Everything changes in the playoffs. In the NBA, the playoffs are where some of the greatest players defined their legacies. It’s where rivalries are renewed. It’s where history is made.
After months of regular-season play that takes an extreme toll on players’ bodies, the playoffs take all that stress and intensity and cranks it up.
Every arena fortunate enough to host a playoff game turns into a madhouse, filled to the brim with fanatics who are living and dying with each shot. Momentum swings in the matter of seconds as a turnover and fastbreak dunk can send 15,000+ into a frenzy.
It’s a chance for underdogs to make a run, or for the favorites to plow through the competition. It’s the chance to achieve the ultimate success in basketball: Hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy as NBA champions.
As the postseason approaches and the anticipation builds, let’s break down all the key information you need to know about the NBA playoffs.
Understanding the NBA Playoff Format
The NBA’s postseason begins by seeding the Nos. 1 through 10 seed in each conference, which happens at the conclusion of the regular season.
Then, the NBA Play-In Tournament begins. The No. 7 seeds play the No. 8 seeds in each conference, while the No. 9 seeds play the No. 10. The winners of the 7/8 games are declared the No. 7 seeds. The winners of the 9/10 matchups then play the losers of the 7/8 matchups to determine the No. 8 seed.
Once both conferences have their top eight seeds, the first round begins. This is a best-of-seven series where the No. 1 plays the No. 8, the No. 2 plays the No. 7, the No. 3 plays the No. 6 and the No. 4 plays the No. 5.
When the first round is over, the four winning teams in each conference advance to the conference semifinals. The winning teams then advance to the conference finals.
Once each conference has a champion, those two teams meet in the NBA Finals. The team with the better regular season record gets home court advantage. The Finals follow the 2-2-1-1-1 format for games.
The team with the better record plays the first two Finals games at home, plus two out of three down the stretch (should they be necessary).
Key Dates for the NBA Playoffs
How NBA Playoff Seeding Works
The teams in each conference are seeded based on regular-season record. By expanding the playoff field to 20 teams with the Play-In Tournament, the NBA aimed to increase competitiveness down the stretch.
The league heard the frustration from fans regarding players sitting out too many late-season games and teams packing it in and tanking with months left to play. With NBA ticket prices being as expensive as ever before, it was entirely understandable for fans to be upset. Paying a premium price and not getting a premium product (like when the stars ride the pine) isn’t exactly something that sits well.
Expanding the playoff field hasn’t solved this problem entirely, but it has certainly helped, particularly with tanking. Teams in the hunt for the No. 9 or No. 10 seed who might’ve typically given up on the season are now motivated to get into the playoffs for a chance at becoming the No. 8 seed.
Plenty of teams who began in the Play-In Tournament have made significant playoff runs.
NBA Finals Format and Championship Rules
Home court for the NBA Finals is awarded to the team with the better regular-season record and uses the 2-2-1-1-1 format.
For example, the 2024 NBA Finals featured the Boston Celtics (64–18) and the Dallas Mavericks (50–32). Boston had more wins in the regular season, so the Celtics had home-court advantage.
The first two games were held in the TD Garden in Boston, with the next two games in the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The fifth (and final) game was in Boston. If Games 6 and 7 were needed, they would’ve been played in Dallas and Boston, respectively.
Essentially, the team with home-court advantage in the finals gets to open and close a seven-game series at home, playing four of the seven matchups in its home arena.
Outside of winning the championship, a player from the winning team is also awarded the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award for an outstanding performance. But perhaps the biggest winner is the owner of the winning team. According to Forbes, the NBA champion can expect a valuation increase of roughly $1.25 billion.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Playoffs Format, Key Dates and More.