*This post will be updated continuously throughout the NBA Playoffs.
The champs are back to defend their crown, but by no means are they the favorites to take home the NBA championship this season. Here’s how to watch all of the 2022 NBA Playoffs action, including dates, times, and stations broadcasting each game, as well as streaming options.
While the Milwaukee Bucks are absolutely contenders to take home the Larry O’Brien again this year after their thrilling, even stunning title win last season, the 2021-22 NBA season featured one of the deepest pools of quality teams throughout both conferences.
In the West, the Phoenix Suns, which lost to the Bucks in the NBA Finals a season ago, finished with the best record in the conference and the entire league. As such, many see them as this year’s favorite, especially considering their record was eight games better than the next-best team across the NBA — the upstart Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies showed the poise of a team of grizzled vets even with their astounding youth, finishing second in the Western Conference.
Over in the East, Milwaukee finished third behind the No. 1 seed Miami Heat and No. 2 Boston Celtics — something they seemed not to mind when they sat all their regular rotation players during the final game of the regular season.
As the play-in wraps up on Friday night, the matchups for both conferences will take shape and the schedule for the first round will be solidified (check back for updates after those games on Friday).
Let’s take a look ahead at the first round with most of the vital information through the first four games of each series.
This all starts with the riveting first weekend of games which features games going all day over the Easter weekend, something that can’t be duplicated later in the playoffs, of course, as fewer and fewer games are being played.
Throughout the playoffs, games are aired on ABC, ESPN, and TNT, as well as NBA TV through NBA League Pass, and games are available to stream via each of those network’s respective apps.
First round
Saturday, April 16
- 1pm ET, No. 5 Utah Jazz at No. 4 Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)
- 3:30pm ET, No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN)
- 6pm ET, No. 5 Toronto Raptors at No. 4 Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN)
- 8:30pm ET, No. 6 Denver Nuggets at No. 3 Golden State Warriors (ABC)
Sunday, April 17
- 1pm ET, TBD (No. 8 East seed via play-in) at No. 1 Miami Heat (TNT)
- 3:30pm ET, No. 7 Brooklyn Nets at No. 2 Boston Celtics (ABC)
- 6:30pm ET, No. 6 Chicago Bulls at No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks (TNT)
- 9pm ET, TBD (No. 8 West seed via play-in) at No. 1 Phoenix Suns (TNT)
Monday, April 18
- 7:30pm ET, Raptors at 76ers (TNT)
- 8:30pm ET, Jazz at Mavericks (NBA TV)
- 10pm ET, Nuggets at Warriors (TNT)
Tuesday, April 19
- 10pm ET, TBD at Suns (TNT)
- Time TBD, No. 8 seed at Heat (TBD)
- Time TBD, Timberwolves at Grizzlies (TBD)
Wednesday, April 20
- 7pm ET, Nets at Celtics (TNT)
- 8pm ET, 76ers at Raptors (NBA TV)
- 9:30pm ET, Bulls at Bucks (TNT)
Thursday, April 21
- 7:30pm ET, Grizzlies at Timberwolves (TNT)
- 9pm ET , Mavericks at Jazz (NBA TV)
- 10pm ET, Warriors at Nuggets (TNT)
Friday, April 22
- 8:30pm ET, Bucks at Bulls — ABC
- Time TBD, Suns at No. 8 seed (ESPN)
- Time TBD, Heat at No. 8 seed (ESPN)
Sat., April 23
- 2pm ET, 76ers at Raptors (TNT)
- 4:30pm ET, Mavericks at Jazz (TNT)
- Time TBD, Celtics at Nets (ESPN)
- Time TBD, Grizzlies at Timberwolves (ESPN)
Sun., April 24
- 1pm ET, Bucks at Bulls (ABC)
- 3:30pm ET, Warriors at Nuggets (ABC)
- Time TBD, Heat at No. 8 seed (TNT)
- Time TBD, Suns at No. 8 seed (TNT)
Mon., April 25
- Time TBD, Celtics at Nets (TBD)
- *Time TBD, Raptors at 76ers (TBD)
- *Time TBD, Jazz at Mavericks (TBD)
This takes us through Game 4 of every series, with games 5, 6, and 7 all if necessary because, of course, if there are any 4-0 sweeps in a series, the subsequent games obviously will not be played.
After this date, all times and some channels are TBD as they’ll be announced based on how competitive the series are as the playoffs unfold.
Check back often as we will continue to update this article with the times as they’re announced.
