We're about half-way through the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoff Bracket, with 16 teams still eager to secure their place in the NBA Finals!
NBA playoff bracket
Keep tabs on our continually updated bracket as we monitor each series right up to the NBA Finals conclusion. Also, don't forget to explore our most recent NBA picks, featuring top bets from our esteemed basketball analysts and experts.
Be sure to explore our NBA playoff odds to gauge the team most likely to triumph in their respective series. Our NBA Championship odds page provides the top odds for claiming victory in the NBA Finals from premier basketball betting sites in your area. Additionally, follow the progress of specific players on our NBA Finals MVP odds page.
Odds for NBA playoff games
Here are the odds for the upcoming NBA Playoff games, including tonight's matchups.
2024 NBA Playoffs schedule
| Date | Round |
|---|---|
| April 16-19 | NBA Play-In Tournament |
| April 20 | NBA Playoffs begin |
| May 6-7 | NBA Conference Semifinals begin |
| May 21-22 | NBA Conference Finals begin |
| June 6 | NBA Finals Game 1 |
| June 9 | NBA Finals Game 2 |
| June 12 | NBA Finals Game 3 |
| June 14 | NBA Finals Game 4 |
| June 17 | NBA Finals Game 5 (if necessary) |
| June 20 | NBA Finals Game 6 (if necessary) |
| June 23 | NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) |
NBA playoff format
The NBA playoffs, a high-stakes tournament following the regular season, adopt a format designed to favor successful teams while giving underdogs a shot at the championship. Here's a brief look at the structure:
- The postseason begins with a Play-In Tournament featuring the 7th through 10th-ranked teams in each conference. This extends from April 16 to 19.
- The NBA Playoffs kick off with the first round on April 20, where the top one to six teams in each conference join the winners of the Play-In.
- The matchups are set as No. 1 vs. No. 8 seed, No. 2 vs. No. 7 seed, No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed.
- Each playoff round, including the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals, features a seven-game series.
- In these series, the higher-seeded team hosts Games 1, 2, 5 (if necessary), and 7 (if necessary) following a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
- The NBA Finals start on June 6.
NBA Playoff Bracket FAQs
The Play-In Tournament starts on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. The first round of the NBA Playoffs start on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
A total of 16 teams, eight from each conference, make the NBA Playoffs.
The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks snuck in to the Play-In Tournament with fewer than 40 wins in 2024.
