The NBA Play-In Tournament is a high-stakes, single-elimination competition that takes place at the end of the regular NBA season, offering lower-seeded teams a chance to secure a spot in the playoffs. You can watch all six games live to see which underdogs will get a shot at the trophy on Sling TV – and you can do it for just $20.
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Table Of Contents
The Play-In Tournament is a relative newcomer to the NBA’s postseason format, but it’s one that’s been popular with both players and fans. By having this “pre-playoff”, 20 out of 30 teams can continue in the competition after the regular season ends. Plus it gives teams a reason not to tank or intentionally lose a game to get a better position in the NBA Draft process.
If you want to get in on this – the tip-off to the postseason – all you need to sign up for is Sling Orange, as it has everything required to watch every play-in game. Read on for details.
NBA Play-In Tournament Overview
The NBA Playoffs work the same as for most sports: the teams in each conference are seeded (or ranked) by winning percentage, and the top six teams automatically get to compete for the NBA Championship title.
The Play-In Tournament includes the four 7th-to-10th-place teams in the league standings after the regular season. Those teams then play a kind of mini-tournament to determine the No. 7 and 8 Seeds which then get to play in the playoffs. It was first implemented in the 2019-20 season to help mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on the season.
What Teams Are Participating in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA regular season ended on Sunday, April 14, deciding which 20 teams made the postseason bracket.
The four lowest-ranking teams (seeds 7-10) in each conference will battle it out in the play-in matches to determine the no. 7 and 8 seeds that will advance to the playoffs.
The Western Conference
In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves finished top three in the standings so are automatically playoff-bound. The LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, and Phoenix Suns finished in 4th, 5th, and 6th place, respectively, meaning they also secured playoff slots.
This leaves the play-in matches to determine the final two Western teams. The four teams in contention are the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, and Golden State Warriors.
The following Western teams ranked outside the top ten and were eliminated from playoff consideration. Better luck next year, guys!
The Eastern Conference
As for the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics secured not just a playoff berth, but the position of No. 1 Seed. The New York Knicks finished second, followed (in order) by the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat had been working to secure a playoff spot, but will now head to the play-ins with the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks (who ranked 9th and 10th, respectively).
These Eastern teams missed any boat to the playoffs, though. Maybe next year, fellas!
How Does the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
Teams are divided into Groups A and B. Group A is the 7th and 8th seed, and they play each other, with the winner taking the 7th playoff seed.
In Group B, the 9th and 10th seeds play. The loser is out, but the winner goes on to play the loser of the Group A match, and that winner takes the 8th seed.
This means the Pelicans will play the Lakers in the Western Conference as the no. 7 and 8 seeds, respectively. In the Eastern Conference, these teams are the 76ers and Heat. The winner of those two matches will move into the playoffs.
The Kings and Warriors, as the Western Conference’s no. 9 and 10 seeds, will play against each other in Group B. For the Eastern Conference, these teams are the Bulls and Hawks. The winner of these matches will play the loser of their conference’s Group A matches, to decide the final playoff slot.
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When Is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament is just six matchups long, played over three days. Here’s a rundown
Tuesday, April 16 – Western Conference
- : No. 7 Pelicans vs No. 8 Lakers (TNT)
- : No. 9 Kings vs No. 10 Warriors (TNT)
Wednesday, April 17 – Eastern Conference
- : No. 7 76ers vs No. 8 Heat (ESPN)
- : No. 9 Bulls vs No. 10 Hawks (ESPN)
Friday, April 19
- TBD: East No. 7/8 vs East No. 9/10 (ESPN)
- TBD: West No. 7/8 vs West No. 9/10 (TNT)
The winners will go onto play in the playoffs:
| Date | Time (ET) | Teams | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Apr 16 | 7:30 pm | Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans | TNT |
| Tue Apr 16 | 10:00 pm | Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings | TNT |
