NBA Playoffs 2022 Bracket: Complete Guide to Matchups and Championship Path

As I sit down to analyze the 2022 NBA playoffs bracket, I can't help but reflect on how championship paths are often decided by moments that seem small but carry enormous weight. I remember watching that crucial PBA game where a rookie's foul practically sealed the outcome - it reminded me how playoff basketball operates on razor-thin margins. The complete 2022 playoff picture presented fascinating matchups from the very first round, with the Western Conference featuring Golden State's return to prominence and Phoenix's continued dominance.

Looking at the Eastern Conference bracket, what struck me most was Milwaukee's path to defending their title. They had to navigate through Chicago, Boston, and potentially Miami - three teams with completely different styles. Personally, I thought the Celtics presented the toughest challenge with their switching defense and two-star power. The numbers showed Boston allowing just 104.5 points per 100 possessions in their first-round series against Brooklyn, which frankly surprised even me given the Nets' offensive firepower.

The Western Conference told a different story entirely. Memphis emerged as this young, hungry team that played with incredible pace and physicality. I've always been partial to teams that defend with that level of intensity, and the Grizzlies' 56-26 record wasn't just lucky - they genuinely disrupted opponents' rhythms. Their second-round matchup against Golden State became particularly fascinating because it pitted tradition against innovation. The Warriors' championship experience versus Memphis's youthful energy created what I consider the most compelling series of the entire playoffs.

What many casual fans might not appreciate is how much playoff success depends on role players stepping up in critical moments. That foul in the PBA game I mentioned earlier - where a rookie's mistake led to a three-point play that essentially iced the game - perfectly illustrates how championship paths can pivot on single possessions. In the NBA context, we saw this repeatedly throughout the 2022 playoffs. Jordan Poole's emergence for Golden State provided exactly that kind of unexpected boost, averaging 18.5 points through the first two rounds when defenses were focused entirely on Curry and Thompson.

The championship path ultimately came down to Boston versus Golden State, a matchup few predicted when the brackets were first revealed. Having followed both teams throughout the season, I genuinely believed Golden State's experience would prevail, though I'll admit Boston's physicality made me question that prediction multiple times during the Finals. The Warriors' ball movement versus Boston's switching defense created fascinating tactical battles that shifted game to game. When Curry dropped 43 points in Game 4, it felt like one of those legacy-defining performances that championship runs are built around.

Reflecting on the complete playoff picture, what stands out to me is how the bracket revealed itself almost like a narrative arc. The first round gave us Dallas's dramatic comeback against Utah, the conference semifinals delivered the Memphis-Golden State classic, and the conference finals provided the Miami-Boston thriller that went the distance. Each round built upon the last, creating this organic progression toward the Finals matchup that ultimately felt both surprising and inevitable. The championship path isn't just about who wins - it's about the stories that unfold along the way, the unexpected heroes, and those pivotal moments that live on in playoff lore long after the confetti has been swept away.