How the NBA Play-In Tournament Works Explainer
The NBA Play-In Tournament sits between the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. In each conference, the teams finishing seventh through tenth compete for the seventh and eighth playoff seeds. Teams one through six qualify directly and avoid the play-in entirely.
The seventh-place team hosts the eighth-place team, and the winner claims the No. 7 seed. The loser is not eliminated. Separately, the ninth-place team hosts the tenth-place team, with the loser eliminated and the winner moving on.
The final play-in game is hosted by the loser of the 7-versus-8 matchup against the winner of 9-versus-10. The winner earns the No. 8 playoff seed; the loser is out. In effect, seventh and eighth place have two chances to win one game, while ninth and tenth must win twice.
The format rewards the stronger regular-season finish through home court and an extra path, while keeping more teams involved late in the schedule. When the bracket begins, remember that the opening games are not symmetrical: one awards a seed, and the other only keeps a season alive.
The teams ranked seventh through tenth in each conference after the regular season.
It can beat No. 8 in the first game or, after losing, win the final game against the 9-10 winner.
Yes, but it must win two consecutive road games to claim the eighth seed.
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