The 2021-22 NBA regular season concludes today with every team playing their final games of the season. But the field for the 2022 NBA play-in tournament has now been set.
Thanks to a few games that have finished up already, the field of teams is now set. The tournament begins on Tuesday, April 12 with the East’s 8-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the 7-seeded Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. Two-and-a-half hours later, the West’s 8-seeded LA Clippers play the 7-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
On Wednesday, the East’s 10-seeded Charlotte Hornets play the 9-seeded Atlanta Hawks. The West’s 10-seeded San Antonio Spurs play the 9-seeded New Orleans Pelicans later that night.
The winner of the Tuesday games will advance to the playoffs. But the losers of the Tuesday games play the winner of the Wednesday games with a trip to the playoffs on the line. Those games will take place on Saturday.
Here are the official dates and times for the full NBA play-in tournament:
2022 NBA Play-In Tournament pic.twitter.com/Z6RrZyN6Jl
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2022
Of the eight teams going to the play-in tournament, the Brooklyn Nets appear to be the one with the best chance of making a title run thanks to their starpower. A healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can go toe-to-toe with almost any team.
It certainly helps their cause that the Nets are riding a four-game winning streak into the playoffs. One of those wins came against the very team they’re playing this Tuesday: The Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the West, you have to imagine the Los Angeles Clippers have the best chance of making a run if they’re healthy.
Which of the play-in tournament games are you most looking forward to?
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