The top four teams in each conference have moved on to the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, but that doesn’t mean the first-round series were walkovers for the remaining contenders.
In the Eastern Conference, only the Celtics managed to pull off a sweep, though the result of each game in the series was up in the air until the fourth quarter. The Heat and Bucks prevailed despite being pushed by the Hawks and Bulls, respectively, and the 76ers eliminated the Raptors after feeling the pressure of potentially blowing a 3-0 lead.
On the Western Conference side of the bracket, the Suns, Grizzlies and Mavericks all needed six games to win their series. Only the Warriors escaped the first round in five games, but reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets gave them everything they could handle.
Now that the NBA is down to its “Elite Eight,” which teams will advance to the Eastern and Western Conference Finals?
The Sporting News staff is here to break down each series and offer expert predictions.
MORE: How long will orbital fracture sideline Joel Embiid?
NBA championship odds 2022
The Suns entered the 2022 NBA Playoffs as the favorite to win the championship, and they remain in the No. 1 spot on the title odds list. The Bucks, who had the second-best odds at the start of the postseason, have dropped significantly because of their tough second-round matchup with the Celtics and the loss of Khris Middleton (sprained MCL).
| Team | Odds (via DraftKings) |
|---|---|
| Suns | +290 |
| Warriors | +300 |
| Celtics | +340 |
| Heat | +550 |
| Bucks | +900 |
| Grizzlies | +1300 |
| Mavericks | +2200 |
| 76ers | +3000 |
NBA Playoff bracket 2022
Here are the second-round matchups in each conference:
Eastern Conference
(1) Heat vs. (4) 76ers
(2) Celtics vs. (3) Bucks
Western Conference
(1) Suns vs. (4) Mavericks
(2) Grizzlies vs. (3) Warriors
NBA Playoff predictions: Eastern Conference
(1) Heat vs. (4) 76ers
The key storyline: Health of Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry
This series could be defined by the health and availability of each team’s key players.
It all starts with Embiid, who is clearly playing through pain after being diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right thumb. Embiid had his thumb evaluated in the first round, and while surgery would be the best option, the All-Star center is electing to play through the pain and push the procedure to the offseason.
He struggled down the homestretch of the first-round series, and going up against Bam Adebayo and Miami’s suffocating defense, Embiid will have to power through his injury and work for every bucket.
If, of course, Embiid is even able to play.
Ahead of Game 1 against Miami, it was revealed that Embiid suffered a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in Philadelphia’s Game 6 win over Toronto. He is out indefinitely.
Embiid has been playing through pain this postseason after sustaining a torn ligament in his right thumb — and now this orbital fracture, concussion, and will now be sidelined. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/3q9BPF9VAv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 30, 2022
The Heat are dealing with two injuries of their own. Veteran floor general Kyle Lowry missed the last two games of their first-round series with a hamstring injury, and Butler missed Game 5 with right knee inflammation.
While their statuses have not been updated for the start of the second round, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra relayed confidence that Butler would have been ready if the Heat needed a Game 6 to beat the Hawks, and there would have “been a chance” that Lowry would have been available as well.
We’re in for a battle of a series even if these stars are playing through pain.
— Kyle Irving
Odds (via DraftKings): Heat -380, 76ers +310
Irving’s prediction: Heat win, 4-3
(2) Celtics vs. (3) Bucks
The key storyline: Celtics’ defense vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo versus the Celtics’ defense reminds me of the saying, “when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.”
Antetokounmpo is the best player in the world right now — it’s that simple. He claimed that crown after leading the Bucks to a title last season while taking home Finals MVP, but he’ll be put to the test in this series.
The Celtics own the best defense in the NBA in terms of defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage and opponent 3-point percentage. Boston’s switch-heavy defensive scheme just made Durant, one of the greatest scorers of all time, look completely mortal, and now it will try to do the same to Antetokounmpo.
The Celtics have had success defending Antetokounmpo in the past — using a combination of Al Horford, Grant Williams and a floating Robert Williams III to make life difficult — but the “Greek Freak” did terrorize Boston twice this season.
The Celtics got the best of the Bucks in their first two meetings, but Antetokounmpo missed the first of those two games. Milwaukee won the next two games, but the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Horford and Robert Williams III for one of those contests. Regardless, Antetokounmpo went for 36 and 29 points, respectively, while also tallying double-digit boards and five assists in each game.
There is no love lost between the Celtics and Bucks, who have met in the postseason twice in their past four playoff runs. Boston defeated Milwaukee in seven games back in 2018. The next year, the Bucks got revenge, making easy work of the Celtics in just five games.
This series will come down to which side caves first: the unstoppable force or the immovable object.
— Kyle Irving
Odds (via DraftKings): Celtics -210, Bucks +175
Irving’s prediction: Celtics win, 4-2
NBA Playoff predictions: Western Conference
(1) Suns vs. (4) Mavericks
The key storyline: Devin Booker’s hamstring injury
For the second straight postseason, the Suns have been dealing with an injury to one of their stars.
In Game 2 of their first-round series with the Pelicans, the Suns lost Booker to a right hamstring injury. It was later revealed to be a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, an injury that usually sidelines players for 14-21 days.
Despite not having Booker for half the series, the Suns managed to handle their business against the Pelicans.
In Game 3, both Chris Paul (28 points, 14 assists) and Deandre Ayton (28 points, 17 rebounds) stepped up to give the Suns a 2-1 series lead. They dropped Game 4, but another Paul double-double coupled with a postseason-high 31 points from Mikal Bridges helped them bounce back in Game 5, setting the stage for them to win Game 6 and secure a second-round matchup with the Mavericks.
This Mavericks team is no joke. Not only are they led by one of the league’s best players in Luka Doncic, who could earn another All-NBA First Team selection this season, but Jalen Brunson also had a breakout series in the first round. Plus, Jason Kidd has them defending at a level few teams can match. In holding opponents to 109.1 points per 100 possessions in the regular season, only six teams had a better defensive rating than Dallas.
The Suns had success without both Booker and Paul this season, but we’re reaching the stage of the postseason where they need their stars to be healthy. Otherwise, a team like the Mavericks is built to take advantage.
— Scott Rafferty
Odds (via DraftKings): Suns -300, Mavericks +245
Rafferty’s prediction: Suns win, 4-2
(2) Grizzlies vs. (3) Warriors
The key storyline: The point guard matchup between Stephen Curry and Ja Morant
So much for all of those concerns about Curry’s health.
The two-time MVP was terrific in Round 1, averaging 28.0 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals while only playing 30.0 minutes per game. He returned to the starting lineup in the Game 5 win and was unstoppable in crunch time.
Morant wasn’t incredibly efficient in the first round, but he still nearly averaged a triple-double across six postseason games. He has matured quickly, finding a nice balance between trusting his talented teammates and stepping up when necessary. Most notably, he answered the call in Game 5 when Taylor Jenkins told him to go get a bucket in the closing seconds.
Can the Grizzlies force Curry to commit turnovers in order to fuel their transition attack? Can the Warriors keep Morant out of the paint? How often will Curry and Morant target each other when they have the ball?
This series has plenty of intriguing angles, but there is no reason to ignore the obvious storyline sitting at the top of the list. In the NBA Playoffs, teams need their stars to shine.
— Jordan Greer
Odds (via DraftKings): Warriors -265, Grizzlies +215
Greer’s prediction: Warriors win, 4-3