Hornets-Lakers Game 1 Sunday on ABC
Thursday, April 14, 2011
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com
The NBA just released the schedule for each of the eight first-round series, which all begin this weekend. Here is the schedule for the Western Conference quarterfinal series between the seventh-seeded Hornets and second-seeded Lakers. All times are Central:
Game 1, Sunday, April 17, at L.A. Lakers, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2, Wednesday, April 20, at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3, Friday, April 22, at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4, Sunday, April 24, at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5, Tuesday, April 26, at L.A. Lakers, time TBD, if necessary
Game 6, Thursday, April 28, at New Orleans, time TBD, if necessary
Game 7, Saturday, April 30, at L.A. Lakers, time TBD, if necessary
Hornets will face two-time defending NBA champs
In a fitting end to a regular-season race that had been so tough to call on many fronts over the past few weeks, the Hornets didnt learn their first-round playoff opponent until overtime of an 82nd game on the West Coast. The Lakers coughed up a 20-point fourth-quarter lead at Sacramento, then needed a Kobe Bryant three-pointer to force overtime. In the extra session, Los Angeles dominated, en route to securing the Western Conferences 2 seed.
Meanwhile, the other Los Angeles NBA team, the Clippers, held off Memphis second-half comeback bid. The Grizzlies defeat meant they were slotted into the No. 8 seed. As a result, the Hornets earned the No. 7 seed and a first-round date with the two-time defending NBA champion Lakers.
The NBA is expected to release the first-round schedule for the Western Conference playoffs within the next hour or two. Earlier Wednesday, the league unveiled the East slate. There are three East games already scheduled for Saturday and one for Sunday, meaning only one of the fourth West openers would take place on Saturday.