The NBA play-in tournament is scheduled to begin at the end of the regular season, adding a new layer to this final game as teams try to position themselves for a possible postseason berth.
The play-in tournament, first held during the 2020-21 NBA season, expanded the NBA postseason to 20 teams (10 from each conference). The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs, and teams seeded 7-10 participate in a play-in tournament for a chance to extend the season.
The race for this season's play-in tournament is close, with each team looking to avoid the play-in altogether while others hope for at least one more chance at a playoff spot.
In the West, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are being chased by the Houston Rockets and are just two games behind the Dubs for the final play-in spot. In the East, the Brooklyn Nets are still a long way from cracking the top 10, while the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are looking to chase the Indiana Pacers for sixth place in a bid to avoid the play-ins altogether. .
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 play-in tournament, including how it works, current standings, potential matchups, and more.
more:
Player/coach with the most losses
Current ranking
Through the game on March 31st.
Monday's featured matches
Expected match situation
Let's take a look at what the 2024 play-in tournament would look like if the season ended today.
eastern conference
- No. 8 76ers vs. No. 7 Heat
- 10th place Hawks vs. 9th place Bulls
- Winner 9/10 vs. Loser 7/8
western conference
- 8th place Suns vs. 7th place Kings
- 10th place Warriors vs. 9th place Lakers
- Winner 9/10 vs. Loser 7/8
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
As part of the play-in tournament, a total of six games involving eight teams will be played across two conferences.
Teams that finish 1st through 6th in each conference are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, and teams 7th through 10th in the standings advance to the play-ins. Teams that finish worse than 10th will enter the NBA Draft lottery.
Here's how the game works:
- Game 1 (Tuesday, April 16th): The seventh-place team in each conference's standings will host the eighth-place team, with the winner earning the seventh seed for the playoffs. The losing team will get another chance in Game 3 on Friday.
- Game 2 (Wednesday, April 17th): The 9th place team from each conference will meet the 10th place team, with the winner advancing to Game 3. The loser will be eliminated and participate in the NBA Draft lottery.
- Game 3 (Friday, April 19th): The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in each conference in the postseason. The loser of Game 3 will participate in the NBA Draft lottery.
In this format, the teams ranked 7th and 8th in winning percentage will have two chances to win a game to qualify for the playoffs, while the teams ranked 9th and 10th in winning percentage will have two chances to win a game to qualify for the playoffs. must win two in a row. .
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