NBA Playoffs 2022: Play-in Tournament Schedule, TV Info Revealed Ahead of Postseason
April 10, 2022
The play-in tournament is set for the Eastern and Western Conferences.
Following the Brooklyn Nets' victory over the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers' win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, the seeding has been finalized on both sides. Here is a look at the full schedule and broadcast information for the tournament, which will begin with Brooklyn hosting Cleveland on Tuesday:
Tuesday's games between the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in each conference will determine the No. 7 seeds in the first round of the playoffs. Yet the losers will still have a chance to clinch the No. 8 seed if they can defeat the winners of the games between the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds on Wednesday.
Brooklyn is the biggest storyline of the entire tournament.
After all, it has enough talent to challenge for the championship with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the way, but it has to get out of the play-in tournament first. If it does, help may be on the way considering Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Ben Simmons could return from a back injury for his first action of the season in the playoffs.
While the shooting concerns and time off for Simmons are certainly noteworthy, he is a two-time All-Defensive selection who could blanket playmakers such as Jimmy Butler, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan or perhaps even Giannis Antetokounmpo in the playoffs while Irving and Durant carry the offense.
Depending on how this tournament plays out, the Nets are also a particularly brutal opening-round matchup for whichever top seed draws them. For instance, the Miami Heat have been the best team in the East all season but may have to play Durant and Irving in a first-round series if Brooklyn loses to the Cavaliers but wins the next game and lands the No. 8 seed.
A similar situation could unfold in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Paul George has been sidelined for much of the season, while Kawhi Leonard has yet to play. Leonard may not return, but George is back and leading the way for a team that has enough talent to make a deep run.
The Phoenix Suns or Memphis Grizzlies could be stuck with quite the challenging first-round matchup in the Clippers if they emerge from this play-in tournament.