So far, the NBA playoffs have been downright amazing.

Lots of the games have gone down to the wire. We’ve already seen a number of game 7’s and two 3-1 comebacks. It’s all been pretty incredible to watch.

So far, the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Heat has been just as exciting. Game three on Saturday night should be great, too. The problem is, fans will have to stay up super late to watch it. Saturday night’s Eastern Conference Finals game 2 with the Celtics and Heat tips off at 8:30 p.m.

This isn’t a new thing in these playoffs. Many of the good games that we’ve seen over the last few weeks have tipped off after 8:00 p.m. EST — even on weekdays. The Clippers vs. Nuggets game 7? A 9 p.m. tip. Western Conference Finals game 1? Another 9 p.m. tip.

Clearly, there’s a trend here. These games are late. And, honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint the reason.

All of them are being played in Florida, which obviously operates on Eastern Standard Time. Normally, basketball games on the East coast are played by 8 p.m.

Not only is this late for the fans, but it’s also late for the player’s too. Some of the players had legit complaints about the late tipoff for games. Lakers players said the late tipoffs minimized the benefits of less travel.

LeBron James spoke to ESPN about it.

“I get right to work right after the game. Win, lose or draw, I start my treatment already in the locker room; when I get back to the hotel, I’m going to do some more. Be up pretty late tonight.”

So did Frank Vogel.

“You just remove that element of being in the air, arriving late at night. But our 9 o’clock starts, it feels like we’re playing and traveling during the season. It’s because you’re getting back to the hotel very late, you’re up late.”

Rest is important. Especially when you’re essentially playing games every other day at the highest level. Having games tip off at 9 p.m. doesn’t help keep them fresh at all.

On top of that, people have to go to work in the morning. Kids have to go to school. No one wants to be up sitting and watching the 5th review of the fourth quarter at 11:03 p.m. with four minutes left in the game. Those four minutes turn into 30 pretty quickly. It stinks.

Maybe it’s too late. Maybe the schedule is set. But if they can, the NBA needs to reconsider some of these late tip-off times. Especially since the playoffs are down to one game per day.

Going to bed before midnight would probably be a nice thing for everyone — fans and players included.