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NBA playoffs 2022: Bracket, full first round schedule, start times, and predictions

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The play-in tournament is over and the field for the 2022 NBA Playoffs is officially set. The Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks secured the final playoff spots in the East in the play-in tournament. The Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans did the same thing in the West. Now we have the full 16-team bracket in the fight for the NBA championship.

The Phoenix Suns enter the playoffs as the favorites to take home the title after winning a league-best 64 games in the regular season. The Suns are of course looking for redemption after blowing a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks last season. The Bucks are the No. 3 seed in the East, but it appears they have a favorable path through the conference once again. Are we in store for a Finals rematch?

There are other contenders hiding in plain sight throughout the field. In the West, the Golden State Warriors will have Stephen Curry back in the lineup after the star guard missed the stretch run of the regular season with a sprained ligament in his foot. The Memphis Grizzlies are looking to become the youngest team ever to reach the NBA Finals after a surprising run to the No. 2 seed behind emerging superstar Ja Morant.

The East feels particularly wide open. The Miami Heat have a disciplined, veteran team that made a Finals run two seasons ago in the bubble. The Philadelphia 76ers have the Joel Embiid-James Harden tandem shouldering huge expectations heading into this run. The Celtics and Nets each feel like they could make a Finals run heading into their first round series, which should be a thrilling shootout between Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant.

Here’s the full first round schedule for the 2022 NBA Playoffs, complete with start times and TV information. We’ll throw in some predictions at the bottom of this post, too.

NBA Playoffs bracket 2022

NBA Playoffs 2022: Start times, TV, dates, and games

Western Conference

No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans playoffs: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Pelicans at Suns, Sunday, April 17, 9 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 2: Pelicans at Suns, Tuesday, April 19, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3: Suns at Pelicans, Friday, April 22, TBD, ESPN

Game 4: Suns at Pelicans, Sunday, April 24, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT

*Game 5: Pelicans at Suns, Tuesday, April 26, TBD, TBD

*Game 6: Suns at Pelicans, Thursday, April 28, TBD, TBD

*Game 7: Pelicans at Suns, Saturday, April 30, TBD, TNT

No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Wolves at Grizzlies, Saturday, April 16, 3:30 p.m. ET/ESPN

Game 2: Wolves at Grizzlies, Tuesday, April 19, TBD/TBD

Game 3: Grizzlies at Wolves, Thursday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. ET/TNT

Game 4: Grizzlies at Wolves, Saturday, April 23, TBD/ESPN

Game 5: Wolves at Grizzlies, Tuesday, April 26, TBD/TBD

Game 6: Grizzlies at Wolves, Friday, April 29, TBD/TBD

Game 7: Wolves at Grizzlies, May 1, TBD/TBD

No. 3 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 6 Denver Nuggets: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Nuggets at Warriors, Saturday, April 16, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 2: Nuggets at Warriors, Monday, April 18, 10:00 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3: Warriors at Nuggets, Thursday, April 21, 10:00 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 4: Warriors at Nuggets, Sunday, April 24, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

*Game 5: Nuggets at Warriors, Wednesday, April 27, TBD

*Game 6: Warriors at Nuggets, Friday, April 29, TBD

*Game 7: Nuggets at Warriors, TBD

Game 1: Jazz at Mavericks, Saturday, April 16, 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 2: Jazz at Mavericks, Monday, April 18, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV

Game 3: Mavericks at Jazz, Thursday, April 21, 9:00 p.m. ET, NBATV

Game 4: Mavericks at Jazz, Saturday, April 23, 4:30 p.m. ET, TNT

*Game 5: Jazz at Mavericks, Monday, April 25, TBD

*Game 6: Mavericks at Jazz, Thursday, April 28, TBD

*Game 7: Jazz at Mavericks, Saturday, April 30, TBD

No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Hawks at Heat, Sunday, April 17, 1 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 2: Hawks at Heat, Tuesday, April 19, TBD, TBD

Game 3: Heat at Hawks, Friday, April 22, TBD, ESPN

Game 4: Heat at Hawks, Sunday, April 24, 7 p.m. ET, TNT

*Game 5: Hawks at Heat, Tuesday, April 26, TBD, TBD

*Game 6: Heat at Hawks, Thursday, April 28, TBD, TBD

*Game 7: Hawks at Heat, Saturday, April 30, TBD, TNT

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Nets at Celtics, Sunday, April 17, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 2: Nets at Celtics, Wednesday, April 20, 7:00 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3: Celtics at Nets, Saturday, April 23, TBD

Game 4: Celtics at Nets, Monday, April 25, TBD

*Game 5: Nets at Celtics, Wednesday, April 27, TBD

*Game 6: Celtics at Nets, Friday, April 29, TBD

*Game 7: Nets at Celtics, TBD

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Chicago Bulls: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Bulls at Bucks, Sunday, April 17, 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 2: Bulls at Bucks, Wednesday, April 20, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3: Bucks at Bulls, Friday, April 22, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 4: Bucks at Bulls, Sunday, April 24, 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 5: Bulls at Bucks, Wednesday, April 27, TBD

Game 6: Bucks at Bulls, Friday, April 29, TBD

Game 7: Bulls at Bucks, TBD

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Toronto Raptors: Games, dates, times, and TV

Game 1: Raptors at Sixers, Saturday, April 16, 6:00 p.m. ET ESPN

Game 2: Raptors at Sixers, Monday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3: Sixers at Raptors, Wednesday, April 20, 8:00 p.m ET, NBATV

Game 4: Sixers at Raptors, Saturday, April 23, 2:00 p.m. ET, TNT

*Game 5: Raptors at Sixers, Monday, April 25, TBD

*Game 6: Sixers at Raptors, Thursday, April 28, TBD

*Game 7: Raptors at Sixers, Saturday, April 30, TBD

2022 NBA Playoffs predictions and picks for every series

Here’s my full playoff predictions:

Western Conference NBA playoff predictions

First round

Suns over Pelicans in 5

Jazz over Mavs in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 6

Grizzlies over Wolves in 6

Second round

Suns over Jazz in 4

Warriors over Grizzlies in 7

Conference finals

Suns over Warriors in 6

Eastern Conference NBA playoff predictions

First round

Heat over Hawks in 6

Raptors over 76ers in 7

Bucks over Bulls in 4

Celtics over Nets in 6

Second round

Heat over Raptors in 6

Bucks over Celtics in 6

Conference finals

Bucks over Heat in 6

NBA Finals predictions 2022

Suns over Bucks in 7

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