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MIAMI, April 15 (UPI) -- The 2022 NBA playoffs, two dirt-track NASCAR races and a boxing title bout lead the weekend sports schedule. The NHL, MLB and domestic soccer league regular seasons, and a PGA tournament will be among the other top sporting events on air Friday through Sunday.
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But the start of the NBA postseason should demand the most attention this weekend. Two NBA play-in tournament games take place Friday night to determine the final two spots in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference brackets.
First-round playoff action tips off with four more games Saturday.
NBA playoffs
The 16-team NBA playoff bracket won't be finalized until Friday night after the conclusion of the play-in tournament.
The No. 9 Atlanta Hawks face the No. 8 Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. EDT in the first game. The winner will be the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and face the No. 1 Miami Heat in the first round. The Hawks and Cavaliers face off on ESPN.
The No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers take on the No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans in the final play-in game at 10 p.m. on TNT. The winner will advance to face the No. 1 Phoenix Suns in a first-round Western Conference series.
The Dallas Mavericks host the Utah Jazz in the first official game of the NBA playoffs at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday on ESPN.
The Memphis Grizzlies face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next game at 3:30 p.m. on the same network.
The Philadelphia 76ers then host the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of that Eastern Conference series at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
The Golden State Warriors host the Denver Nuggets in Saturday's nightcap at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
Four more first-round games air Sunday. The Heat will host the Hawks or the Cavaliers in the first game at 1 p.m. EDT on TNT.
The Boston Celtics then host the Brooklyn Nets at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. The reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks host the Chicago Bulls in the third game at 6:30 p.m. on TNT.
The Suns will face the Clippers or Pelicans in the final NBA playoff game this weekend at 9 p.m. on TNT.
NASCAR on dirt
Elite NASCAR drivers will switch from asphalt to a dirt track this weekend for respective Cup Series and Truck Series races.
The Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt starts the slate at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. That race will air on FS1. The Cup Series Food City Dirt Race follows at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday in Bristol, Tenn., and airs on Fox.
Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and William Byron are among the favorites in the event. Drivers will round a 0.533-mile track for 133 miles through clouds of dirt over 250 laps to determine the winner.
Truck Series and Cup Series drivers each will run in four, 15-lap qualifying heat races on Saturday to determine the starting lineup for their main events. Truck Series qualifiers start at 4 p.m. on FS2. Cup Series qualifiers start at 6 p.m. on the same network.
Logano won the short-track Cup Series event last season. Elliott leads the Cup Series standings. William Byron owns a series-best two victories.
Weekend schedule (all times EDT)
Friday
Soccer
Serie A: Inter Milan at Spezia at 1 p.m. on beIN Sports
La Liga: Real Betis at Real Sociedad at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
Golf
RBC Heritage: Second round from 3 to 6 p.m. on Golf Channel
MLB
Rays at White Sox at 7 p.m. on Apple TV+
Reds at Dodgers at 10 p.m. on Apple TV+
NHL
Islanders at Canadiens at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Jets at Panthers at 7 p.m. on NHL Network
NBA
Play-in tournament: Hawks at Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Play-in tournament: Pelicans at Clippers at 10 p.m. on TNT
Saturday
Soccer
Premier League: Brighton at Tottenham Hotspur at 7 a.m. on USA
Premier League: Norwich City at Manchester United at 9:30 a.m. on USA
Bundesliga: Wolfsburg at Borussia Dortmund at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN+
Premier League: Brentford at Watford at 10 a.m. on CNBC
Premier League: Arsenal at Southampton at 10 a.m. on Peacock Premium
FA Cup: Liverpool at Manchester City at 10:30 a.m. on ESPN+
Serie A: Bologna at Juventus at 12:30 p.m. on beIN Sports
MLS: Vancouver at Montreal at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Nashville at San Jose at 3:30 p.m. on TUDN/Twitter
MLS: Cincinnati at Atlanta at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Portland at Houston at 6 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Dallas at New York Red Bulls at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Orlando at Columbus at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Austin at DC United at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Charlotte at New England at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Philadelphia at Toronto at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Los Angeles Galaxy at Chicago at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Colorado at Minnesota at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Miami at Seattle at 10 p.m. on FS1
NHL
Penguins at Bruins at 12:30 p.m. on NHL Network
Red Wings at Rangers at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Blackhawks at Predators at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Wild at Blues at 3 p.m. on ABC
Golden Knights at Oilers at 4 p.m. on ESPN+
Flyers at Sabres at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Capitals at Canadiens at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Maple Leafs at Senators at 7 p.m. on NHL Network
Jets at Lightning at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Sharks at Stars at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
Hurricanes at Avalanche at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
Coyotes at Flames at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Devils at Kraken at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Blue Jackets at Kings at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Golf
RBC Heritage: Third round from 1 to 3 p.m. on Golf Channel; From 3 to 6 p.m. on CBS
NBA
Playoffs: Jazz at Mavericks at 1 p.m. on ESPN
Playoffs: Timberwolves at Grizzlies at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Playoffs: Raptors at 76ers at 6 p.m. on ESPN
Playoffs: Nuggets at Warriors at 8:30 p.m. on ABC
MLB
Braves at Padres at 4 p.m. on FS1
NASCAR
Truck Series Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt at 8 p.m. on FS1
Boxing
Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas at 11 p.m. on Showtime pay-per-view
Sunday
Soccer
Premier League: Leicester City at Newcastle at 8 a.m. on USA
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich at Arminia Bielefeld at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN+
La Liga: Espanyol at Atletico at 10;15 a.m. on ESPN+
FA Cup: Crystal Palace at Chelsea at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Salt Lake at NYCFC at 1 p.m. on ESPN+
Ligue 1: Marseille at PSG at 2:45 p.m. on beIN Sports
La Liga: Real Madrid at Sevilla at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Kansas City at LAFC at 4 p.m. on ESPN
Golf
RBC Heritage: Final round from 1 to 3 p.m. on Golf Channel; From 3 to 6 p.m. on CBS
NBA
Playoffs: TBD at Heat at 1 p.m. on TNT
Playoffs: Nets at Celtics at 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Playoffs: Bulls at Bucks at 6:30 p.m. on TNT
Playoffs: TBD at Suns at 9 p.m. on TNT
NHL
Panthers at Red Wings at 1 p.m. on ESPN
Sabres at Flyers at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
Blues at Predators at 6 p.m. on NHL Network
Sharks at Wild at 6 p.m. on NHL Network
Islanders at Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Blue Jackets at Ducks at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLB
Braves at Padres at 7 p.m. on ESPN
NASCAR
Cup Series Food City Dirt Race at 7 p.m. on Fox
