The NBA Playoffs are currently in full swing, with Game 4 of each first-round series set to take place either on Saturday or Sunday.
Over the last several years, the NBA postseason has undergone significant remodeling thanks to the league implementation of the play-in tournament. After testing it during the 2020 NBA season restart and 2021-22 season, it was added as a full-time fixture in 2022.
During the play-in tournament, seventh- and eighth-seeded teams face off in the first matchup, with the winner automatically securing a spot in the playoffs. The ninth- and tenth-place teams play in a separate game, with the victor advancing to play the loser of the seven vs eight game. Whoever wins that final game is then slotted into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed.
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This year, the Pelicans, Lakers, Heat and 76ers all emerged victorious from the play-in tournament. After losing to Los Angeles in the first game, New Orleans beat the Sacramento Kings to secure the No. 8 seed. Miami also lost their first contest of the tournament to Philadelphia, but rebounded with a win over the Chicago Bulls to claim the other eighth-seed in the Eastern Conference.
The six teams with the highest winning percentage in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, meanwhile, advance directly to the playoffs. Each round of the NBA playoffs features seven-game series played in the 2-2-1-1-1 format where the higher seed is given home-court advantage for Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
The lower seed subsequently hosts Games 3, 4 and 6. Since the series are best-of-seven, Games 5, 6 and 7 are only played if neither team has reached four wins.
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Round 1 pins the highest-seeded teams against the lowest, meaning the contests are No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5. Following the play-in tournament, the NBA playoff bracket doesn’t undergo any further changes, and team’s aren’t reseeded.
For Round 2 of the NBA playoffs, the winner of the No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup takes on the victor of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 game. The winner of the No. 2 vs. No. 7 contest faces off against the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup.
The culminating series is the NBA Finals, which are set to kick off on June 6. A possible Game 7 is additionally scheduled for June 23.
Here’s a look at the current Round 1 matchups.
NBA Playoff Bracket
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns
No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs No. 5 Orlando Magic
No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers