Well, the stage is finally set and the NBA Finals 2022 dates are out there. We know the schedule, and we know the Golden State Warriors will try to protect the home court at Chase Center when the Boston Celtics visit for the first two games of the series.
Here, we’ll let you know the NBA Finals 2022 Dates, NBA Finals schedule, NBA Finals broadcaster, and both teams’ road to this stage.
NBA Finals 2022 dates
- Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, 9 PM ET, ABC
- Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 PM ET, ABC
- Game 3: Wednesday, June 8: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics, 9 PM ET, ABC
- Game 4: Friday, June 10: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics, 9 PM ET, ABC
- Game 5: Monday, June 13: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, 9 PM ET, ABC (If necessary)
- Game 6: Thursday, June 16: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics, 9 PM ET, ABC (If necessary)
- Game 7: Sunday, June 19: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 PM ET, ABC (If necessary)
Warriors’ road to the NBA Finals
The Warriors were coming off five straight NBA Finals appearances before not even making the playoffs the past couple of seasons. Klay Thompson‘s long layoff and Kevin Durant‘s departure took a toll on their chances, and so did the roster restructuring they had to do.
They got off to an impressive start to the season before hitting a bit of a bump at the All-Star Break. Steve Kerr‘s team finished as the 3rd seed in the Western Conference, boasting a 53-29 record even though Stephen Curry missed some time with injury.
The Warriors handled Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in just five games in the first round, then got the job done in six games against Ja Morant‘s Memphis Grizzlies. Then, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks managed to steal one game from them, but it wasn’t enough and they lost in five games.
Now, Steph Curry records another trip to the NBA Finals. He’s been at this stage six times in the past eight seasons, all but cementing his status as one of the greatest players to grace this league. But as he and the Warriors learned in the 2015-16 season, it doesn’t mean a thing unless they go back home with the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Throughout their history, the Warriors have made it to the NBA Finals 11 times (including this season), winning six rings. Three of those rings have come during the Steve Kerr era. They’re tied with the Chicago Bulls for the second-most rings in NBA history.
Celtics’ road to the NBA Finals
Now that we know the NBA Finals 2022 dates, we know that the Boston Celtics will face an uphill battle to win on the road. But Ime Udoka‘s team has proven to be quite resilient after turning a disastrous season around to reach this stage.
The Celtics seemed lost and some claimed it was time for them to break Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown up. Others urged them to trade Marcus Smart, who’d eventually be named Defensive Player of the Year. They turned the corner in December and boasted the best defense in the league, finishing 2nd in the East with a 51-31 record.
If that wasn’t enough, they proved that they were ready for a bigger challenge by sweeping Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the overpowered Brooklyn Nets in the first round. Then, they sent the reigning champions Milwaukee Bucks back home in seven games.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics finished the job on a high note with an exciting seven-game series against the Miami Heat. Tatum won the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP award and paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant wearing his armband in Game 7.
The Boston Celtics are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with 17 NBA championships, the most of all time. Most of those rings came during the Bill Russell era, winning 11 in 13 seasons. However, it’s been a while since they last won a championship (2008) and they hadn’t made the NBA Finals since 2010.