2024 NBA Playoff Bracket: Eastern and Western Conferences

The NBA 23-24 season is drawing to a close, and Playoffs time is rapidly approaching. It will begin on April 20, right after the deciding Play-in Tournament.

In the NBA Playoffs, the sixteen best NBA teams will face off in four games played in a best-of-seven series. The all-mighty Denver Nuggets are the reigning NBA champions, but will they be able to hold onto their crown against basketball powerhouses like Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics?

The top twelve teams have already qualified based on their regular-season records. However, the final four slots are still open. The teams seeded 7th—10th compete in the preliminary stage, the Play-In Tournament, to decide the final spots for the NBA Playoffs.

Here's everything you need to know about the NBA Playoffs, including Play-In Tournament details, the NBA Playoff first round schedule, and where to watch.

NBA Playoffs 2024: Key Dates

Save these dates! Here are all the major dates for matches during the NBA Playoff season.

• April 14: NBA Regular Season series ends
• April 16: 19: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
• April 20 - 21: First round of NBA Playoffs begin
• May 6 - 7: NBA Conference Semifinals*
• May 21 - 22: NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals*
• June 6 - 23: NBA Finals*

(* dates are subject to change depending on results and if tiebreakers are involved)

In the event of two or more teams being tied in the standings, a series of tiebreakers are applied to determine which team receives the higher seeding

1. Better record with head-to-head games
2. Division Winner (Only applicable if both teams are in the same division)
3. Conference Record

How does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?

The No. 7-10 seeds from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference will compete in the NBA's annual Play-In tournament to secure the final four slots in the Playoffs.

The teams ranked 9th and 10th in each NBA conference will compete in the Play-In brackets. The victors challenge the losers of the 7th versus 8th matchups, determining the 8th seed in the Playoffs for each Conference, the last spot in the NBA Playoffs.

NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule

The 2024 Play-In Tournament begins tomorrow, April 16, until April 19.

Here is the schedule—all times are ET, and match winners are bold. Which teams will emerge victorious in this final elimination game before the NBA Playoff begins?

Western Conference

April 16

7:30 AM: 7v.8 Game - LA Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans

10:00 AM: 9v.10 Game - Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings

Eastern Conference

April 17

• 7:00 AM: 7v.8 Game - Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76'ers
• 9:30 AM: 9v.10 Game - Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls

In the second round of the tournament, the Winner of the 9v.10 Game will face the loser of the 7v.8 Game. The winner of the 7/8 Game is seeded straight into the first round of the Playoffs.

NBA Playoffs: First Round Schedule

Based on their regular season record, many NBA Playoff teams have already been seeded into their respective matchups.

The NBA Playoffs First Round series, presented by Google Pixel, begins on April 20 once the final Playoff team has been decided. As with the Play-In tournament schedule, all times will be in ET, and match winners will be in bold.

Western Conference

April 20 (Time TBD)

• (No.2 Seed) Denver Nuggets vs. TBD No.7 Seed
• (No.3 Seed) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (No.6 Seed) Phoenix Suns

April 21 (Time TBD)

• (No.1 Seed) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. TBD No.8 Seed
• (No.4 Seed) LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Eastern Conference

April 20 (Time TBD)

• (No.2 Seed) New York Knicks vs. TBD No.7 Seed
• (No.4 Seed) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (No.7 Seed) Orlando Magic

April 21 (Time TBD)

• (No.1 Seed) Boston Celtics vs. TBD No. 8 Seed
• (No.3 Seed) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (No.6 Seed) Indiana Pacers

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Final Thoughts

That's everything you currently know about the NBA Playoffs, concluding the 23- 24 season. Make sure you bookmark this page, as we'll update it with all the latest information, including upcoming matches and broadcast destinations. Create a Rivalry account for slam-dunk NBA SGCs bets, live NBA odds, welcome bonuses, and 24/7 customer support.

If you're looking for specific NBA Playoff FAQs, keep reading to learn more!

NBA Playoff FAQs

What is the NBA Playoff schedule?

The key dates for the NBA Playoff schedule are as follows: April 16 - 19 is the Play-In Tournament, followed by the NBA Playoffs first round on April 20. The Conference Semifinals are from May 6 - 7, with the NBA Conference Finals from May 20 - 22. From June 6, the NBA Finals begin, which will last until June 23 at the latest. These dates are subject to change, depending on results and potential tiebreakers.

How many teams make it to the NBA Playoff series?

In NBA history, sixteen teams will make it to the NBA playoffs, with four qualifying from the Play-In tournament.

How do the NBA Playoffs work?

The top eight teams from each Conference, Eastern and Western, qualify for the NBA Playoffs based on their total win-loss records from the entire 23-24 regular season. The sixteen teams in total compete in a single-elimination bracket, with each series played as best-of-seven (Bo7) games. In this format, teams are seeded 1 - 8 in each conference.

Teams are reseeded after each round as this process continues until only one team remains in each conference, to face off in the NBA Finals.

How do NBA Playoff tiebreakers work?

When tied teams are in the NBA playoffs, some tiebreaker criteria come into play when it involves two or more teams. This includes examining each team's conference record, division record, overall record with head-to-head games, and highest winning percentage in either conference games or against playoff teams in their own conference.

Where can I watch the 2024 NBA Playoffs?

All NBA Playoff matches will be aired on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, NBA TV Philippines, OneSports, Setanta Sports, and Pilipinas Live!

Who will win NBA Finals 2024?

It's still early days in the NBA Playoffs, however, we do have some favorite teams in mind to win the title. As to the favorite team to win the NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks stand out as the only team in the Eastern Conference with a spotless scorecard with their last three games. Boston Celtics are another favorite entering the postseason with the highest win rate, currently standing at 78%, making them two teams to watch in the NBA Playoffs.