More NBA Playoffs news

Overshadowed by Jerry Jones’ Cowboys, Mark Cuban’s Risky Gamble Saved the Mavericks and Kyrie Irving’s Legacy

The presence of the Cowboys enabled Mark Cuban and the Mavericks to be courageous with their trades, potentially rescuing Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving and Mark Cuban

Is Luka Doncic Playing Tonight vs Timberwolves? Mavericks Injury Report Ahead Of Decisive Game 4

Everything you need to know about whether Luka Doncic will play tonight's possible series decider against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA: Playoffs-Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder

Jaylen Brown’s Traumatic Exchange With Teacher Gets Excavated By Fans: “Look Me Up In The Cobb County Jail”

Ten years after his teacher made an embarrassing prediction, Jaylen Brown has managed to secure a coveted title to his name.

NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers

Celtics Locker Room: Swollen Eye Fails to Stop Payton Pritchard as NBA Finals Celebrations Get Underway

Despite being kicked in the face and suffering a swollen eye, Payton Pritchard did not let it disturb his Celtics celebrations.

NBA: Playoffs-Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics

LeBron James Sends Love To Jaylen Brown While Celtics Star Laments Over Hurtful Reality

LeBron James takes to congratulate Jaylen Brown on the Boston Celtics' Eastern Conference Finals series sweep and on to the NBA Finals!

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics

“His Girl Is Probably Watching”: Jaylen Brown Breaks Silence On Brawl With Myles Turner After Game 4 Victory

Jaylen Brown addresses the on-court brawl with Myles Turner with a few shocking words after completing the sweep against the Indiana Pacers.

NBA: Playoffs-Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics

“Clears Tatum”: No Complaints From Celtics Loyalists as Jaylen Brown Wins Ecf MVP Over 26YO Teammate

While celebrating another NBA Finals trip, Celtics fans didn't hesitate in claiming Jaylen Brown to be better than MVP candidate Tatum.

NBA: Playoffs-Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics

What Happened to TJ McConnell? Pacers Star in Agony After Nasty Jaylen Brown Play

Every detail about what happened to TJ McConnell, as his scary fall after a nasty blow from Jaylen Brown leaves the Pacers' fans gasping

NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers

Fight Breaks Out as Myles Turner & Jaylen Brown’s Heated Brawl Lands Both in Trouble at Game 4

With the series on the line, Myles Turner risked it all with a heated brawl against Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown.

NBA: Playoffs-Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics

What Happened to Myles Turner? Injuries Continue to Haunt Pacers in Game 4 as 6’11 Star Hobbles to Locker Room

Following Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers have yet another injury worry in Game 4, as the young center Myles Turner headed to the locker room.

NBA: Playoffs-Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers

When Will Kristaps Porzingis Return? Latest Update on 7’2 Latvian Star as Expected Game 4 Comeback Halts

All the latest chatter about Kristaps Porzingis and a timeline on his return to action as he misses Game 4 of the Boston vs. Indiana series

NBA: Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks

What Happened to Tyrese Haliburton? Details on Pacers All-Star’s Injury Ahead of Win or Go Home vs Celtics

Tyrese Haliburton is on the Pacers injury report as Indiana gears up for a potential final game of the season vs the Boston Celtics.

NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers

About NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs is an annual basketball elimination event held to determine the league champions. It is a four-round, best of 7 tournament that is held right after the regular season and the preliminary tournament, i.e. the Play-In tournament.

While the top 6 teams from each of the conferences come together to play against each other in the play-off series, #7 and #8 from the conferences were determined by the Play-ins.