| Wed Apr 17 | 7:30 pm | Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Wed Apr 17 | 10:05 pm | Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls | ESPN |
| Fri Apr 19 | 7:40 pm | Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat | ESPN |
| Fri Apr 19 | 9:30 pm | New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings | TNT |
| Sat Apr 20 | 1:00 pm | Magic vs Cavaliers | ESPN |
| Sat Apr 20 | 3:30 pm | Suns vs Timberwolves | ESPN |
| Sat Apr 20 | 6:00 pm | 76ers vs Knicks | ESPN |
| Sat Apr 20 | 8:30 pm | Lakers vs Nuggets | ABC |
| Sun Apr 21 | 1:00 pm | Heat vs Celtics | ABC |
| Sun Apr 21 | 3:30 pm | Mavericks vs Clippers | ABC |
| Sun Apr 21 | 7:00 pm | Pacers vs Bucks | TNT |
| Sun Apr 21 | 9:30 pm | Pelicans vs Thunder | TNT |
| Mon Apr 22 | 7:00 pm | Magic vs Cavaliers | NBA TV |
| Mon Apr 22 | 7:30 pm | 76ers vs Knicks | TNT |
| Mon Apr 22 | 10:00 pm | Lakers vs Nuggets | TNT |
| Tue Apr 23 | 7:30 pm | Suns vs Timberwolves | TNT |
| Tue Apr 23 | 8:30 pm | Pacers vs Bucks | NBA TV |
| Tue Apr 23 | 10:00 pm | Mavericks vs Clippers | TNT |
| Wed Apr 24 | 7:00 pm | Heat vs Celtics | TNT |
| Wed Apr 24 | 9:30 pm | Pelicans vs Thunder | TNT |
| Thu Apr 25 | 7:00 pm | Cavaliers vs Magic | NBA TV |
| Thu Apr 25 | 7:30 pm | Knicks vs 76ers | TNT |
| Thu Apr 25 | 10:00 pm | Nuggets vs Lakers | TNT |
| Fri Apr 26 | 5:30 pm | Bucks vs Pacers | ESPN |
| Fri Apr 26 | 8:00 pm | Clippers vs Mavericks | ESPN |
| Fri Apr 26 | 10:30 pm | Timberwolves vs Suns | ESPN |
| Sat Apr 27 | 1:00 pm | Cavaliers vs Magic | TNT |
| Sat Apr 27 | 3:30 pm | Thunder vs Pelicans | TNT |
| Sat Apr 27 | 6:00 pm | Celtics vs Heat | TNT |
| Sat Apr 27 | 8:30 pm | Nuggets vs Lakers | ABC |
| Sun Apr 28 | 1:00 pm | Knicks vs 76ers | ABC |
| Sun Apr 28 | 3:30 pm | Clippers vs Mavericks | ABC |
| Sun Apr 28 | 7:00 pm | Bucks vs Pacers | TNT |
| Sun Apr 28 | 9:30 pm | Timberwolves vs Suns | TNT |
| Mon Apr 29 | TBD | Celtics vs Heat† | |
| Mon Apr 29 | TBD | Lakers vs Nuggets† | |
| Mon Apr 29 | TBD | Thunder vs Pelicans† | |
| Tue Apr 30 | TBD | Magic vs Cavaliers† | |
| Tue Apr 30 | TBD | Pacers vs Bucks† | |
| Tue Apr 30 | TBD | 76ers vs Knicks† | |
| Tue Apr 30 | TBD | Suns vs Timberwolves† | |
| Wed May 1 | TBD | Mavericks vs Clippers† | |
| Wed May 1 | TBD | Heat vs Celtics† | |
| Wed May 1 | TBD | Pelicans vs Thunder† | |
| Thu May 2 | TBD | Timberwolves vs Suns† | |
| Thu May 2 | TBD | Knicks vs 76ers† | |
| Thu May 2 | TBD | Nuggets vs Lakers† | |
| Thu May 2 | TBD | Bucks vs Pacers† | |
| Fri May 3 | TBD | Cavaliers vs Magic† | |
| Fri May 3 | TBD | Celtics vs Heat† | |
| Fri May 3 | TBD | Clippers vs Mavericks† | |
| Fri May 3 | TBD | Thunder vs Pelicans† | |
| Sat May 4 | TBD | Lakers vs Nuggets† | |
| Sat May 4 | TBD | Pacers vs Bucks† | |
| Sat May 4 | TBD | 76ers vs Knicks† | |
| Sat May 4 | TBD | Suns vs Timberwolves† | |
| Sun May 5 | TBD | Magic vs Cavaliers† | |
| Sun May 5 | TBD | Mavericks vs Clippers† | |
| Sun May 5 | TBD | Pelicans vs Thunder† | |
| Sun May 5 | TBD | Heat vs Celtics† |
Wrapping Up
The 2024 NBA play-in tournament games offer two more teams in each conference an entry into the playoffs, so they’re likely to see all players bring their best. The six matchups take place April 16th-19th, and you can watch them all with Sling Orange for the cheapest price. Save 50% on your first month of Sling TV.
FAQ
How do NBA Playoffs work 2024?
The NBA Playoffs start after the regular season has ended. In 2024, the first round starts April 20th, after the Play-In Tournament ends on April 19th. Sixteen teams make the playoffs, eight from each conference (East and West). The top six teams from the regular season automatically advance to the playoffs, while the final two are decided by the Play-In Tournament.
There are four rounds of best-of-seven games during the playoffs, using a traditional bracket format. The rounds are known as the First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and then the NBA Finals.
When are the 2024 NBA Playoffs?
The 2024 NBA Playoffs schedule is as follows:
- April 16-19: NBA Play-In Tournament (ESPN, TNT)
- April 20: First Rounds begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV)
- May 6-7: Conference Semifinals begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT)
- May 21-22: Conference Finals begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT)
- June 6: NBA Finals (ABC)
All channels airing playoff games can be streamed online with Sling TV.
Page Updates ▼▲
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Updated for 2024.
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Added links to streaming services. Cross linking.
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Reworked some sections.
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