NBA Playoffs 2022: Brackets, Complete first-round schedule, Start times, & Predictions

The play-in tournament has concluded, and the field for the NBA Playoffs 2022 has been determined. In the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks clinched the remaining two playoff slots.

In the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans did the same thing. In the fight for the NBA championship, we now have the entire 16-team bracket.

After winning a league-best 64 games during the regular season, the Phoenix Suns enter the playoffs as the favourites to win the championship.

The Suns are hoping for revenge after losing a 2-0 series lead to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals last season. The Bucks have the No. 3 seed in the Eastern League, but it appears that they will once again have a favourable path through the conference. Is a rematch in the Finals on the cards?

Other contenders are hiding in plain sight all throughout the field. The Golden State Warriors will have Stephen Curry back in the lineup in the West after the star guard missed the regular season’s stretch run due to a damaged ligament in his foot.

After a stunning run to the No. 2 seed behind burgeoning sensation Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies are aiming to become the NBA Finals’ youngest team ever.

The East has a particularly open sense about it. The Miami Heat are a veteran, disciplined club that made a Finals run two seasons ago when they were on the bubble.

The Joel Embiid-James Harden duo for the Philadelphia 76ers is carrying a lot of weight entering into this run. Both the Celtics and the Nets believe they have a chance to reach the NBA Finals heading into their first-round series, which should be a riveting battle between Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant.

The whole first-round schedule for the 2022 NBA Playoffs is available below, including with start times and television information. We’ll also make some predictions at the end of this article.

NBA Playoffs 2022 bracket

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

No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans playoffs

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

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

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

No. 4 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz

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

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

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

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

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

NBA Playoffs 2022 predictions and picks for every series

Here’s 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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