Blazers Vs. Warriors Playoff Schedule 2017: Dates, Times, And TV Schedule For 2017 NBA Playoffs
The Blazers vs. Warriors playoff schedule has been released by the NBA. The dates, times, and TV schedule for the 2017 NBA Playoffs are listed below, laying out the Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors first-round series. This is the first test for the Warriors, as the franchise seeks to make it back to the NBA Finals for a third consecutive season. As for the Blazers, the duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum is looking to pull off the biggest first-round upset in recent NBA history.
As shown in the full Blazers’ 2017 schedule, the team did not do very well against the Warriors during the 2016-17 NBA season. The season series began with a 23-point victory at Moda Center by the Warriors and continued with a 45-point Warriors victory at Oracle Arena in the early months. The Warriors then won by eight points in early January at Oracle Arena and by just two points during a Jan. 29 game at Moda Center. For those Rip City fans keeping score at home, it’s a full season sweep by the Warriors, showing the team as a clear favorite in this first-round series.
Game 1 of the Blazers vs. Warriors playoff schedule takes place on Sunday (April 16), with ABC providing the television coverage. By becoming the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Warriors have clinched home court advantage through the entire postseason. That means the opportunity to host the first two games against the Blazers and possibly Games 5 and 7 if they are necessary. To get that far into the 2017 NBA playoffs schedule, the Blazers are going to need to win games early in this series.
Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Golden State Warriors Playoff Schedule
Game 1 – Sun. April 16 Portland at Golden State, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Game 2 – Wed. April 19 Portland at Golden State, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Sat. April 22 Golden State at Portland, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Mon. April 24 Golden State at Portland, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Wed. April 26 Portland at Golden State, TBD
Game 6 * Fri. April 28 Golden State at Portland, TBD
Game 7 * Sun. April 30 Portland at Golden State, TBD
As seen on the full Blazers vs. Warriors schedule, there are a lot of days off built into the series. During the first eight days of the series, there will only be three games played between the Blazers and Warriors. This could come as both a positive and negative for each franchise, as they are trying hard to get a full and healthy roster for later in the NBA playoffs schedule.
Among the Golden State Warriors players trying to get healthy, the biggest name is former NBA MVP Kevin Durant. A report by ESPN outlined how Durant posted a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) during his first game since Feb. 28. That game came against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 10, revealing that he might have a bit of rust to work through when the 2017 NBA playoffs schedule tips off.
In the latest injury report for the Portland Trail Blazers, a number of key players were listed. Allen Crabbe is dealing with a foot injury and Damian Lillard has a right foot strain that caused them each to miss recent games. Lillard and Crabbe both indicated that they would be ready for Game 1 of the Portland vs. Golden State series.
Newly acquired center Jusuf Nurkic is the biggest question mark. Doctors will evaluable Nurkic on Friday (April 14), when it will be determined whether he is given a green light to return in time for the Blazers vs. Warriors series. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Nurkic was acquired from the Denver Nuggets right before the NBA trade deadline in a deal for Mason Plumlee.
In the final 2017 NBA playoff standings, the Blazers (41-41) finished 26 games behind the Warriors (67-15), showing just how much the rosters differ in overall talent. The Warriors had four members of the Western Conference All-Star team in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant, while the Blazers had zero All-Stars this year. On paper, on social media, and in the minds of many NBA experts, this could be a very one-sided playoff series. Among most 2017 NBA playoff predictions, the Warriors aren’t expected to need more than five games.
Despite the overwhelming odds laid out on the Blazers vs. Warriors series, the fans in Rip City are still pulling for the home team. The Blazers weren’t supposed to even make the postseason, but after pulling off the trade for Nurkic posted one of the best records in the league during the second half of the season. Now the roster is going to do everything it can to make the Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors series an exciting one for the fans.
[Featured Image by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