2024 NBA Playoff Picture

1Boston Celtics1OKC Thunder
2New York Knicks2Denver Nuggets
3Milwaukee Bucks3Minnesota Timberwolves
4Cleveland Cavaliers4LA Clippers
5Orlando Magic5Dallas Mavericks
6Indiana Pacers6Phoenix Suns
7Philadelphia 76ers7Los Angeles Lakers
8Miami Heat8New Orleans Pelicans

First round schedule:

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston vs. (8) Miami

• Game 1: Celtics vs. Heat; Sunday, April 21
• Game 2: Heat vs. Celtics; Wednesday, April 24 
• Game 3: Celtics vs. Heat; Saturday, April 27 
• Game 4: Celtics vs. Heat; Monday, April 29 
• Game 5: Heat vs. Celtics; Wednesday, May 1 *
• Game 6: Celtics vs. Heat; Friday, May 3 *
• Game 7: Heat vs. Celtics; Sunday, May 5 *

* = If necessary

(2) New York vs. (7) Philadelphia

• Game 1: Knicks vs. 76ers; Saturday, April 20
• Game 2:Knicks vs. 76ers; Monday, April 22
• Game 3: Knicks vs. 76ers; Thursday, April 25 
• Game 4: Knicks vs. 76ers; Sunday, April 28 
• Game 5: 76ers vs. Knicks; Tuesday, April 30 *
• Game 6: Knicks vs. 76ers; Thursday, May 2 *
• Game 7: 76ers vs. Knicks; Saturday, May 4 *

* = If necessary

(3) Milwaukee vs. (6) Indiana

• Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks; Sunday, April 21
• Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks; Tuesday, April 23 
• Game 3: Bucks vs. Pacers; Friday, April 26 
• Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers; Sunday, April 28
• Game 5: Pacers vs. Bucks; Tuesday, April 30 *
• Game 6: Bucks vs. Pacers; Thursday, May 2 *
• Game 7: Pacers vs. Bucks; Saturday, May 4 *

* = If necessary

(4) Cleveland vs. (5) Orlando

• Game 1: Cavaliers vs. Magic; Saturday, April 20
• Game 2: Cavaliers vs. Magic; Monday, April 22
• Game 3: Cavaliers vs. Magic; Thursday, April 25 
• Game 4: Cavaliers vs. Magic; Saturday, April 27 
• Game 5: Magic vs. Cavaliers; Tuesday, April 30 *
• Game 6: Cavaliers vs. Magic; Friday, May 3 *
• Game 7: Magic vs. Cavaliers; Sunday, May 5 *
* = If necessary

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City vs. (8) New Orleans

• Game 1: Thunder vs. Pelicans; Sunday, April 21
• Game 2: Pelicans vs. Thunder; Wednesday, April 24
• Game 3: Thunder vs. Pelicans; Saturday, April 27 
• Game 4: Thunder vs. Pelicans; Monday, April 29 
• Game 5: Pelicans vs. Thunder; Wednesday, May 1 *
• Game 6: Thunder vs. Pelicans; Friday, May 3 *
• Game 7: Pelicans vs. Thunder; Sunday, May 5 *
* = If necessary

(2) Denver vs. (7) L.A. Lakers

• Game 1: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Saturday, April 20
• Game 2:Nuggets vs. Lakers; Monday, April 22
• Game 3: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Thursday, April 25 
• Game 4: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Saturday, April 27
• Game 5: Lakers vs. Nuggets; Monday, April 29 *
• Game 6: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Thursday, May 2 *
• Game 7: Lakers vs. Nuggets; Saturday, May 4 *
* = If necessary

Minnesota vs. Phoenix

• Game 1: Timberwolves vs Suns; Saturday, April 20
• Game 2: Suns vs. Timberwolves; Tuesday, April 23
• Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Suns; Friday, April 26 
• Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Suns; Sunday, April 28 
• Game 5: Suns vs. Timberwolves; Tuesday, April 30 *
• Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Suns; Thursday, May 2 *
• Game 7: Suns vs. Timberwolves; Saturday, May 4 *
* = If necessary

LA Clippers vs. Dallas

• Game 1: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Sunday, April 21:
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Clippers; Tuesday, April 23 
• Game 3: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Friday, April 26 
• Game 4: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Sunday, April 28 
• Game 5: Mavericks vs. Clippers; Wednesday, May 1 *
• Game 6: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Friday, May 3 *
• Game 7: Mavericks vs. Clippers; Sunday, May 5 *
* = If necessary

How does the NBA Playoffs bracket work?

