NBA playoffs, Champions League, NASCAR highlight sports weekend

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Portland Trail Blazers this weekend as part of the first round of the NBA playoffs in Orlando, Fla. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Portland Trail Blazers this weekend as part of the first round of the NBA playoffs in Orlando, Fla. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The NBA playoffs are in full swing, but won't be the only live sports event on the weekend schedule. NASCAR will host Cup Series races Saturday and Sunday in Delaware. Soccer's Champions League final is Sunday in Portugal.

An array of baseball games also will take place throughout the United States and some first-round Stanley Cup playoffs matchups could continue through the weekend as NHL teams vie for spots in the conference semifinals.

NBA MVP favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo will take the floor for the first playoff game of the weekend when the Milwaukee Bucks battle the Orlando Magic Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

Saturday's slate also will feature basketball stars Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Damian Lillard.

Sunday's NBA schedule starts with the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell will be among the other NBA stars on the court Sunday inside the NBA's protective bubble inside Walt Disney World Resort.

NBA Playoffs

Game 3 of the Bucks and Magic series tips off at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday on TNT. The Indiana Pacers battle the Miami Heat in the second game of the weekend at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday. The Houston Rockets face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third game at 6 p.m. EDT.

James, Davis and the Lakers matchup against Lillard's streaking Blazers at 8:30 p.m. EDT in Saturday's nightcap.

The Celtics and 76ers clash at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday. Leonard's Clippers battle Doncic's Magic in the second game at 3:30 p.m. EDT Sunday.

The defending champion Toronto Raptors then face the Brooklyn Nets at 6:30 p.m. EDT Sunday. The Utah Jazz face the Denver Nuggets at 9 p.m. EDT Sunday in the weekend finale.

Champions League

Soccer stars will flood the field Sunday in Lisbon, Portugal, when Bayern Munich matches up against Paris Saint-Germain.

The matchup, which caps off the tournament played annually between the best teams in Europe, starts at 3 p.m. EDT Sunday at the Estadio da Luz.

Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe sparked PSG's run into the tournament finale. PSG scored a comeback victory over Atalanta in the quarterfinals before the Ligue 1 champions shutout RB Leipzig in the semifinals Tuesday in Lisbon.

Bayern Munich had a brutal draw in their half of the Champions League bracket. The perennial German Bundesliga champions blasted Chelsea 4-1 in their final round of 16 matchup. Bayern then obliterated Lionel Messi and Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinals before a 3-0 shutout of rival Lyon in the semifinals.

The Bayern attack features star striker Robert Lewandowski and center midfielder Thomas Muller. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is in line to protect the net from Neymar and Mbappe strikes.

Bayern is favored to win the match, which will air on CBS All Access and CBS Sports Network.

NASCAR twin bill

Cup Series drivers will start their engines twice this weekend in Dover, Del. The first edition of the Drydene 311 is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT Saturday at Dover International Speedway. The Cup Series field returns to the same track 24 hours later for the second Drydene 311 at 4 p.m. EDT Sunday in Dover.

Each race will be 311 miles and go for 311 laps on the one-mile track. Both races will air on NBC Sports Network.

Kevin Harvick leads the Cup Series standings. Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney also are in the top-five of the standings. Caesar's gives Martin Truex Jr. the best odds to win the first race on Saturday. Harvick has the second-best odds, followed by Elliott, Hamlin and Keselowski.

Qualifying spots for the second race will be determined by the order of Saturday's finish.

Saturday

Golf

The Northern Trust: Third-round from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT on Golf Channel; 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on CBS

Basketball -- NBA playoffs

Bucks vs. Magic at 1 p.m. EDT on TNT

Pacers vs. Heat at 3:30 p.m. EDT on TNT

Rockets vs. Thunder at 6 p.m. EDT on ESPN

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ABC

Hockey -- Stanley Cup playoffs (if necessary)

Game 7: Flames vs. Stars at TBD on TBD

Game 6: Capitals vs. Islanders at TBD on TBD

NASCAR

Cup Series: Drydene 311 at 4 p.m. EDT on NBC Sports Network

Baseball

Marlins at Nationals at 4:05 p.m. EDT on MLB Network

Brewers at Pirates at 4:05 p.m. EDT on FS1

Rockies at Dodgers at 9:10 p.m. EDT on MLB Network

Astros at Padres at 9:10 p.m. EDT on MLB Network

UFC Fight Night on ESPN

Daniel Rodriguez vs. Takashi Sato at 8:30 p.m. EDT

Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson after first fight

Marcin Prachnio vs. Mike Rodriguez after second fight

Ovince Saint Preux vs. Alonzo Menifield after third fight

Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz after fourth fight

Sunday

Golf

The Northern Trust: Fourth-round from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. EDT on Golf Channel; 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. EDT on CBS

Baseball

Yankees at Mets at 1:10 p.m. EDT on TBS

Astros at Padres at 4:10 p.m. EDT on ESPN

Phillies at Braves at 7:08 p.m. EDT on ESPN

Hockey -- Stanley Cup playoffs (if necessary)

Game 7: Canadiens vs. Flyers at TBD on TBD

Game 7: Islanders vs. Capitals at TBD on TBD

Game 7: Canucks vs. Blues at TBD on TBD

Basketball -- NBA playoffs

Celtics vs. 76ers at 1 p.m. EDT on ABC

Clippers vs. Mavericks at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC

Raptors vs. Nets at 6:30 p.m. EDT on TNT

Nuggets vs. Jazz at 9 p.m. EDT on TNT

NASCAR

Cup Series: Drydene 311 at 4 p.m. EDT on NBC Sports Network

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