NBA play-in tournament field, all 1st-round playoff matchups set
The play-in tournaments for both the Eastern and Western Conference are now determined after the former's seeding was finalized early during Sunday's slate.
The star-studded Brooklyn Nets will host the Cleveland Cavaliers to determine who will proceed as the true No. 7 seed in the East. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers will travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West to find out who will take on the high-flying Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1.
| GAME | DATE | AWAY | HOME | TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 12 | Cavaliers | Nets | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| 2 | April 12 | Clippers | Timberwolves | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| 3 | April 13 | Hornets | Hawks | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| 4 | April 13 | Spurs | Pelicans | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| 5 | April 15 | Winner of Game 3 | Loser of Game 1 | TBD |
| 6 | April 15 | Winner of Game 4 | Loser of Game 2 | TBD |
As the seventh- and eighth-placed teams, the Cavaliers, Nets, Clippers, and Timberwolves have the advantage of only needing to win one game to advance to the first round of the playoffs. The Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans, however, would need to post back-to-back wins to make it.
The East's top six seeds were also determined later in the evening, though only the final positioning between the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers was left to be decided on the final day.
Boston's win over Memphis ensured Ime Udoka's squad will finish second, setting them up to face either the Cavaliers or Nets in the first round. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors will face off again in a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 TBD
- No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
- No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Chicago Bulls
- No. 4 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors
Though most placements in the West were secured well in advance, the conference's remaining question marks were answered following the final day's results. The Golden State Warriors held off pressure from the Dallas Mavericks for third place, while the Utah Jazz kept the Denver Nuggets from claiming the No. 5 seed.
Western Conference
- No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 8 TBD
- No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 TBD
- No. 3 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 6 Denver Nuggets
- No. 4 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz
The first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs is scheduled to tip off Saturday, beginning with Game 1 of Jazz-Mavericks at 1 p.m. ET.
April 16 schedule
| Away | Home | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | Mavericks | 1:00 p.m. |
| West's No. 7 (TBD) | Grizzlies | 3:30 p.m. |
| Raptors | 76ers | 6:00 p.m. |
| Nuggets | Warriors | 8:30 p.m. |
April 17 schedule
| Away | Home | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| East's No. 7 (TBD) | Celtics | TBD |
| East's No. 8 (TBD) | Heat | TBD |
| Bulls | Bucks | TBD |
| West's No. 8 (TBD) | Suns | TBD |