NBA Playoff Schedule 2016: Updated Bracket Guide and Postseason Dates

While in its infancy stages, the 2016 NBA playoffs have given broad examples of reasons to catch as many games as possible.

For instance, Indiana and Toronto remain locked in an even duel in the Eastern Conference. Or out in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City laid a gigantic egg and sits tied with Dallas a few months before Kevin Durant goes to free agency.

It’s an overwhelming time with so many seven-game series floating about, so reel it in a tad with a complete look at the current bracket info. After, key on a few series to circle in red as must-see events.

Full list of playoff dates available at NBA.com.

Guide to Contested Series  Indiana vs. Toronto (1-1)

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The Indiana Pacers entered this one as the seventh seed and didn’t seem to stand much of a chance, unless Toronto’s downright silly track record in the first round reared its ugly head. 

Which it did in Game 1 as the Pacers ran out to a 100-90 road upset behind a 33-point outburst from Paul George. Toronto couldn’t even do the little things right, going 26 of 38 from the line.

It seems like the upset served as a wake-up call, though, as the Raptors bounced back Monday, securing a 98-87 decision. George still scored 28 points, but Jonas Valanciunas dominated the game with 23 points and 15 boards, helping the team win the battle on the glass 53-40.

The thing is this series is still being hotly contested. In the second game, George and Monta Ellis combined for 43 of the team’s 87 points, meaning the rest of the lineup didn’t sniff its normal production rates.

It’s still hard to shake the feeling Toronto will blow this. The team hasn’t escaped the first round since the 2000-01 season and now hits the road for two straight games in Indiana. Not only have the Raptors proved incapable of slowing George, they’ve already shown vulnerabilities at home.

Toronto actually advancing would make a great story, but so would …

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