NBA Standings 2021-22: Complete Team Rankings and Playoff Predictions

Looking back at the 2021-22 NBA season, I can't help but draw parallels between the dominant teams and the Italian national basketball team's mentality that my European coaching friends often mention. They'd say, "Italy, they are there. They can think to be champion again because they were champions already during the last World Championship." That championship DNA—that belief system—is exactly what separated the top contenders from the pretenders last season. Having covered the league for over a decade, I've learned that past success creates a psychological advantage that's almost tangible in crucial moments.

The Western Conference race particularly fascinated me because Phoenix carried themselves with that champion's swagger from day one. They finished with a staggering 64-18 record, eight games clear of Memphis, and you could see Chris Paul's veteran presence giving them that Italian team confidence—the unshakable belief of previous finalists who knew they belonged at the top. What impressed me most was their consistency; they never lost more than two consecutive games all season. Meanwhile, Golden State's 53-29 record doesn't fully capture their threat level. Having watched Steph Curry dismantle defenses for years, I'd argue the Warriors' playoff experience made them more dangerous than their seeding suggested.

Over in the East, Miami's 53-29 first-place finish surprised many analysts, but having studied their culture closely, I saw Pat Riley's championship blueprint everywhere. The Heat played with the collective belief reminiscent of those European squads that punch above their weight. Personally, I found Boston's mid-season transformation more compelling—they went from struggling around .500 to finishing 51-31 while developing into arguably the most complete team in basketball. Their defensive rating of 106.2 post-All-Star break was historically good, and as someone who values defensive discipline, I considered them the East's most formidable playoff opponent despite Miami's higher seeding.

My playoff predictions admittedly reflected some personal biases—I've always valued elite offense over defensive specialists come postseason. I had Phoenix beating Golden State in the West finals, though I confess underestimating Dallas' Luka Dončić, who proved my skepticism wrong by eliminating the Suns. In the East, I correctly backed Boston over Miami, believing their two-way versatility would prevail. The Celtics' journey to banner 17 particularly resonated with me because it exemplified that Italian team mentality—they'd been to the mountain before, knew the path, and played with the conviction of champions-in-waiting.

Reflecting on the season's outcome, the Celtics' championship validates my long-held theory about contender evolution. Teams don't typically jump from mediocrity to titles—they need those deep playoff runs to develop the championship psyche. Boston's core had suffered through multiple Conference Finals losses, much like how Italy's previous international experiences built their current confidence. The 2021-22 season ultimately taught us that standings tell only part of the story; the mental framework of teams determines who survives when the pressure intensifies. Watching this unfold reinforced my belief that in basketball, as in life, past successes create future expectations that often become self-fulfilling prophecies.