After Saturday’s big playoff launch with four of the first-round series getting underway, the eight remaining teams in the running for the NBA Championship get their best-of-seven encounters going on Sunday night.
After the play-in tournament which saw the Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and, most notably, the Golden State Warriors eliminated, those who have had the extra games to play now face those higher seeds who are widely tipped to go deep in the postseason.
Here’s a guide to what’s happening in Sunday night’s match-ups.
Washington Wizards @ Philadelphia 76ers – Game 1 Sunday 18:00BST
Regular Season:
Wizards – 8th in Eastern Conference (34-38)
Sixers – 1st in Eastern Conference (49-23)
Series schedule:
Game 2 Wednesday 26 May @ Philadelphia
Game 3 Saturday 29 May @ Washington
Game 4 Monday 31 May @ Washington
Game 5 Wednesday 2 June @ Philadelphia (if necessary)
Game 6 Friday 4 June @ Washington (if necessary)
Game 7 Sunday 6 June @ Phiadelphia (if necessary)
Season series – 3-0 Sixers
23/12/20: Wizards 107, Sixers 113
06/01/21: Wizards 136, Sixers 141
12/03/21: Sixers 127, Wizards 101
Sixers 1/9
Wizards 5/1
Betfred NBA Championship odds:
Sixers 8/1
Wizards 125/1
There should only be one winner in this one, with the Wizards coming off a punishing two-game play-in tournament and now facing the best team in the East this season. They’ve already lost three times to the Sixers in 2020/21 and were a distant second-best in their most recent meeting. Everything is a bonus from here for Washington, who were 17-32 with 23 games remaining after several players had fallen foul of Covid-19 protocols.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns – Game 1 Sunday 20:30BST (Sky Sports Mix)
Regular Season:
Lakers – 7th in Western Conference (42-30)
Suns – 2nd in Western Conference (51-21)
Series schedule:
Game 2 Tuesday 25 May @ Phoenix
Game 3 Thursday 27 May @ Los Angeles
Game 4 Sunday 30 May @ Los Angeles
Game 5 Tuesday 1 June @ Phoenix (if necessary)
Game 6 Thursday 3 June @ Los Angeles (if necessary)
Game 7 Saturday 5 June @ Phoenix (if necessary)
Season series – 2-1 Suns
02/03/21: Suns 114, Lakers 104
21/03/21: Lakers 94, Suns 111
09/05/21: Suns 110, Lakers 123
Lakers 4/9
Suns 13/8
Betfred NBA Championship odds:
Lakers 3/1
Suns 20/1
The Suns might be the higher seeds, but all the attention and expectation is on the NBA champion Lakers going into this series. This is Phoenix’s first playoff campaign in 11 years, and taking the scalp of LeBron James and the Lakers would be quite a statement after a really impressive 51-21 season. Coach Monty Williams has worked wonders since taking over a 19-63 Suns outfit two years ago, but will the champs be too much for him and his side?
Atlanta Hawks @ New York Knicks – Game 1 Monday 00:00BST
Regular Season:
Hawks – 5th in Eastern Conference (41-31)
Knicks – 4th in Eastern Conference (41-31)
Series schedule:
Game 2 Wednesday 26 May @ New York
Game 3 Friday 28 May @ Atlanta
Game 4 Sunday 30 May @ Atlanta
Game 5 Wednesday 2 June @ New York (if necessary)
Game 6 Friday 4 June @ Atlanta (if necessary)
Game 7 Sunday 6 June @ New York (if necessary)
Season series – 3-0 Knicks
04/01/21: Knicks 113, Hawks 108
15/02/21: Hawks 112, Knicks 123
21/04/21: Hawks 127, Knicks 137
Hawks 5/6
Knicks 5/6
Betfred NBA Championship odds:
Hawks 66/1
Knicks 66/1
With identical regular-season records, it is understandable that Betfred cannot split these two. That said, the Knicks have home advantage and history on the side, having won all three meetings this season and also come out on top in both of the previous playoff series in which these two have met. The Hawks, though, have got everyone talking about their fantastic offense, even if the Knicks’ sturdy defence could provide a stumbling block.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Utah Jazz – Game 1 Monday 02:30BST
Regular Season:
Grizzlies – 8th in Western Conference (38-34)
Jazz – 1st in Western Conference (52-20)
Series schedule:
Game 2 Wednesday 26 May @ Utah
Game 3 Saturday 29 May @ Memphis
Game 4 Monday 31 May @ Memphis
Game 5 Wednesday 2 June @ Utah (if necessary)
Game 6 Friday 4 June @ Memphis (if necessary)
Game 7 Sunday 6 June @ Utah (if necessary)
Season series – 3-0 Jazz
27/03/21: Grizzlies 114, Jazz 117
28/03/21: Grizzlies 110, Jazz 126
31/03/21: Jazz 111, Grizzlies 107
Betfred NBA Championship odds:
Jazz 8/1
Grizzlies 100/1
In any previous season, the Grizzlies wouldn’t have made it this far. Having finished ninth in the West, the overcame the Spurs in the new 9v10 play-in before seeing off the Warriors in the final eliminator. They now come up against the best team in the NBA, who also happen to have beaten them three times this season. The Jazz have been brilliant from the three-point line all year, and while some haven’t given them the credit they deserve for finishing above some underperforming bigger names, they’ll be tough to beat this postseason.
