NBA 2022 Playoffs Thread

[Nate Powalie]

We're back again for more coverage of the NBA play-offs. Here's a quick run-down of where we are with every series as of the time I'm writing this...
Eastern Conference:
#1 MIAMI HEAT vs #8 ATLANTA HAWKS (MIA Leads 3-1) Game 5, Tuesday 4/26, 7 PM EST
#2 BOSTON CELTICS vs #7 BROOKLYN NETS (BOS Leads 3-0) Game 4, Monday 4/25, 7 PM EST (Currently at half, BOS 58 - BKN 50)
#3 MILWAUKEE BUCKS vs #6 CHICAGO BULLS (MIL Leads 3-1) Game 5, Wednesday 4/27, Time TBD
#4 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS vs #5 TORONTO RAPTORS (PHI Leads 3-1) Game 5, Monday 4/25, 8 PM EST (In action, 8:03 1st Quarter, TOR 16 - PHI 9)

Western Conference:
#1 PHOENIX SUNS vs #8 NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (Series tied 2-2) Game 5, Tuesday 4/26, 10 PM EST
#2 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES vs #7 MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (Series tied 2-2) Game 5, Tuesday 4/26, 7:30 PM EST
#3 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs #6 DENVER NUGGETS (GS Leads 3-1) Game 5, Wednesday 4/27, 10 PM EST
#4 DALLAS MAVERICKS vs #5 UTAH JAZZ (Series tied 2-2) Game 5, Monday 4/25, 9:30 PM EST

[Nate Powalie]

Well, the Nets are the first team sent packing following a 116-112 loss to the C's. Other finals include the Raptors beating Philly 103-88 to force a game 6 in that series on Thursday in Toronto with tip-off at 7 PM EST. The Mavericks routed the Jazz 102-77 thanks to a 33-point performance from Luka Doncic. Game 6 in that set will be Thursday at 10 PM EST from Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.

[Nate Powalie]

4/26 Updates:
Miami ousts Atlanta 97-94, despite the Hawks' DeAndre Hunter dropping a career-best 35 points. It seemed like Trae Young was stymied throughout a good chunk of this series. Miami advances to play either Philadelphia or Toronto.
Switching to the Western Conference, Ja Morant hit the game-winning shot with a second left in regulation and finished an assist short of a triple-double as Memphis wins 111-109 over Minnesota. Game 6 will be Friday, April 29 at Target Center with a tip-off time TBD.
For the 1-8 showdown, Mikal Bridges dropped 31 big points, including 24 in the second half, as Phoenix outlasts New Orleans, 112-97, The Suns have a 3-2 lead, and Game 6 is Thursday night, April 28, in New Orleans. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM EST.

[moneygamelover]

Happy to see my Phoenix Suns take the series lead last night

I'll be stunned if the Bucks and Warriors don't both advance tonight. The Bulls and Nuggets aren't nearly on their levels. It's gonna be weird if we end up with an MVP from a 6th seeded team that lost in the 1st round winning only one game.

[SeaBreeze341]

So far the Bucks took care of business.  Golden State & Denver were tied at the half, but it was imperative for the Bucks to win tonight.  No good travelling back to Chicago when their foes in Boston await their winner.

As mentioned, things can only go up from here for the Bulls.  They were missing a lot in their series against Milwaukee, in addition to having a young team playing for the future (while doing what they could against the defending champions).

Celtics & Milwaukee will be, or should be a great series.  I imagine the winner of that series may be representing the East (or losing to Miami if the Heat can take advantage of the fact that Philadelphia may be on their way to ultimate history and not in a good way).

Speaking of epic collapses, both Doc Rivers and the Warriors are rather famous for those.  While I doubt either will definitely complete the deal, it wouldn't be unprecedented.  It's a tight game at home for the Warriors, and I don't know if it helps for them to have to extend their series either

[Nate Powalie]

4/28 Update:
East - Despite expletives, it was Joel Embiid who had the last laugh as the Sixers demolished the Raptors in game six 132-97. They now advance to play Miami.
West - Suns advance to round 2, thanks to a perfect 14-of-14 shooting performance by Chris Paul, as Phoenix defeats the Pelicans 115-109.
Bojan Bogdanovic missed the game-winning three with 1.9 seconds left, and Dallas survives Utah 98-96 to advance to the second round.
Game 6 is tonight between Memphis and Minnesota, with tip-off at 9 PM EDT on ESPN.

[PatrickRox80]

Warriors survive a crowd-induced Draymond Green ejection to win Game 1 over the Grizzlies 117-116.

[Nate Powalie]

Ja Morant dropped 47(!!!) points including a late dagger for Memphis to tie their series with Golden State 1-1. Their Game 3 is Saturday in San Francisco, with tip-off at 8:30 PM EDT.

[Nate Powalie]

Updated Series Scores:
PHX 2 - DAL 2
BOS 1 - MIL 2
MEM 1 - GS 2
MIA 2 - PHI 1 (Game 4 is currently in progress)

[moneygamelover]

Warriors go up 3-1 over Memphis. The other 3 series are all 2-2 now.

[moneygamelover]

Glad to see my Phoenix Suns take a 3-2 with a dominant 2nd half performance leading to a game 5 win over the Mavericks. GO SUNS!!!

Similarly, the Heat gave the 76ers a nice ass whipping from start to finish to take a 3-2 series lead.

[Nate Powalie]

Celtics thrash Bucks, and MoneyGameLover, sorry man, but your Suns got shellacked and are therefore history. We now have our Conference Finals matchups set.
Game 1 in ECF: BOS @ MIA - Tuesday night, tip-off slated for 8:30 on ESPN
Game 1 in WCF: DAL @ GS - Wednesday night, tip-off at 9 on TNT

[GoldenBulldog]

Conference Finals picks:

WESTERN - Mavericks over Warriors in 6.
EASTERN - Celtics over Heat in 7.

[Nate Powalie]

Celtics opened at -170 odds to win the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, I didn't see who was favored to win the West.

[SeaBreeze341]

Celtics opened at -170 odds to win the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, I didn't see who was favored to win the West.

Warriors at -250.  That's courtesy of Caesars.  FWIW, against Dallas and then the East champion, they're at +135 to win out