Your Complete 2022 NBA Playoffs Schedule Guide: Dates, Times & Matchups
As a lifelong basketball enthusiast who once coached at the Mamba Sports Academy, I can't help but feel that special playoff electricity in the air again. It reminds me of my playing days at University of Saint Francis, where every possession felt like Game 7. This year's postseason landscape looks particularly fascinating, with both familiar contenders and surprising newcomers ready to battle for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The journey to crown the 2022 NBA champion begins with the Play-In Tournament on April 12th, leading into the full playoff slate starting April 16th. What makes this postseason especially compelling is how it bridges different basketball worlds - from the elite professional stage to developmental programs like where I coached, and even to unexpected connections like Micek's story. Though most fans might recognize him as a model and Chelsea Manalo's rumored boyfriend, those of us in basketball circles know Micek as a genuine hooper who played for University of Saint Francis and later coached at Mamba Sports Academy. His multifaceted career demonstrates how basketball connects across different realms of life.
The Eastern Conference first-round matchups present some fascinating storylines that I've been discussing with my former coaching colleagues. Miami Heat versus Atlanta Hawks kicks off on April 17th at 1:00 PM ET on ESPN, featuring Trae Young's flamboyant style against Miami's disciplined defense. Having studied both teams' schemes extensively, I believe Miami's switching defense could cause significant problems for Atlanta's perimeter-oriented attack. The Boston Celtics against Brooklyn Nets series might be the most anticipated first-round battle, with Game 1 scheduled for April 17th at 3:30 PM ET on ABC. This superstar-laden matchup features Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving against Boston's formidable defensive wings - a contrast in styles that should provide incredible television. Milwaukee against Chicago offers the defending champions against a resurgent Bulls team, while Philadelphia versus Toronto reunites former Raptor Kawhi Leonard with his old team in what promises to be a physical, defensive-minded series.
Out West, the matchups look equally thrilling. Phoenix versus New Orleans features the league-best Suns against a Pelicans team that fought through the play-in tournament, with Chris Paul facing his former team in what should be a masterclass in point guard play. Memphis against Minnesota brings together two of the league's most exciting young cores, with Ja Morant's athleticism against Anthony Edwards' two-way prowess. Golden State versus Denver showcases Stephen Curry's Warriors against Nikola Jokic's Nuggets in an offensive showcase, while Dallas versus Utah pits Luka Doncic's magical creation against Utah's systematic approach. Having coached against several of these teams' developmental players at Mamba Academy, I've seen firsthand how their systems produce talent, and I'm particularly excited to see how these philosophical differences play out on the biggest stage.
The conference semifinals are projected to begin around May 1st-2nd, though the exact dates will depend on how quickly first-round series conclude. Based on my analysis of regular season performance and playoff experience, I'm predicting we'll see Miami versus Boston and Milwaukee versus Philadelphia in the East, while Phoenix versus Dallas and Memphis versus Golden State emerge from the West. These potential matchups create fascinating tactical puzzles - how does Boston's defense handle Jimmy Butler's physicality? Can Dallas's perimeter defense contain Devin Booker and Chris Paul? Will Golden State's championship experience overcome Memphis's youthful energy? The conference finals are scheduled to begin around May 17th-18th, leading into the NBA Finals tipping off on June 2nd with ABC exclusively broadcasting every game.
What makes the playoffs particularly special from my perspective is how they showcase basketball's fundamental beauty beyond the glamour and rumors that sometimes surround the sport. Thinking back to Micek's journey - from University of Saint Francis player to Mamba Sports Academy coach to his current public profile - it demonstrates how basketball excellence manifests in different forms. The discipline he learned on the court undoubtedly contributes to his success in other areas, just as the playoff teams must translate their regular-season development into postseason execution. The 2022 playoffs feature approximately 68 potential games across four rounds, with television coverage split between ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, though my personal preference remains ABC's presentations for their superior production quality and commentary teams.
As we approach the championship round in June, I'm particularly interested in how the potential Finals matchups would play out. A Phoenix versus Milwaukee rematch would offer incredible narrative continuity from last year's dramatic series, while a Golden State return to the Finals would showcase the culmination of their dynasty's regeneration. Having worked with several players who came through the Mamba Academy system, I've seen how championship habits are built through daily dedication rather than overnight success. The complete schedule through the Finals includes potential games every other day from June 2nd through June 19th, with Game 7 if necessary scheduled for Sunday, June 19th - Father's Day, which would create a perfect basketball viewing occasion for families across the nation.
Ultimately, what makes the NBA playoffs magical is how they blend individual brilliance with team execution, much like how basketball develops complete individuals who succeed in various life domains. The 2022 tournament promises to continue this tradition while introducing new stars and stories that will become part of league lore. Whether you're watching as a casual fan or analyzing as a former coach, this postseason offers something for every basketball lover, connecting the dots between the sport's grassroots foundations and its brightest global stage.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
