2021 NBA Playoffs First Round Overview: Playoff Matchups, Schedule, Odds and More

After determining the final four participants via the play-in tournament, the first round of the NBA playoffs begins today with a quartet of games.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are the defending champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals last October. This season, the Lakers are favored to repeat as Western Conference champions, even though they enter the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers face the second-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round.

While the Lakers are favored to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, the Brooklyn Nets and their Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving are favored to win the Eastern Conference and to win the NBA Finals. The Nets, who are the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, face the seventh-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round.

Here are the latest NBA futures odds, as we take a look at the conference title odds, NBA Finals odds, and the odds for each first round series.

All odds below are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Saturday, May 22 at 12:15 pm ET.

2021 NBA Playoffs Odds

Odds to Win the 2021 NBA Finals

• Brooklyn Nets +220
• Los Angeles Lakers +460
• Los Angeles Clippers +600
• Utah Jazz +600
• Milwaukee Bucks +800
• Philadelphia 76ers +800
• Phoenix Suns +2500
• Miami Heat +3000
• Denver Nuggets +3800
• Dallas Mavericks +4200
• Portland Trail Blazers +5500
• Atlanta Hawks +10000
• Boston Celtics +11000
• Memphis Grizzlies +12000
• New York Knicks +12000
• Washington Wizards +24000

Odds to Win the Eastern Conference Title

• Brooklyn Nets +105
• Philadelphia 76ers +270
• Milwaukee Bucks +350
• Miami Heat +1300
• Atlanta Hawks +3000
• New York Knicks +4200
• Boston Celtics +4900
• Washington Wizards +8000

Odds to Win the Western Conference Title

• Los Angeles Lakers +210
• Utah Jazz +250
• Los Angeles Clippers +270
• Phoenix Suns +850
• Denver Nuggets +1500
• Dallas Mavericks +2000
• Portland Trail Blazers +2000
• Memphis Grizzlies +6500

2021 NBA Playoffs First Round Matchups and Schedule

Eastern Conference

#1 Philadelphia 76ers vs #8 Washington Wizards

• Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Washington at Philadelphia, 1 ET, TNT
• Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | Washington at Philadelphia, 7 ET, NBA TV
• Game 3: Saturday, May 29 | Philadelphia at Washington, TBD, ESPN
• Game 4: Monday, May 31 | Philadelphia at Washington, TBD, TNT
• Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Washington at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Friday, June 4 | Philadelphia at Washington, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Washington at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#4 New York Knicks vs #5 Atlanta Hawks

• Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Atlanta at New York, 7 ET, TNT
• Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | Atlanta at New York, 7:30 ET, TNT
• Game 3: Friday, May 28 | New York at Atlanta, 7 ET, ESPN
• Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | New York at Atlanta, 1 ET, ABC
• Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Atlanta at New York, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Friday, June 4 | New York at Atlanta, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Atlanta at New York, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#2 Brooklyn Nets vs #7 Boston Celtics

• Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Boston at Brooklyn, 8 ET, ABC
• Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | Boston at Brooklyn, 7:30 ET, TNT
• Game 3: Friday, May 28 | Brooklyn at Boston, 8:30 ET, ABC
• Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | Brooklyn at Boston, 7 ET, TNT
• Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Boston at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Brooklyn at Boston, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Boston at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#3 Milwaukee Bucks vs #6 Miami Heat

• Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Miami at Milwaukee, 2 ET, ESPN
• Game 2: Monday, May 24 | Miami at Milwaukee, 7:30 ET, TNT
• Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 ET, TNT
• Game 4: Saturday, May 29 | Milwaukee at Miami, 1:30 ET, TNT
• Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Western Conference

#1 Utah Jazz vs #8 Memphis Grizzlies

• Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Memphis at Utah, TNT, 9:30 pm ET
• Game 2: Wednesday, May 26 | Memphis at Utah, TNT, 10:00 pm ET
• Game 3: Saturday, May 29 | Utah at Memphis, ESPN, 9:30 pm ET
• Game 4: Monday, May 31 | Utah at Memphis, TNT, 9:30 pm ET
• Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Memphis at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Friday, June 4 | Utah at Memphis, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Memphis at Utah, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Dallas Mavericks

• Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Dallas at LA, ESPN, 4:30 pm ET
• Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | Dallas at LA, NBATV, 10:30 pm ET
• Game 3: Friday, May 28 | LA at Dallas, ESPN, 9:30 pm ET
• Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | LA at Dallas, TNT, 9:30 pm ET
• Game 5: Wednesday, June 2 | Dallas at LA, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Friday, June 4 | LA at Dallas, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Sunday, June 6 | Dallas at LA, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#2 Phoenix Suns vs #7 Los Angeles Lakers

• Game 1: Sunday, May 23 | Los Angeles at Phoenix, ABC, 3:30 pm ET
• Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 | Los Angeles at Phoenix, TNT, 10:00 pm ET
• Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Phoenix at Los Angeles, TNT, 10:00 pm ET
• Game 4: Sunday, May 30 | Phoenix at Los Angeles, ABC, 3:30 pm ET
• Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Los Angeles at Phoenix, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Phoenix at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Los Angeles at Phoenix, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

#3 Denver Nuggets vs #6 Portland Trail Blazers

• Game 1: Saturday, May 22 | Portland at Denver, ESPN, 10:30 pm ET
• Game 2: Monday, May 24 | Portland at Denver, TNT, 10:00 pm ET
• Game 3: Thursday, May 27 | Denver at Portland, NBATV, 10:30 pm ET
• Game 4: Saturday, May 29 | Denver at Portland, TNT, 4:00 pm ET
• Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 | Portland at Denver, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 6: Thursday, June 3 | Denver at Portland, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
• Game 7: Saturday, June 5 | Portland at Denver, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

2021 NBA Playoffs First Round Series Odds

Eastern Conference

#1 Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards

• Philadelphia 76ers: -950
• Washington Wizards: +570

Likeliest Series Score: Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 Washington Wizards (+180)

#4 New York Knicks vs #5 Atlanta Hawks

• New York Knicks: -105
• Atlanta Hawks: -115

Likeliest Series Score: New York Knicks 4-2 Atlanta Hawks (+440)

#2 Brooklyn Nets vs #7 Boston Celtics

• Brooklyn Nets: -1500
• Boston Celtics: +790

Likeliest Series Score: Brooklyn Nets 4-1 Boston Celtics (+190)

#3 Milwaukee Bucks vs #6 Miami Heat

• Milwaukee Bucks: -310
• Miami Heat: +240

Likeliest Series Score: Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 Miami Heat (+270)

Western Conference

#1 Utah Jazz vs #8 Memphis Grizzlies

• Utah Jazz: -1300
• Memphis Grizzlies: +710

Likeliest Series Score: Utah Jazz 4-1 Memphis Grizzlies (+175)

#4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Dallas Mavericks

• Los Angeles Clippers: -430
• Dallas Mavericks: +320

Likeliest Series Score: Los Angeles Clippers 4-1 Dallas Mavericks (+230)

#2 Phoenix Suns vs #7 Los Angeles Lakers

• Phoenix Suns: +144
• Los Angeles Lakers: -178

Likeliest Series Score: Phoenix Suns 2-4 Los Angeles Lakers (+310)

#3 Denver Nuggets vs #6 Portland Trail Blazers

• Denver Nuggets: +108
• Portland Trail Blazers: -132

Likeliest Series Score: Denver Nuggets 2-4 Portland Trail Blazers (+410)