2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

The NBA Play-In has concluded - with a resounding success - and the real Playoff stakes begin. We have plenty of great matchups but truthfully the Eastern conference is loaded. The fact that The Bucks, Celtics, and Nets are all in the same area of the bracket is frustrating but the true best team will make it out alive. We will take a quick dive into each matchup with full series previews beginning in round 2.

Miami Heat (1) vs Atlanta Hawks (9) - Heat in 6

I am not sure what it is about this year but the East is so deep, I hardly see anyone choosing the 1 seed to win that side of the bracket. Its been a great year for Miami but they lack that true Superstar to go and get you a bucket when it counts. Always steady Kyle Lowry should be a big playoff addition with plenty of experience. It seems it is only a matter of time before we reach a point where every single fan base hates Trae Young. First New York(Knicks) and now Cleveland after a big Play-In win for Atlanta in Cleveland. This hawks team has plenty of talent and Trae Young is likely All-NBA, but the chemistry has not been there this year. Only chance I see with the Hawks here is for Trae Young to explode for a series averaging 30+.

Philadelphia 76ers(4) vs Toronto Raptors (5) - Raptors in 7

This seems to be one of the more back and forth series of the 1st round. We have MVP candidate and 2022 scoring champion Joel Embiid against...well one of the most versatile and longest teams in the league. Toronto will throw a plethora of guys at Embiid to change up looks and they have the bodies to do this, but lack a true traditional big man. I definitely expect Joel Embiid to average 35 and 13 this series. That being said, that won't win Philly the series alone. James Harden absolutely has to step up in this series to avoid letting Embiid down, and I question if that can happen. James Harden is a better NBA player than Seth Curry, but can he hit the big shots in clutch moments like Seth Curry did for Philly? Can he be the team player Philly needs with his skillset? Too many times I see Harden with what looks like no effort and constantly throwing his arms up to the refs with no calls. The 76ers have the starpower, but do they have the chemistry and team unity to make a deep run? That all hinges on James Harden. I believe Toronto will play the long game here. I expect Embiid to expel a ton of energy over a 7 game series and Harden will be tasked with picking up that slack. One big game can swing this series and I will take the coaching advantage in Nick Nurse.

Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs Chicago Bulls (6) - Bucks in 4

As you can see from the series predictor, I don't expect this series to last very long. Chicago has had a great year and Demar DeroZan has gotten the love he has deserved. That being said, The Bucks team has all of the talent and easily the best player in the series in Giannis. I don't see an individual or game plan that Chicago can pull out to stop Giannis. The Bulls are unfortunately running into a brick wall round 1. I hope we see this series get extended due to LaVine and Derozan having a few big games.

Boston Celtics (2) vs Brooklyn Nets (7) - Nets in 7

The Celtics are riding into the playoffs as the hottest team in the East, posting a #1 defensive NET rating and top 5 in offensive NET rating. The Robert Williams omission will hurt the team overall and does bring down the ceiling a bit but they still have a well rounded squad and All-NBA talent in Jayson Tatum. Marcus Smart may just win DPOY but I believe Robert Williams would've had the biggest defensive impact for this series. Truthfully, this series for me boiled down to the superstars. Throw out the analytics and the numbers and the experts. I believe this series will be all "hooping" as they say. We will see a few games where stars are shooting 8-24 but these teams are setup offensively to depend on them. The Nets defense will always be a cause for concern and does limit their ceiling in the playoffs. The weight of the playoffs will start to chip away at the team as they advance but the chemistry and offensive onslaught from KD and Kyrie is good enough to make it through one series. This may just be the best series from Round 1 and I fully expect to see some back and forth moments between KD and Tatum.

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Phoenix Suns (1) vs New Orleans Pelicans (9) - Suns in 5

This is another series where I see the Suns really running through the opposition for a gentleman's sweep. This Suns team is firing on all cylinders and the chemistry is just pouring from the squad. They are certainly led by MVP candidate Devin Booker and all time Point GAWD legend Chris Paul but the team wins together. They have a deep bench that shows very little drop off. They have playmakers all over the court, great defenders on every level, and the ultimate shot maker in Devin Booker who isn't afraid of any moment. I do see a Finals rematch this year but its tough to see anyone beating the Suns in a 7 game series.

Dallas Mavericks (4) vs Utah Jazz (5) - Mavericks in 6

This has to be the hardest series to analyze, especially with the health of Luka Doncic looming. I do think Dallas has the squad to make things difficult for Utah for a few games, but if Luka is out for more than 3 games that would change things. The Mavericks are keeping everything close to the vest there - surely out of gamesmanship - so there really is no way to know for sure when to expect him back. Spencer Dinwiddie has been on a tear with his new team in Dallas and no Doncic will provide him a great opportunity to exploit that awful Jazz perimeter defense. Finney Smith will likely be the man tasked with guarding Donovan Mitchell and he won't make it easy. Maybe we see some more Dwight Powell in this series to get Gobert moving around a bit as well. The Jazz are at a time of turmoil so it is difficult to trust them in these moments. The relationship between Mitchell and Gobert has soured, which hurts Gobert the most. The ball is almost never in his hands and while he still continues to dominate defensively, I question if the effort will continue to be there. Too many times we see Gobert gain position in the post deep in the paint only to be ignored by the ball handler. Rudy Gobert makes up for a lot of deficiencies on this Jazz team and any loss of effort on that end could have this team spiraling.

Golden State Warriors (3) vs Denver Nuggets (6) - GS in 5

With Steph Curry officially probable for Game 1, that about ruins any chances I see from the Nuggets to sneak this series away. I wouldn't be surprised to see Denver steal a few games but I don't quite trust the Denver bench to excel in the playoffs the way they did the regular season down the stretch. Jokic will likely look incredible in this series even in Draymond guards him. Side note: can Draymond please defend him? He seems like the type of player to ASK for that challenge especially in the playoffs. Draymond is a shit talker and not afraid of anybody. I expect that to resonate in mini battles on the court between those two. While I say edge Jokic because of his size, Draymond is going to make life hell for him and will win plenty of his own battles. Aaron Gordon, Monte Morris, and Demarcus Cousins will be key Denver players in this series for me. These are three players that must step up all series to have a shot. With the big 3 back and confident as ever, we may see another Golden State run. Nobody expected Klay to be himself but he has looked much better than I anticipated. You cannot count on him as the lockdown defender that he was for a 2-3 year span but he is the same lethal sharpshooter we all remember. I think Golden State is too talented and too experienced to get bounced round 1.

Memphis Grizzlies (2) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (7) - Memphis in 6

What an exciting series ahead! Some of the most exciting and high flying players will be in this series with plenty of opportunity for drama. We already know Pat Beverley will attempt to get in Ja Morant's head and I don't think anyone expects it to actually work. Pat Bev is a good defender and truly gives effort on every play. That is something that he can truly say isn't that common in the NBA for a number of reasons. He wears his heart on his sleeve and brings it with a chip on his shoulder. That being said, his defensive game is centered more around gimmick than truly lockdown defense. Its the mind games, being a pest, and always being right on you. He is annoying, in a good NBA defense kind of way. It works - especially in the regular season with less stakes - but the best players run right through that on the big stage. I expect Ja Morant to do his thing here and move on as anticipated. Jaren Jackson defending KAT will be an absolute delight to watch when it happens and if Desmond Bane can keep up the year he has had this could be over quick.