NBA Playoffs 2013: Knicks-Celtics, Nets-Bulls, Nuggets Warriors and Clippers-Grizzlies; TV Schedule, Preview, Analysis, Live Stream and Predictions For Saturday

The road to the NBA Finals kicks off on Saturday as Game 1 of the First Round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs begins for eight of the 16 times competing for this year's NBA Title.

The very first game of the playoffs will kick off in historic Madison Square Garden in New York Saturday afternoon, featuring one of the NBA's most bitter rivalries as All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, J.R. Smith and the Atlantic Division Champion New York Knicks (54-28) take on Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics (41-40).

Next up, out West, it will be Ty Lawson and the Denver Nuggets (57-25) who rode a red-hot 15-game winning streak in the latter half of the season, taking on Stephen Curry, All-Star David Lee and the newly-improved Golden State Warriors (47-35) who have emerged from the doldrums of the Western Conference to have completed one of their best seasons in years.

The action continues during the evening as Deron Williams, All-Star Brook Lopez and the No.4 seeded Brooklyn Nets (49-33) look to win the franchise's historic first playoff game since moving to Brooklyn this past offseason, but they will have to take on All-Star Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Nate Robinson and the Chicago Bulls (45-37).

And in prime time, it will be the high-flying duo of 2013 All-Star Game MVP Chris Paul and All-Star Blake Griffin leading the No.4 West seed Pacific Division Champion L.A. Clippers (56-25) against the stifling defense of Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and the No.5-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

Latinos Post breaks down the TV schedules, analyses, predictions and live stream information for each playoff game for Saturday:

No.2 New York Knicks (54-28) vs. No.7 Boston Celtics (41-40)

The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was the first round in 2011, when the Celtics swept the injury-riddled Knicks 4-0. The Knicks, who have ended Boston's five-year reign atop the Atlantic Division, would love to return the favor in their first real NBA title contending season since the Patrick Ewing era. NBA fans will remember Garnett's infamous "Honey Nut Cheerios" crack to Anthony about his wife, Lala Vasquez, during a Jan. 7 Celtics win over New York, and Pierce's knack for big shots against the Knicks.

However, the Knicks won all three of their games against the Celtics after that, taking the season series 3-1. And while the Celtics' best player, Rajon Rondo, is out for the playoffs with a torn ACL, Anthony, the new NBA scoring champion has been on fire in April, averaging 36.9 points on 53.8 percent shooting. And while Amar'e Stoudemire may not be back for this series, Chandler, last year's Defensive Player of the Year, should be ready after sitting out several games with a neck injury. It will be a tough and physical series between these two teams, both featuring clutch scorers in Anthony and Pierce. It may ultimately be the Knicks' three-point shooting that will be the decider. When the Knicks hit 11 or more threes, they are dominating with a 40-6 record this season, but when they hit below that mark, they have a losing 14-22 mark. However, in their last contest, the Knicks crushed the Celtics 108-89 on March 31. Without Rondo to provide a second solid scoring option for the Celtics, and with a motivated Anthony playing his beset basketball yet as he looks to capture the NBA title that has eluded him all his career, the Knicks may have too much firepower for the Celtics to overcome.

Prediction: Knicks in 6

Date and Time: Sat., April 20, 3 p.m.

TV Schedule: ABC

No.3 Denver Nuggets (57-25) vs. No.6 Golden State Warriors (47-35)

The Nuggets are young, fast and have a red-hot offense (107.6 points per game, fifth in the NBA), but they are also down two key players. Sharpshooting starter Danilo Gallinari is lost for the season after tearing his ACL earlier this month, while key player Kenneth Faried is on the mend with a sprained right ankle, though the team is hoping he can suit up for Game 1. For the Warriors, the one-two punch of the physical Lee and the savvy Curry have been powering them all season long. Center Andrew Bogut, their starting center, is nursing a sore ankle and Draymond Green (knee tendonitis) and Andris Biedrins (lower back tightness) are also on the mend, but the Warriors have been getting better all year.

The Nuggets took the season series 3-1 over the Warriors, but whether Denver can get their athletic pick-and-roll offense going with some of their key players banged up will be the main question that determines the series for them. In addition, the Nuggets, who have terrible perimeter defense (29^th in field goals allowed) will have to do a better job against closing the arc for Golden state, which led the league in team three-point percentage.  Both teams match up very well with each other, and it will be a fight to the finish.

Prediction: Nuggets in 7

Date and Time: Sat., April 20, 5:30 p.m.

TV Schedule: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

No.4 Brooklyn Nets (49-33) vs. No.5 Chicago Bulls (45-37)

After missing the playoffs for five straight seasons in New Jersey, the retooled and redesigned Nets, armed with Williams, Joe Johnson and Lopez, turned things around remarkably this season in their inaugural season in Brooklyn. Things, however, have not been as smooth for the Bulls. Superstar Derrick Rose has been out for nearly one year after tearing his ACL in Game 1 of last year's first round playoff series, and the difference has shown as the Bulls have had to battle all season as injuries mounted to key players, including All-Star Joakim Noah, who is doubtful for the series thanks to a foot injury.

The Bulls won the season series 3-1, but all of them close games.  The Bulls have a stifling defense and a more complete team, but without Rose and Noah, Williams and Lopez have the opportunity to break the series open.

Prediction: Nets in 6

Date and Time: Sat., April 20, 8 p.m.

TV Schedule: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

No.4 L.A. Clippers (56-25) vs. No.5 Memphis Grizzlies (56-26)

It's Grizzlies vs. Clippers, Part 2, a rematch of last year's epic first round battle that the Clippers won in seven games.

The Clippers continued their rise to prominence since the arrival of Paul last season in a trade with a strong season that netted them the Pacific Division title as "Lob City" continued its flashy offense and high-scoring ways this season. The Grizzlies have one of the league's stingiest defenses and big strong bodies in their front line (Gasol and Randolph) but are shorter in talent now with the departure of Rudy Gay via trade to Toronto.

These teams match up very evenly, but the Clippers have two prolific stars in Paul and Griffin. Paul hasn't missed a beat against the Grizzlies (16.3 points, 8.7 assists against Memphis) but Griffin has struggled with only 13.8 points against the Grizzlies. If the Grizzlies want to beat the Clippers, Randolph will have to play his best defense on Griffin. Ultimately, it may come to which team has more weapons on offense from the bench, and the Clippers have a deeper reserve corps to offer.

Prediction: Clippers in six

Date and Time: Sat., April 20, 10:30 p.m.

TV Schedule: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN