The Brooklyn Nets found out their opponent in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in the fourth quarter of a 103-99 regular season finale win over the lowly Detroit Pistons: by virtue of a New York Knicks victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Chicago Bulls solidified the fifth seed and will travel to Brooklyn to take on the fourth seed Nets on Saturday.
Late Wednesday night the NBA released the schedule of the Nets/Bulls series:
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., YES, ESPN WIN, 106-89
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., TNT, WWOR/My9 LOSS, 82-90
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Brooklyn at Chicago, 8:30 p.m., NBA TV (blacked out in NY region), WWOR/My9 LOSS, 76-79
Game 4 – Sat April 27, Brooklyn at Chicago, 2 p.m., TNT, WWOR/My9 LOSS, 134-142 (3OT)
Game 5 – Mon April 29, Chicago at Brooklyn, 7 p.m., TNT WIN, 110-91
Game 6 – Thu May 2, Brooklyn at Chicago, 8 P.M., YES WIN, 95-92
Game 7 – Sat May 4, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 P.M., YES, TNT
This is the first franchise playoffs appearance for the Nets since 2007 and the fifth straight playoff appearance for Chicago. The Bulls and Nets last met in the playoffs in the first round in 1998. It is the only other playoff meeting between the two franchises.
In Michael Jordan’s final season with the Bulls, top seeded Chicago disposed of the eight seeded Nets in three straight games, 3-0. Prior to the 2002-03 season, the first round of the conference playoffs was a best-of-five series. The Bulls would then go on to win the 1998 NBA Championship to complete Jordan’s second three-peat.
Below, find the complete schedule and national television & radio arrangements for all First Round series.
