Lakers Playoff Schedule 2012: Dates, Start Times and TV Schedule for Los Angeles vs. Denver

The best-of-seven series begins in Los Angeles this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. L.A. enters the series as the three seed in the Western Conference after finishing the season at 41-25.

Los Angeles will be without forward Metta World Peace for the first six games of the series. He was suspended after elbowing Oklahoma City's James Harden in the head.

Denver is the sixth seed in the West, finishing the year at 38-38. The Lakers dominated head-to head play in the regular season, winning three out of four games against the Nuggets.

The winner of this series will go on to play the winner of the Oklahoma City-Dallas matchup.

Here is the playoff schedule for the Lakers-Nuggets round one matchup:

Game 1 (Los Angeles)

Sunday, April 29 3:30 p.m. ET ABC

Game 2 (Los Angeles)

Tuesday, May 1 10:30 p.m. ET TNT

Game 3 (Denver)

Friday, May 4 10:30 p.m. ET ESPN

Game 4 (Denver)

Sunday, May 6 9:30 p.m. ET TNT

Game 5 (Los Angeles if necessary)

Tuesday, May 8 TBD

Game 6 (Denver if necessary)

Thursday, May 10 TBD

Game 7 (Los Angeles if necessary)

Tuesday, May 12 TBD TNT