What are the NBA Playoffs
The NBA Playoffs are the annual postseason tournament where the top 16 teams compete in a best-of-seven bracket format to determine the NBA champion.
The NBA Playoffs are the annual postseason tournament that determines the NBA champion. Beginning each year in mid-April (following the 82-game regular season), 16 teams — 8 from the Eastern Conference and 8 from the Western Conference — compete in a single-elimination bracket of best-of-seven series until one team wins the NBA Finals and is crowned champion.
Playoff Qualification and Seeding
The top 8 teams in each conference by regular-season win percentage qualify for the traditional playoff bracket. Since 2021, the NBA has also introduced the Play-In Tournament, where the 7th-through-10th seeds compete for the final two playoff spots in each conference.
Seeding:
- The #1 seed plays the #8 seed
- The #2 seed plays the #7 seed
- The #3 seed plays the #6 seed
- The #4 seed plays the #5 seed
Higher seeds have home-court advantage in each series — meaning they host more games in a close series.
Playoff Structure
| Round | Matchup | Series Length |
|---|---|---|
| First Round | 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 | Best of 7 |
| Second Round (Conference Semifinals) | 4 winners | Best of 7 |
| Conference Finals | 2 winners per conference | Best of 7 |
| NBA Finals | Eastern champion vs Western champion | Best of 7 |
To win a championship, a team must win 16 games across four rounds — a grueling gauntlet that typically takes nearly two months.
Home-Court Advantage
In a best-of-seven series, the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 (if necessary). Home-court advantage is valuable but not determinative — upsets happen regularly in the playoffs, and teams that perform well on the road are formidable threats regardless of seeding.
The Play-In Tournament
Introduced in 2021, the Play-In Tournament gives teams finishing 7th–10th one more chance to qualify:
- The 7-seed plays the 8-seed (winner gets the 7 slot)
- The 9-seed plays the 10-seed (loser is eliminated)
- The loser of 7 vs. 8 plays the winner of 9 vs. 10 for the 8 slot
The NBA Playoffs and NBA Salary Cap
Unlike the regular season, roster rules tighten in the playoffs — players must be on the roster by the playoff roster deadline to participate. Teams that aggressively used the trade deadline to acquire players are hoping those moves pay off precisely here.
Most NBA Championships
| Franchise | Titles |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 |
The NBA Playoffs are one of the most watched sporting events in North America each spring. Show your playoff team some love with officially licensed gear at the NBA Store.