With NBA Playoffs, both East and West Conference conduct the matches in a traditional form of best-of-seven rounds. A series is played in the 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning that a team with home-court advantage will host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the opponent will host Games 3, 4, and 6. Games 5, 6, and 7 will be played if needed.

The format has been in the play since 2014, after a unanimous vote to change the format from the earlier 2-3-2 format. Once the Playoffs begin, teams participating are not "re-seeded". They are already selected on the basis of the results of the Regular season and the Play-in series after that.

When do the NBA Playoffs 2024 begin?

NBA Playoffs 2024 officially began on April 20, 2024, after the regular season ended on April 14, 2024.

What is the Playoff Format for 2024?

8 Teams will be divided into smaller groups of 2 each in the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively. Here's how the Playoffs will actually work this year: (NOTE: All data presented is latest as of April 30, 2024)

In the West, we have the LA Lakers and Denver Nuggets in a group, with the Nuggets making it to the next round of Playoffs.

Then, its the Timberwolves and the Suns in another group, with the T-Wolves making it to the next round. Then we will have the LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, with nobody making it to the next series as of today, since they are still contesting to make it to the next round. And lastly, we have the OKC Thunder and the Pelicans competing against each other, with OKC making it to the next round.

Similarly, on the Eastern side, we will have one team making it to the next Playoffs round from each of the following:

  • Boston Celtics and Miami Heat in one group.
  • New York Knicks and 76ers in one group.
  • Bucks and Pacers in one group.
  • Cavaliers and Magic in one group.

One team from each of the above-presented groups will make it to Round 2.

Coming back to the Western Conference, in round 2, OKC Thunder will clash against one team winning from LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks (once a winner is determined in round 1). Then the Nuggets and Timberwolves will be clashing against each other to go ahead. Then the two winners from this round will clash against each other in the Conference Finals to make it to the Finals.

Similarly, on the Eastern side, we will have 4 teams of the following 8 making it to the next round.

  • Boston Celtics and Miami Heat
  • New York Knicks and 76ers
  • Bucks and Pacers
  • Cavaliers and Magic

Then, once the four teams are determined, they will be divided again in groups of 2, clashing against each other in the Conference Finals, with the best team finally making it to the Finals.

How many teams make it to the NBA playoffs 2024?

16 teams in total will make it to the NBA Playoffs 2024, like every year. There will be 8 teams coming from the Eastern Conference and then 8 from the Western Conference. The top 6 seeds in both Eastern and Western Conference advance to the Playoffs after making it through the regular season. The final 2 seeds, Seed 7 and Seed 8 from each of the conferences will be determined through the Play-In Tournament.

Currently, this is how the standings look like:

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1784829998404075692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1784829998404075692%7Ctwgr%5Edf9e3abedb01510c4554a34f416e69b010a73865%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fnba%2Fnews%2F2024-nba-playoffs-bracket-schedule-matchups-and-scores-for-first-round

NBA Playoffs 2024 Round 2

In the second round, we will have the best-of-7 format once again, with the higher-seeded team hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7.

NBA Playoffs 2024 Round 2 Schedule

So far, this is what the second round (Conference Semifinals) schedule looks like:

No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Game 1: Wolves at Nuggets, May 4
  • Game 2: Wolves at Nuggets, May 6
  • Game 3: Nuggets at Wolves, May 10
  • Game 4: Nuggets at Wolves, May 12
  • Game 5*: Wolves at Nuggets, May 14
  • Game 6*: Nuggets at Wolves, May 16
  • Game 7*: Wolves at Nuggets, May 19
* = If necessary

When do the NBA conference semifinals start?

The 2024 NBA conference semifinals begin on May 6-7, but the dates can be pre-poned to May 4-5, if the Playoffs end early.

When do the NBA conference finals start?

The 2024 NBA conference semifinals begin on May 21-22, but the dates can be pre-poned to May 19-20, if the Playoffs end early.

When do the NBA Finals start?

The NBA Finals begin on June 6, matching up the best teams from the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. The Finals can end anytime between June 14 through June 23, depending on how long the series lasts.