 127, Lakers 100
Game 3: Lakers 127, Warriors 97
Game 4: Lakers 104, Warriors 101
Game 5: Warriors 121, Lakers 106
Game 6: Lakers 122, Warriors 101
2023 NBA Conference Finals Schedule
Eastern Conference
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat (Heat win, 4-3)
Game 1: Heat 123, Celtics 116
Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 105
Game 3: Heat 128, Celtics 102
Game 4: Celtics 116, Heat 99
Game 5: Celtics 110, Heat 97
Game 6: Celtics 104, Heat 103
Game 7: Heat 103, Celtics 84
Western Conference
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (Nuggets win, 4-0)
Game 1: Nuggets 132, Lakers 126
Game 2: Nuggets 108, Lakers 103
Game 3: Nuggets 119, Lakers 108
Game 4: Nuggets 113, Lakers 111
Recent NBA Champions
2022: Golden State Warriors
2021: Milwaukee Bucks
2020: Los Angeles Lakers
2019: Toronto Raptors
2018: Golden State Warriors
2017: Golden State Warriors
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers
2015: Golden State Warriors
2014: San Antonio Spurs
2013: Miami Heat
2012: Miami Heat
2011: Dallas Mavericks
2010: Los Angeles Lakers
