NBA Play-In Tournament: Everything You Need to Know

• The NBA Play-In Tournament is back for its second full event
• The NBA Play-In Tournament will occur from April 12-15
• The NBA Playoffs will begin on April 16

When the NBA regular season concludes, the NBA Playoffs no longer begin immediately. Beginning in 2020, the NBA implemented play-in games used to determine the final participants in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Rather than the top eight teams automatically qualifying for the NBA Playoffs, the 7th through 10th seeds compete for the final two spots in each conference.

There has been criticism of the NBA Play-In Tournament, particularly by stars like LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, as well as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Despite their grievances, the last two Play-In tournaments have provided NBA fans with some of the year’s most exciting games.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about the NBA Play-In Tournament and how it will work!

Which Teams Are Playing in the NBA Play-In Tournament?

Here’s a preview of the teams who are expected to compete in this year’s NBA Play-In. The regular season will end on April 10th and the participating teams are subject to change.

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Eastern Conference

• #10 Brooklyn Nets vs. #9 Charlotte Hornets
• #8 Atlanta Hawks vs. #7 Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference

• #10 San Antonio Spurs vs. #9 New Orleans Pelicans
• #8 LA Clippers vs. #7 Minnesota Timberwolves

When is the NBA Play-In Tournament?

The 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament will occur between April 12th and April 15th.

How Does the Play-In Tournament Work?

Play-In

Mini Movie

Blazers vs Grizzlies #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/b5crv46fe7

— NBA Spain (@NBAspain) August 16, 2020

The NBA Play-In Tournament showcases 6 total games and involves 8 teams, 4 from each of the NBA’s conferences.

The top 6 seeds in each conference qualify for guaranteed playoff positions, while the teams that finish 7th through 10th participate in the Play-In. The teams that finish with the 7th and 8th highest winning percentage during the regular season will have two opportunities to qualify for the NBA Playoffs.

Let’s take a look at how the games will work:

• Game 1
  • The 7th seed will host the 8th seed. The winner of Game 1 will earn the 7th seed in their respective conferences playoff bracket. The losing team will compete in Game 3
• Game 2
  • The 9th seed will host the 10th seed. The winner of Game 2 will move on to compete in Game 3. The loser of Game 2 will be eliminated for the Play-In Tournament and from playoff contention
• Game 3
  • The loser of Game 1 will host the loser of Game 2. The winner of Game 3 will be awarded the 8th seed in their respective conferences playoff bracket.

Past NBA Play-In Tournament Results