2022 NBA playoffs: Ranking all eight first-round matchups, from potential sweeps to likely thrillers

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The regular season is in the books, and the play-in tournament is over which means it's time for the 2022 NBA playoffs.

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While the first round may have some heavy mismatches featuring some of the higher-seeded teams, there's still plenty to get excited about with most of these matchups.

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That includes Kyrie Irving returning to Boston in a playoff atmosphere, Ja Morant vs. Anthony Edwards and James Harden's playoff debut with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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With so much action to focus on, we've ranked the first-round matchups from least exciting to most.

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As cool as it was to watch the Pelicans grind it out against the Clippers to secure their spot in the playoffs, I don't see them being able to put up much of a fight against a Suns team

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It will be exciting to watch Brandon Ingram in the postseason for the first time in his career, and CJ McCollum has a knack for putting up huge numbers in the playoffs,

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CJ McCollum has a knack for putting up huge numbers in the playoffs, but Phoenix is simply too talented and too deep to make me think that this series isn't going very far.

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5 takeaways from Timberwolves’ series-opening victory over Grizzlies

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