Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press The Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors earned valuable days off after clinching their respective conference semifinal series in five and six games. The top-seeded Bucks await the winner of Sunday's Game 7 between the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Golden State's Western Conference Finals opponent will be the victor of Game 7 between Denver and Portland, which is the first of two series-deciding games Sunday. The Warriors have three days off before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Tuesday, while the Bucks start the Eastern Conference Finals Wednesday after six days off. Dates and TV Info for NBA Conference Finals Video Play Button Videos you might like Golden State Trying to Get Healthy The Warriors finished off their series with the Houston Rockets without Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins on the floor. Of course, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala are solid players in their own right, and they proved that in Friday's Game 6 victory. Between now and the first tip of the Western Conference Finals, the focus will be on Golden State's injured duo. Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Cousins is on course to return to the active roster if he maintains the progress he has made working back from a torn quad. According to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant suffered a mild right calf strain and will be re-evaluated next week. The good news for the Warriors is they will not have to rush Cousins or Durant back on to the floor if they keep playing like they did in Game 6. Easing both stars back into the lineup is the ideal strategy, and if they prove they are able to perform on the court, they could be key contributors in the NBA Finals. Brogdon Working Back to 100 Percent Milwaukee is dealing with its own injury woes with the Eastern Conference Finals on the horizon. Malcolm Brogdon has been working his way back to 100 percent, but he is not guaranteed of a starting spot when Wednesday rolls around. Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters that Brogdon needs more game action to recover from a minor plantar fascia tear, per ESPN.com's Malika Andrews. "He needs more game minutes, more game action," Budenholzer said. "We plan to continue to increase Malcolm's workload and minutes. To say exactly how it's going to play out—the next step will be him playing a little bit more in Game 1." Brogdon does not have to be rushed into the starting five for Game 1 because the Bucks have received plenty of impressive performances from other role players. Nikola Mirotic, who has started in place of Brogdon, George Hill, Ersan Ilyasova and Pat Connaughton all reached double digits in the series-clinching Game 5 win over Boston. If the supporting cast behind Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to thrive, the Bucks will be in great shape to advance to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately not all the injury news is positive in Milwaukee, as Pau Gasol underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his foot Thursday, per the team's official website. Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NBA.com.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top F1 stories again We’re getting closer to knowing which two teams will battle it out for the NBA title this season, but first is the Conference Finals. Both Conference Finals went to a Game 7 last year and both series will be just as tough to call this time around. The Warriors are there once again and are strong favourites to go on and win a third consecutive title, but they will likely be without Kevin Durant. The Bucks are the favourites in the East, but could be given a tough match-up.<doc-sep>Rachel Nichols to Host SportsCenter On-site NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday Prior to Game 1 ESPN will exclusively televise the 2019 NBA Western Conference Finals – the back-to-back defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry vs. the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard – starting with Game 1 tonight, Tuesday, May 14, at 9 p.m. ET. Mike Breen, analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and reporter Doris Burke will provide commentary on ESPN. Officiating expert Steve Javie will contribute analysis from the NBA Replay Center. Additionally, Adam Amin and Jon Barry will describe the action on ESPN Radio. The Western Conference Finals is also available on the ESPN App and ESPN Deportes. NBA Countdown, ESPN’s NBA pre-game show, will hit the road for on-site shows, generally at 8 p.m., prior to Western Conference Finals games. Veteran analyst Jalen Rose and a pair of former NBA Finals M.V.P.s Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups will join host Michelle Beadle. Hoop Streams – ESPN’s innovative, new NBA Twitter pre-game show – will also be on site for live, courtside shows during the Western Conference Finals, starting at 8 p.m. Cassidy Hubbarth hosts Hoop Streams with special guests, including Kendrick Perkins, Peter Rosenberg, Gary Striewski and more. Both NBA Countdown and Hoop Streams are available on the ESPN App as well. The Jump, ESPN’s daily NBA show, hosted by Rachel Nichols will continue to air daily documenting the latest action, updates and news from both Conference Finals series. The Jump airs Monday-Friday from the site of the Western Conference Finals, 3-4 p.m., on ESPN and the ESPN App. Rachel Nichols will also host special editions of SportsCenter on site at the Western Conference Finals from 7-8 p.m. starting with Game 2 on Thursday in Oakland. The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm precedes Game 1 on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. It’s part of a significant night of NBA coverage on ESPN, as outlined below: Western Conference Finals Game 1 coverage schedule Date Time (ET) Telecast/Show Tue, May 14 6 p.m. SportsCenter 7 p.m. NBA Countdown 8 p.m. The Jump at the Draft Lottery 8 p.m. Hoop Streams at Western Conference Finals 8:30 p.m. NBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 1: Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors 9 p.m. Hoop Streams (Draft Lottery recap) The remaining ESPN NBA Western Conference Finals schedule is as followed: Date Time (ET) Telecast Thu, May 16 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 