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It was announced through multiple media outlets immediately following the Grizzlies loss to the Dallas Mavericks to end the regular season that the NBA Playoffs for Memphis would begin Saturday night. Game one of the Grizzlies-Spurs series will be a primetime game - 7 PM CT on ESPN.
Here is the schedule for this weekend's opening games of the NBA playoffs: pic.twitter.com/AQ1ND2sNvT
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 13, 2017
Considering the markets involved, it’s slightly surprising that Memphis and San Antonio will clash on the world wide leader at that particular time. But considering that ABC and TNT likely wanted no part of Grizzlies-Spurs, at least compared to sexier matchups like Rockets-Thunder or Warriors-anyone (Trail Blazers in the first round), it makes some sense.
Basketball-wise, it gives a banged up Tony Allen one less day to heal up after suffering an apparently minor leg injury against the Mavericks. It makes it a good thing that Memphis has been focusing on rest and preparing for the Spurs for several days now - they will see them sooner than perhaps expected.
The rest of the schedule will be released later, according to reports.