NBA on ESPN – The NBA Playoffs head to the Conference Semi Final stage, with ESPN bringing a bumper slate of EIGHT LIVE games in just six days – headlined by huge Lakers-Warriors and Celtics-76ers showdowns.
ESPN kicks off the jam-packed NBA Conference Semi Final schedule with a LIVE double-header on Wednesday May 3.
Starting at 9.30am AEST Wednesday, the Miami Heat do battle with the New York Knicks LIVE on ESPN.
Optimism is growing in New York City, and there’s a feeling that this might be the season where the Knicks go on a championship run.
Jimmy Butler has performed his heroics for the Heat in this playoff campaign, and Miami will turn to their main man once more to get the edge over New York.
The Heat have already provided a shock 4-1 series win, eliminating the #1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in comfortable fashion.
Following at 12pm AEST is the mouthwatering playoff series showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.
NBA fans everywhere can’t wait for this series to tip off, with superstars LeBron James and Steph Curry on opposite sides.
The Lakers looked a long way away from NBA championship calibre at times this season, but they have caught fire at a crucial stage.
Los Angeles downed #2 ranked Memphis 4-2 to move into the Conference Semi Finals – and now they will have to eliminate the defending NBA champion, Golden State, to keep their own dream alive.
The Warriors were made to fight all the way to Game Seven to see off Sacramento in the first round and now face another tough opponent on the road to the NBA Finals.
Thursday May 4 sees attention turn to the blockbuster showdown in the Eastern Conference between #2 ranked Boston Celtics and #3 ranked Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers and Celtics continue their Conference Semi Final series LIVE Thursday at 10am AEST on ESPN.
The elimination of the Milwaukee Bucks has blown the Eastern Conference wide open, and the favoritism will now shift to the winner of the Philadelphia-Boston series.
Boston reached the NBA Finals last season, and that defeat has fueled the franchise throughout the 2022-23 campaign.Â
Philadelphia come in with an unblemished playoff record so far, accounting for the Brooklyn Nets in four straight games to sweep their first round series.
The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns will also do battle at the Conference Semi Final stage, with Game Three and Game Four both LIVE this week on ESPN.
Denver finished atop the Western Conference at the end of the regular season and have now seen #2 Memphis and #3 Sacramento both bounced out of the playoffs.
The Nuggets remain heavy favorites to take the West, but standing in their way of progression will now be #4 ranked Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix and Denver dropped only a single game in their first-round playoff series. The Nuggets accounting for the Timberwolves, with the Suns eliminating the Clippers.
Game Three forms part of another massive NBA Conference Semi Final double header on Saturday May 6, as Celtics-76ers (Saturday 9.40am AEST) and Nuggets-Suns (Saturday 12pm AEST) are both LIVE, back-to-back on ESPN.
The full schedule of this week’s NBA Conference Semi Final series games is below.
NBA Playoffs on ESPN
Wednesday May 3
9.30am AEST, Miami Heat vs New York Knicks, ESPN
12pm AEST, Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors, ESPN
Thursday May 4
10am AEST, Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics, ESPN
Friday May 5
11am AEST, Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors, ESPN
Saturday May 6
9.40am AEST, Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN
12pm AEST, Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns, ESPN
Sunday May 7
10:30am AEST, Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN
Monday May 8
10am AEST, Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns, ESPN
ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and SKY NZ.
Media Release – ESPN
Link to ESPN HERE
TV Central ESPN content HERE
