NBA Play-In Tournament: How It Works

NBA Play-In Tournament determines final playoff spots with 20 teams still in the hunt for a trip to NBA Finals.

The NBA postseason is fast approaching after a rigorous 82-game regular season, with 20 teams vying for a chance to reach the NBA Finals. However, before the playoffs can officially begin, four teams must be eliminated to finalize the bottom half of each conference bracket. This is where the NBA Play-In Tournament comes into play.

For those who haven't closely followed the NBA in recent years, the concept of the Play-In Tournament may seem unfamiliar and confusing. The tournament was first introduced in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, held in the NBA Bubble at Walt Disney World. It was a last-minute effort to salvage the season and give fringe playoff teams a chance to compete for a postseason spot.

Following the success of the Bubble season, the NBA adopted the current format of the Play-In Tournament. The tournament was designed to maintain competitiveness throughout the season by providing teams in the middle of the pack with an extended opportunity to secure a playoff berth. This also aimed to discourage teams from tanking in order to improve their draft lottery odds.

The Play-In Tournament involves the bottom four teams in each conference, seeds No. 7 through No. 10, competing for two spots in the NBA Playoffs. Unlike traditional tournament formats, the Play-In Tournament has a unique structure where the No. 7 seed faces the No. 8 seed, and the No. 9 seed faces the No. 10 seed.

The winners of the top half of the tournament secure the No. 7 seed, while the losers have another chance to earn a playoff spot by facing the winners of the bottom half of the bracket. Ultimately, the Play-In Tournament determines the final seeds for the NBA Playoffs, adding an extra layer of excitement and competition to the postseason.

Teams must win one or two games, depending on their seed, to advance to the playoffs, making every game crucial in determining their postseason fate. Despite the challenges of the Play-In Tournament, teams that survive will face tough competition in the playoffs, as top seeds have enjoyed additional rest and preparation time.

Last year's Miami Heat exemplified the potential for success in the Play-In Tournament, making a historic run to the NBA Finals after securing the No. 8 seed. Their unexpected journey serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the postseason and the opportunities that the Play-In Tournament can provide for underdog teams.

As the NBA Play-In Tournament kicks off, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans will battle for a chance to extend their season and compete for a championship. The tournament's format may be complex, but at its core, it emphasizes the importance of winning and the resilience required to succeed in the competitive landscape of professional basketball.