2: Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors Sat, May 18 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 3: Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers Mon, May 20 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 4: Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers Wed, May 22 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 5 (if necessary): Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors Fri, May 24 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 6 (if necessary): Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers Sun, May 26 9 p.m. Western Conference Finals Game 7 (if necessary): Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors ESPN.com’s NBA section will continue to document the NBA Playoffs through the Conference Finals and Finals with reports, feature stories, and video content. ESPN will send dozens of reporters on site to the Conference Finals. ESPN Radio will also nationally broadcast the NBA Eastern Conference Finals – Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors – with the duo of Marc Kestecher and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Hubie Brown describing the action. The Eastern Conference Finals start with Game 1 on Wednesday in Milwaukee at 8:30 p.m. -30-<doc-sep>After two eventful Game 7s on Sunday, both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals matchups are set in stone. The Portland Trail Blazers narrowly defeated the Denver Nuggets to advance in the West, while the Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater heard round the world advanced the Toronto Raptors to the next round and sent the Philadelphia 76ers packing. Earlier in the semifinals, the Houston Rockets once again fell short of eliminating the Warriors, and the Milwaukee Bucks mercifully ended the Boston Celtics' tumultuous season. Now, the Raptors and Bucks will face off in the battle for the East, while the Trail Blazers represent the league's last hope at keeping the Warriors out of a fifth-straight NBA Finals. Can Portland pull off the seemingly impossible? And which Eastern powerhouse roster will get a chance at the title? Take a look below at each remaining team's odds of raising a new banner, courtesy of sportsbook.ag:<doc-sep>
John Leyba/Associated Press Following two Game 7 showdowns on Sunday, the conference finals matchups are now set in NBA. In the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers knocked off the Denver Nuggets to advance to their first conference finals since 2000, where they'll face the defending champion Golden State Warriors. In the East, the Toronto Raptors held off the the Philadelphia 76ers, advancing to the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history. The Raptors will face the Milwaukee Bucks. Western Conference Finals (all games at 9 p.m. ET) Game 1: Tuesday, May 14 at GSW Game 2: Thursday, May 16 at GSW Game 3: Saturday, May 18 at POR Game 4: Monday, May 20 at POR Game 5: Wednesday, May 22 at GSW (if necessary) Video Play Button Videos you might like Game 6: Friday, May 24 at POR (if necessary) Game 7: Sunday, May 26 at GSW (if necessary) The key storyline entering the Western Conference Finals is the health of the Golden State Warriors, who limped through the semifinals with Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins on the sideline. Cousins, who is recovering from a torn quad, is on pace to return to the active roster in time for the conference finals, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. Durant's absence, however, is a little less clear. According to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant is dealing with a mild strain on his right calf and will be re-evaluated next week. While missing either player isn't ideal, the Warriors have plenty of experience without the two All-Stars. Cousins appeared in just 30 games this season, so Golden State should be fully prepared to play without him if necessary. Losing Durant for an extended period would be a more significant blow, but the team has experience in recent years without him. Durant sat out just four games this season, but he missed a combined 34 games over the previous two years. If both Durant and Cousins should miss time during the conference finals, expect Steph Curry to pick up the slack. According to Rotogrinders, Curry generated a usage rate of 39.4 percent when both Durant and Cousins were off the floor this season, an increase of 10 percentage points from when he shared the court with one or both injured teammates. Eastern Conference Finals Game 1: Wednesday, May 15 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET) Game 2: Friday, May 17 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET) Game 3: Sunday, May 19 at TOR (7 p.m. ET) Game 4: Tuesday, May 21 at TOR (8:30 p.m. ET) Game 5: Thursday, May 23 at MIL ((8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary) Game 6: Saturday, May 25 at TOR (8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary) Game 7: Monday, May 27 at MIL (8:30 p.m. ET, if necessary) It's already been a historic season for the Milwaukee Bucks, as the team is returning to the conference finals for the first time since they were carried by Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson in 2001. That squad lost in seven games to Allen Iverson and the 76ers. The franchise will be seeking its first Finals appearance since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suited up for the Bucks in 1974. Unfortunately, injuries are also part of the storyline in this matchup. Milwaukee's Malcolm Brogdon took the court for the first time since March 15 in the Bucks' series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Boston Celtics. Brogdon, working his way back from a plantar fascia tear, came off the bench and played 16 minutes in his return to the court. When healthy, Brogdon started every game for the Bucks this year, but his role for the conference finals remains undecided: While Brogdon isn't the driving force behind the Bucks' success, his return could be critical in this series. With him on the court this season, Milwaukee had a +11.2 differential between their offensive and defensive rating (an estimate of points produced per 100 possessions), according to Basketball-Reference. When Brogdon was off the court, that number dropped to +6.3. Brogdon's ability to impact both sides of the court could be the factor that helps push Milwaukee back to the NBA Finals.