Bulls to open playoffs at home on Saturday

The Bulls will open the NBA playoffs on Saturday at the United Center, although the time and opponent are still to be determined.

The full first-round schedule should be available later tonight, after all the matchups are settled. The Bulls have played the first game of the opening playoff weekend the last three years.

Miami, Indiana and Oklahoma City will also host games on Saturday.

The Bulls' first-round opponent will be either Philadelphia or New York. Those teams are currently tied in the standings and the Knicks own the tiebreaker.

If the Sixers lose tonight at Detroit or the Knicks win at Charlotte, then the Bulls will face the 76ers in the first round, while the Knicks get No. 2 seed Miami.

The Bulls would play New York only if Philadelphia wins tonight and the Knicks lose. Charlotte has lost 22 straight games and is trying to avoid posting the worst winning percentage in league history.

Tonight's home game against Cleveland will mean nothing in the Eastern Conference standings, but the Bulls are still vying with San Antonio for the best overall record.

The Bulls beat the Spurs in the only meeting this season, so a win tonight over the Cavs, or a San Antonio loss at Golden State, will give the Bulls homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.

Although the Bulls still have a game to play against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight, the NBA has already decided when they'll open the playoffs at home: Saturday.

Here is the Eastern Conference schedule:

Ÿ Philadelphia or New York at the Bulls on Saturday;

Ÿ New York or Philadelphia at Miami on Saturday;

Ÿ Orlando at Indiana on Saturday;

Ÿ Boston at Atlanta or Atlanta at Boston on Sunday.

In the Western Conference it will be:

Ÿ Dallas or Denver at Oklahoma City on Saturday;

Ÿ Denver or Dallas at L.A. Lakers on Sunday;

Ÿ Utah at San Antonio on Sunday;

Ÿ L.A. Clippers at Memphis or Memphis at L.A. Clippers on Sunday.