2009 NBA Playoffs Schedule

2009 NBA Playoffs Schedule. Less than two months away from the start of the 2009 NBA Playoffs, here is a look at the tentative television schedule for playoff games on ESPN and ABC.

If ABC's 2009 NBA Playoffs schedule seems somewhat familiar, there is a good reason. For the third straight year, the network is using the same playoff schedule, airing up to eleven games prior to the NBA Finals. The only change from last year is that NBA finals games on Sunday nights will begin at 8 PM ET, an hour earlier than in previous years.

ESPN will also use virtually the same playoff schedule as last year, with only slight changes. Because the NFL Draft is being pushed back to 4 PM, ESPN currently has a split playoff doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, April 24, with one game at 1 PM and another at 9. Additionally, because ESPN is airing the Western Conference Finals this year, the network's Conference Finals telecasts will begin at 9 PM ET, as opposed to 8:30 for last year's East Finals.

2009 NBA Playoffs Schedule:

Saturday, April 18
3 PM: Round 1, Game 1 (ABC)
5:30 PM: Round 1, Game 1 (ESPN)
8 PM: Round 1, Game 1 (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Round 1, Game 1 (ESPN)

Sunday, April 19
3 PM: Round 1, Game 1 (ABC)

Friday, April 24
7 PM: Round 1, Game 3 (ESPN2)
8 PM: Round 1, Game 3 (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Round 1, Game 3 (ESPN)

Saturday, April 25
1 PM: Round 1, Game 4 (ESPN)
9 PM: Round 1, Game 4 (ESPN)

Sunday, April 26
1 PM: Round 1, Game 4 (ABC)
3:30 PM: Round 1, Game 4 (ABC)

Friday, May 1
8 PM: Round 1, Game 6* (ESPN)
10 PM: Round 1, Game 6* (ESPN2)
10:30 PM: Round 1, Game 6* (ESPN)

Sunday, May 3
1 PM: Rd. 1, Gm. 7 or Semis, Gm. 1 (ABC)
3:30 PM: Rd. 1, Gm. 7 or Semis, Gm. 1 (ABC)

Thursday, May 7
8 PM: Semifinals, Game 2 (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 2 (ESPN)

Friday, May 8
8 PM: Semifinals, Game 3 (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 3 (ESPN)

Saturday, May 9
8:15 PM: Semifinals, Game 3 (ABC)
10:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 3 (ESPN)

Sunday, May 10
3:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 4 (ABC)

Thursday, May 14
8 PM: Semifinals, Game 6* (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 6* (ESPN)

Friday, May 15
8 PM: Semifinals, Game 6* (ESPN)
10:30 PM: Semifinals, Game 6* (ESPN)

Sunday, May 17
3:30 PM: Semis Gm. 7 or WCF Gm. 1 (ABC)

Tuesday, May 19
8:30 PM: NBA Draft Lottery (ESPN)
9 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 1 (ESPN)

Thursday, May 21
9 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 2 (ESPN)

Saturday, May 23
8:30 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 3 (ABC)

Monday, May 25
9 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 4 (ESPN)

Wednesday, May 27
9 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 5* (ESPN)

Friday, May 29
9 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 6* (ESPN)

Sunday, May 31
8:30 PM: Western Conference Finals, Game 7* (ABC)

Thursday, June 4
9 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 1 (ABC)

Sunday, June 7
8 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 2 (ABC)

Tuesday, June 9
9 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 3 (ABC)

Thursday, June 11
9 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 4 (ABC)

Sunday, June 14
8 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 5* (ABC)

Tuesday, June 16
9 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 6* (ABC)

Thursday, June 18
9 PM: 2009 NBA Finals, Game 7* (ABC)