As the NBA Finals get closer, here is what you need to know about this year’s playoff matchups and predictions.
The “nba playoffs 2022 predictions” is a prediction for the upcoming NBA Playoffs. The article will discuss the possible matchups and outcome of each match.
The NBA playoffs have begun, with four first-round games scheduled for this weekend.
All eyes will be on the Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets series in the East, where Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will try to upset the No. 2 seed Celtics, who will be missing injured big Robert Williams III, in what could be a difficult series.
In the West, injuries may determine whether teams progress. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will miss Game 1 against the Utah Jazz on Saturday due to a strained left calf. After missing the final 12 games of the regular season due to a left foot ailment, Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry is designated as probable for Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets.
Which of the returning players has the most potential to make an impact? This weekend, whose higher seed can afford to lose Game 1 the least? The major first-round stories are broken down by our NBA analysts.
MORE: NBA Playoffs: What You Need to Know | Schedules
1. Which of the first-round series is most likely to be competitive?
Boston and Brooklyn, according to Kevin Pelton. As I said in my series preview, with Kevin Durant healthy and Kyrie Irving available alongside him, the Nets have been far better than their overall record, and the Celtics aren’t the same powerhouse without injured center Robert Williams III. As a consequence, the No. 2 and No. 7 seeds seem to be remarkably evenly matched.
Bontemps, Tim: Given the star power involved, many would predict Nets-Celtics, but I’m going with another Eastern Conference series: Philadelphia-Toronto. Joel Embiid, who plays for the 76ers, is by far the greatest player in the series. However, Toronto should have a coaching edge, Philadelphia will be without Matisse Thybulle for all three games in Toronto, and the Raptors have the ideal mix of long, athletic guys to exploit Philadelphia’s lack of athleticism while also making James Harden’s life tough. Embiid should be more than enough to carry Philadelphia to victory in this series. But this should be a tough test for Philly, one that might easily last seven games and send them home much sooner than they think.
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Kevin Arnovitz is a Dallas-Utah native. Both of these 4-5 meetings have a high seven-game potential, but the Mavericks and Jazz should be fierce rivals. Utah hasn’t had a consistent run of dominance in a long time, but the Jazz still have the best offense in the NBA. Meanwhile, one of the greatest stories of 2022 has been Dallas. Luka is Luka when he’s in good health. Spencer Dinwiddie has given the squad some much-needed perimeter punch, and the defense, which has been a stumbling block in the past, has been solid all season. Both clubs have been disappointments in previous postseasons… and one of them will be once again when this series is through.
Ramona Shelburne: I anticipated the Mavericks-Jazz series would be close even without Luka Doncic missing Game 1. I know a lot of people have written the Jazz off due of their playoff failures in the past, but I’ve always believed they had the potential to win it all one of these years if they receive a few breaks.
Boston-Brooklyn, Jamal Collier. I don’t believe a team led by Durant and Irving will retire quietly. This feels like a seven-game series with the possibility of numerous games going down to the wire, and those are two scary individuals to attempt to outdo in the clutch. In the end, I don’t think the Nets will be able to play or defend at a high enough level for four out of seven games to win this series, but it will be entertaining to watch.
The NBA75 celebration continues with the NBA playoffs, which kick off on Saturday and stretch through June, with the league crowning a champion for the 75th season.
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Before Doncic injured his calf in the Mavericks’ regular-season finale, I believed Dallas was the Western Conference’s greatest danger to Phoenix. Because we don’t know how much Doncic will be able to play — or how good he will be — Utah is now the probable favorite to advance. What seemed to be a chance for the young superstar to make a long playoff run may now be finished before it even begins.
Arnovitz: Doncic is the Mavericks’ offense’s engine, gasoline, and torque, and his health is more vital to his club than any other player in the West. Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson can both run a good pick-and-roll, but neither possesses the imagination to make every player on the court a danger. The good news for Dallas is that their defense has been stingy, which shouldn’t alter given Doncic’s inadequacies on that end of the floor.
Doncic, according to Collier. There isn’t a single club in the NBA whose success is as dependent on one player as the Mavericks’ is on Doncic. Dallas will not be able to progress in this series if he does not play or is not 100 percent.
Shelburne: The Warriors may be able to win a few games without Curry, but they aren’t the Warriors without him, are they? It’ll take him a few games to get going, but once he does, the dynamics of that squad are dramatically changed.
3. Who do you think will be the playoffs’ breakthrough player?
Bruce Brown has been playing at a high level over the last two months, according to Pelton. After the All-Star break, Brown averaged 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, establishing himself as the Nets’ premier perimeter defender while also assisting Durant and Irving on offense. In two of Brooklyn’s last three games, he has flirted with triple-doubles, and the Nets need him to continue to play at this level if they are to move far in the playoffs beyond the play-in round.
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Jaren Jackson Jr., bontemps When people think about the Memphis Grizzlies, the first player who comes to mind is obviously Ja Morant — and rightfully so. Jackson, on the other hand, has made a huge jump defensively this season, putting himself in contention for All-Defense and Defensive Player of the Year awards. With the Grizzlies in position to make a long playoff run for the first time in franchise history, Jackson will have the opportunity to show the world why he and Morant are such a dynamic duo in Memphis.
Arnovitz: With his 43.5 percent career 3-point shooting, Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane has established himself as a steal at No. 30 in the 2020 selection. Bane, on the other hand, has a developing floor game and the strength to have an effect on both ends of the game. Minnesota allows a lot of 3-point shots and will be focusing a lot of attention on Morant, so Bane has a chance to be a devastating second-side threat for the Grizzlies.
Shelburne: What about Morant? Because I believe he and the Grizzlies will exceed everyone’s already lofty expectations. A few months ago, I heard from a trusted executive that Memphis may be the top team in the league. I’m beginning to agree with him the more I think about it.
Anthony Edwards is the Collier. No player will gain more from his first national exposure, both on and off the court, than he will. Edwards will be the guy everyone is talking about after this series, even if his team fails to pull off the shock.
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Denver takes Golden State to seven games, according to Arnovitz. Curry has complete control over the Warriors’ fate. They’re much, far easier to defend if he’s restricted, whether in minutes or movement. The Nuggets have the series’ greatest offensive player and know how to get high-percentage chances in the half court, so the Warriors’ lauded defense will have to be at its best. It’ll be a nip and tuck situation in any case.
Shelburne: Is it too brave to predict that the East’s second-seeded club will win their first-round playoff matchup? Because I believe the Boston Celtics will defeat the star-crossed Brooklyn Nets. I know how good Durant and Irving are, but they’re being expected to do a lot, and it wears you out eventually. Especially against a strong defense like Boston’s.
Ben Simmons will make his season debut, according to Collier. The fact that there is still smoke regarding a prospective comeback makes me believe that there will be fire at some point. It’d be a strange and appropriate conclusion to this never-ending saga: One year after his last game, Simmons returns to the court during the playoffs for a home game in Brooklyn.
The “nba playoffs 2022 scores” is a post that discusses the upcoming NBA playoffs. It has been updated with the most recent scores.
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