2021–22 NBA season

• 1. Return To Full Schedule

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  The 2021, 22 NBA season marked the league's return to its traditional October through April calendar after two pandemic-shortened years. The regular season began on the 19th of October 2021, and concluded on the 10th of April 2022. This timeline represented the first time since the 2018, 19 season that teams played a full slate of games without the disruptions seen during the previous two seasons. The play-in tournament returned to determine the final playoff spots from April 12 to 15, 2022. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors faced unique challenges due to local vaccination mandates in New York City and San Francisco. These rules required players to be vaccinated or face forfeited pay for missed home games. The league also introduced new protocols requiring guests within 15 feet of the court to show proof of vaccination or submit negative test results.

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• 2. Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

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  On the 7th of July 2021, the NBA announced plans to commemorate its 75th anniversary throughout the entire season. A special diamond jubilee logo appeared on merchandise, digital platforms, social media, and painted directly onto courts across all arenas. All uniforms featured Nike logos with diamond embellishments, while the standard back-of-jersey logo was modified to include the number 75. Twenty-seven of thirty teams wore City edition uniforms incorporating design cues from different decades. The Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks donned Classic edition uniforms honoring their status as surviving franchises from the league's first season. The Warriors specifically wore designs based on their Philadelphia era from 1946 to 1962. Celebrity captains joined each team to help celebrate the milestone, including Usher with the Atlanta Hawks and Snoop Dogg with the Los Angeles Lakers. The league also unveiled new awards named after historical figures like Nat Sweetwater Clifton and Earl Lloyd.

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• 3. Roster And Coaching Shifts

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  Multiple players retired during the summer of 2021, ending careers that spanned over a decade. Ian Mahinmi announced his retirement on the 6th of July 2021, after winning one championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. J.R. Smith enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University on the 11th of August 2021, effectively closing his playing career following sixteen seasons. Pau Gasol retired on the 5th of October 2021, after nineteen years that included back-to-back titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010. Free agency began on the 2nd of August 2021, pushing back from its normal July start due to pandemic delays. Kyle Lowry signed with the Miami Heat while Lonzo Ball agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. Coaching changes were equally significant as Brad Stevens stepped down from the Boston Celtics head coaching role on the 2nd of June 2021, to become president of basketball operations. Rick Carlisle resigned from the Dallas Mavericks after thirteen seasons on the 17th of June 2021.

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• 4. Pandemic Protocols And Impacts

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  As of October 2021, cities like Los Angeles, Toronto, New York City, and San Francisco required spectators to show proof of vaccination for sporting events. Players in these markets who chose not to be vaccinated would forfeit money for missed home games. The Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors faced specific restrictions throughout the season. On the 3rd of January 2022, Philadelphia implemented an indoor vaccine mandate adding the Philadelphia 76ers to the list of affected teams. By December 2021, 97% of NBA players were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The league mandated that all guests ages two and older seated within 15 feet of the court be fully vaccinated or submit negative test results. Several games were postponed due to outbreaks including a December 14 game between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons where ten players entered protocols. A December 19 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks was also delayed because five Cavaliers tested positive.

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• 5. Historic Records And Milestones

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  LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the 19th of March 2022, to become the second player in NBA history with the most combined points in regular season and playoffs. Stephen Curry surpassed Ray Allen on the 14th of December 2021, to become the all-time leader in made three-pointers. He broke his own record again on the 1st of January 2022, reaching 158 consecutive games making at least one three-pointer. Nikola Jokić became the first player to tally at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season by the 7th of April 2022. Joel Embiid won the scoring title averaging 30.6 points per game, becoming the first foreign player to achieve this feat. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 152, 79 on the 2nd of December 2021, marking the largest margin of victory in NBA history. Chris Paul reached 20,000 career points and 10,000 assists as the first player to do so.

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• 6. Playoffs And Championship Series

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  The playoffs began on the 16th of April 2022, and concluded on June 16 with the Golden State Warriors defeating the Boston Celtics in the Finals. The play-in tournament determined the final playoff spots from April 12 to 15, 2022. Teams ranked seventh through tenth in each conference participated in a Page playoff system to decide the eighth seed. The Western Conference Finals saw the Warriors advance while the Eastern Conference featured intense competition between top seeds. Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals aired on ESPN with Mike Breen absent due to COVID-19 protocols. Mark Jones replaced him for play-by-play duties. In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, Jeff Van Gundy was also unavailable, leaving an all-African-American broadcast team consisting of Jones, Mark Jackson, and Lisa Salters. The series culminated in June 2022 with the Warriors securing their championship title after a hard-fought battle against the Celtics.

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