How the NBA Playoffs Work
How the NBA playoffs work: 20 of 30 teams reach the postseason. Seeds 1 to 6 in each conference qualify directly, seeds 7 to 10 play the Play-In Tournament for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, and the 16-team bracket is four best-of-seven rounds with no reseeding. Below: the Play-In explained, seeding and tiebreakers, home-court advantage, the 2027 dates and TV, and recent NBA Finals results.
Who Qualifies
The 30 teams play 82 regular-season games in two conferences of 15. In each conference the teams are ranked 1 to 15 by record; division titles no longer guarantee a seed. Seeds 1 to 6 go straight to the First Round, seeds 7 to 10 play the Play-In Tournament for seeds 7 and 8, and seeds 11 to 15 are out.
How the Play-In Tournament Works
- 7 v 8 at No. 7: the winner is the No. 7 seed.
- 9 v 10 at No. 9: the loser is eliminated.
- Loser of 7 v 8 v winner of 9 v 10, at the 7/8 loser: the winner is the No. 8 seed.
Apr 13–16, 2027, streaming on Prime Video. Seventh and eighth need one win in two tries; ninth and tenth need two straight wins on the road.
The Four Rounds
The bracket never reseeds: the 1/8 winner always meets the 4/5 winner and the 2/7 winner the 3/6 winner. Each conference produces one champion and the two meet in the NBA Finals.
Home-Court Advantage
In every round the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 and the lower seed Games 3, 4 and 6 (the 2-2-1-1-1 format). In the NBA Finals home court goes to the team with the better regular-season record, regardless of seed.
Tiebreakers
When two teams finish with the same record the NBA applies, in order:
- Head-to-head record
- Division winner over a team that did not win its division
- Division record (teams in the same division only)
- Conference record
- Record against playoff and Play-In teams in the own conference
- Record against playoff and Play-In teams in the other conference
- Point differential
Ties among three or more teams start with a division-winner check, then the combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.
Game Rules in the Playoffs
Four 12-minute quarters; a tie after regulation goes to as many five-minute overtime periods as needed. Rosters, the shot clock and replay rules are the same as in the regular season.
How the Format Has Changed
| Years | Format |
|---|---|
| 1984 to 2002 | 16 teams; First Round best of five, later rounds best of seven |
| 2003 to 2020 | 16 teams, every round best of seven |
| 2015-16 | Division winners lose their guaranteed top-four seed: seeding purely by record |
| 2020-21 to today | Play-In Tournament for seeds 7 to 10; 16-team best-of-seven bracket |
Recent NBA Finals Results
| Year | Champion | Opponent | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | Jalen Brunson |
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers | 4-3 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 | Jaylen Brown |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Nikola Jokić |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Stephen Curry |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat | 4-2 | LeBron James |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Kevin Durant |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 | Kevin Durant |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 | LeBron James |
That is the full NBA playoff format: 20 teams in the postseason, 16 in the bracket, the Play-In for seeds 7 to 10, four best-of-seven rounds and no reseeding. See it live on the bracket and the playoff picture, or pick your own with the predictor.
NBA playoff format FAQ
How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
16 teams play in the playoff bracket, eight per conference, and 20 reach the postseason: seeds 1 to 6 qualify directly and seeds 7 to 10 play the Play-In Tournament for the last two places.
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
In each conference No. 7 hosts No. 8 (the winner is the No. 7 seed) and No. 9 hosts No. 10 (the loser is out). The loser of 7 v 8 then hosts the winner of 9 v 10, and that winner is the No. 8 seed. Every Play-In game is a single game.
Does the NBA reseed the playoffs?
No. The bracket is fixed: in each conference the 1/8 winner plays the 4/5 winner and the 2/7 winner plays the 3/6 winner, whatever the upsets.
Who gets home-court advantage?
The higher seed in every series through the conference finals, hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (2-2-1-1-1). In the NBA Finals it goes to the team with the better regular-season record.
How are ties in the NBA standings broken?
Head-to-head record first, then division winner over non-winner, division record (same division only), conference record, record against playoff teams in the own conference, then the other conference, then point differential.
Do division winners get a top seed?
No. Since 2015-16 seeds go purely by record within the conference; winning the division only matters as a tiebreaker.
What happens if an NBA playoff game is tied?
Five-minute overtime periods are played until there is a winner.
When did the Play-In Tournament start?
In the 2020-21 season. It replaced the old format in which the top eight in each conference qualified directly.