The NBA Playoffs are here, and the NBA on NBC is celebrating with a Sunday night doubleheader of First Round games. The night will kick off with the Detroit Pistons taking on the Orlando Magic from the Eastern Conference, but it’ll conclude with something arguably even bigger.

How to Watch

Watch NBA on NBC on NBC and streaming on Peacock. 

The second half of the Sunday Night Basketball Playoffs doubleheader features San Antonio Spurs superstar and MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama making his NBA Playoffs debut, as the Spurs host the Portland Trail Blazers, fresh off their own Play-In victory. Ahead of this marquee matchup, let’s take a closer look at what’s ahead.

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How to Watch Blazers vs. Spurs on NBA on NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball

The Trail Blazers and the Spurs are set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 19, live from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The game will air live on NBC and stream simultaneously on Peacock. NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico will be on the play-by-play call, with analysis from Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford and courtside reporting from Zora Stephenson.

But Blazers vs. Spurs isn’t the only NBA on NBC programming you can catch Sunday night. Tune in early at 6 p.m. ET for Basketball Night in America, and stick around at 6:30 p.m. ET as the Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic in the first part of the night’s NBA Playoffs doubleheader.

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What to expect from Trail Blazers vs. Spurs Game 1

The Spurs have finally put all the pieces in place. After a few years of struggling, they’ve been dominant this season, clinching second in the West and even giving the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder a run for their money. The Thunder might still be the favorites to repeat their NBA Finals run from last season, but the Spurs aren’t far behind, and if they can make it through the Playoff gauntlet they’ve got a very good shot at a title. One thing to watch for, though: Wembanyama will be entering this game fresh off a rib injury that sidelined him. The Spurs can certainly win without him, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

While the Spurs are certainly the favorites in this matchup, particularly since they’re playing at home, the Blazers have some momentum on their side. They had to beat Phoenix in the Play-In Tournament to get this far, and they did it with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback that saw them rebound from 11 points in the hole to get the win. That means All-Star Deni Avdija and the rest of Portland’s squad are riding a momentum wave, and they need to press that advantage while they can if they have any hope of beating the Spurs across a best-of-7 series. Crazier things have happened, of course, but in order to take the series, Portland will have to strike while the iron is hot, and that means showing up Sunday in San Antonio ready to score against one of the best rebounding teams in the league.