The NBA postseason is here, and it’s shaping up to be a wide-open chase to the 2022 title.
The Phoenix Suns ran away with the league’s best regular-season record — eight games clear of the second-best Memphis Grizzlies. Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the reigning Western Conference champs are on a mission to redeem themselves after last season’s six-game Finals defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks; they survived an injury to Booker to knock out the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round.
Plenty of West contenders still stand in the Suns’ way, including Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the Finals in 2019.
In the East, the defending champion Bucks are the 3-seed in a log-jammed conference — the top-seeded Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers were separated by just two games in the final regular-season standings and all advanced to the second round.
Here’s all the info you need for each conference semifinals matchup, including game recaps, news and series-by-series analysis.
All times Eastern.
MORE: Complete first-round results
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Game 1: 76ers at Heat, Monday, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 2: 76ers at Heat, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Heat at 76ers, Friday, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Heat at 76ers, Sunday, May 8, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: 76ers at Heat, Tuesday, May 10, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Heat at 76ers, Thursday, May 12, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: 76ers at Heat, Sunday, May 15, TBD
*If necessary
0:28
Danilo Gallinari is forced to throw a bad pass and Bam Adebayo comes up with the steal to seal the Heat’s win vs. the Hawks in Game 5.
Game 1: Bucks at Celtics, Sunday, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2: Bucks at Celtics, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Celtics at Bucks, Saturday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Celtics at Bucks, Monday, May 9, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: Bucks at Celtics, Wednesday, May 11, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Celtics at Bucks, Friday, May 13, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Bucks at Celtics, Sunday, May 15, TBD
*If necessary
0:43
Monica McNutt discusses what to expect in the upcoming Eastern Conference semifinals matchup between the Bucks and Celtics.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Game 1: Mavericks at Suns, Monday, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Game 2: Mavericks at Suns, Wednesday, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Suns at Mavericks, Friday, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Suns at Mavericks, Sunday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5*: Mavericks at Suns, Tuesday, May 10, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Suns at Mavericks, Thursday, May 12, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Mavericks at Suns, Sunday, May 15, TBD
*If necessary
2:05
Chris Paul goes a perfect 14-for-14 from the field as the Suns defeat the Pelicans 115-109 to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
Game 1: Warriors at Grizzlies, Sunday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2: Warriors at Grizzlies, Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Grizzlies at Warriors, Saturday, May 7, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Grizzlies at Warriors, Monday, May 9, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: Warriors at Grizzlies, Wednesday, May 11, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Grizzlies at Warriors, Friday, May 13, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Warriors at Grizzlies, Monday, May 16, TBD (TNT)
*If necessary
0:21
Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks celebrate the Grizzlies’ victory over the Timberwolves by doing the Griddy on the logo in Minnesota.