I still remember sitting on my couch last April, thinking how unpredictable this year's NBA playoffs would turn out to be. Little did I know I was about to witness one of the most dramatic postseason journeys in recent memory. The journey of how the 2022 NBA playoffs bracket unfolded became my nightly obsession for two straight months, filled with unexpected twists that kept me texting friends at midnight about unbelievable game outcomes.
Looking back at the complete tournament tree now, what strikes me most is how many teams defied expectations from the very beginning. The playoffs began with the usual suspects - Milwaukee looking to defend their title, Phoenix riding their regular-season dominance, and Golden State returning to postseason basketball after their two-year hiatus. But the first round immediately threw curveballs, particularly in the Eastern Conference where Brooklyn, despite having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, got swept by Boston in what many considered the biggest first-round upset.
The Western Conference first round gave us the Memphis-Minnesota series that went six intense games. I have to admit, I'd underestimated Ja Morant and his young Grizzlies squad, thinking their regular-season success might not translate to playoff basketball. But watching them battle through that physical series showed me they had the toughness to make a deep run. Meanwhile, Golden State handled Denver relatively comfortably, though I remember thinking Nikola Jokic put up one of the most impressive individual performances I've seen from a losing player.
What fascinates me about analyzing how the 2022 NBA playoffs bracket unfolded is recognizing those pivotal moments where series could have swung differently. The Phoenix-Dallas series stands out particularly - the Suns looked unstoppable until Game 7 where they completely collapsed. I've never seen a top seed falter so dramatically in a winner-take-all game. It reminded me of that reference about unexpected turnarounds - "But for a time, it didn't look like it will come to be, especially after Adamson staged a scathing 16-1 run abridging the last two frames to grab a 48-38 lead with 8:47 to go." That's exactly how Game 7 felt - Dallas mounting this unbelievable surge that Phoenix just couldn't answer.
The conference finals gave us two absolute classics. Boston-Miami went the full seven games, with the Celtics completing their incredible mid-season turnaround to reach the Finals. Meanwhile, Golden State finally overcame Memphis in six tough games - though I'm still not over that controversial Game 5 where Ja Morant got injured. The Warriors' experience ultimately prevailed, but Memphis showed they're going to be a problem for years to come.
When we reached the Finals, I'll be honest - I thought Boston had the matchup advantage. They'd beaten Milwaukee and Miami, two physically tough teams, and their defense looked championship-caliber. But Golden State's veteran poise, particularly from Steph Curry, proved decisive. That Game 4 where Curry put up 43 points was arguably the series turning point - without that performance, we might be looking at a very different champion.
Reflecting on the complete tournament structure now, what stands out is how the Warriors navigated through what many considered the tougher Western Conference path. They beat Denver in 5 games, Memphis in 6, Dallas in 5, and then Boston in 6 - that's 16 total wins against only 7 losses. Meanwhile, Boston had to go through seven games against both Milwaukee and Miami before facing Golden State - that's 14 grueling games just to reach the Finals.
The beauty of studying how the 2022 NBA playoffs bracket unfolded lies in appreciating those subtle moments that decided championships. For me, it was Golden State's role players stepping up when needed most - Jordan Poole's emergence, Andrew Wiggins' two-way impact, and Gary Payton II's energy off the bench. While stars drive championships, it's often those secondary pieces that complete the puzzle. Looking ahead to next season, this playoff run has set up fascinating storylines - can Golden State repeat? Will Milwaukee and Brooklyn bounce back? And most importantly, which young team will make that unexpected leap? Personally, I'm betting on Memphis to go even deeper next year.