The NBA regular season is over, and now we know four of the first round matchups in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The last four first round series will be determined by the winners of the NBA play-in tournament, which features four teams in each conference vying for the last two spots in the playoff bracket.
NBA play-in tournament 2023: Rules, schedule, bracket, and more
The 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament is set. Here are the matchups we already know in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, and who is competing for the final two sports in each conference.
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In the East, the No. 7 seed Heat will host the No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks for their play-in game, with the winner getting the No. 7 seed in the East playoffs and a matchup with the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. The No. 9 seed Toronto Raptors will host the No. 10 seed Chicago Bulls, with the winner playing the loser of the Heat/Hawks game for the No. 8 and final seed in the East playoffs, which means a matchup with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
In the West, the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers host the No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves with the winner getting the 7-seed and a first round matchup with the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies. The No. 9 seed New Orleans Pelicans will face the No. 10 seed Oklahoma City Thunder with the winner playing the Lakers/Wolves loser for the No. 8 seed in the playoff bracket and a first round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
After experimenting with the idea during the bubble in 2020, the NBA instituted the play-in tournament to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in each conference ahead of the 2021 playoffs. The play-in tournament has given us a few memorable moments in first few years, and this season could be the best one yet with so much parity throughout the standings.
Here’s how the 2023 NBA play-in tournament works, featuring key dates and an updated look at the standings.
NBA play-in tournament rules and bracket
The NBA play-in tournament determines the last two seeds in the playoffs in each conference. The top-six finishers in each conference automatically qualify for the NBA Playoffs. The teams that finish No. 7, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 10 in each conference need to go through the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.
Here’s how it works:
- No. 7 plays No. 8. The winner gets the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, and thus the matchup with the No. 2 seed.
- The No. 9 plays No. 10. The loser is eliminated and their season is over.
- The winner of the 9-10 game and the loser of the 7-8 game then play. The winner gets the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, while the loser’s season is over.
2023 NBA play-in tournament schedule, dates, and results
April 11
Game 1: Atlanta Hawks 116, Miami Heat 105
Game 2: Los Angeles Lakers 108, Minnesota Timberwolves 102
April 12
Game 1: Chicago Bulls 109, Toronto Raptors 105
Game 2: Oklahoma City Thunder 123, New Orleans Pelicans 118
April 14
Game 1: Miami Heat 102, Chicago Bulls 91
Game 2: Minnesota Timberwolves 120, Oklahoma City Thunder 95
Does a team miss the NBA draft lottery if they make the play-in tournament?
Teams that don’t make the NBA Playoffs are in the draft lottery. If a team makes the play-in tournament but does not qualify for the playoffs, then their pick is in the lottery.
Find updated NBA lottery standings at Tankathon.
2023 NBA Playoffs: First round matchups before play-in tournament
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs No. 7 Atlanta Hawks, best of seven series
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets, best of seven series
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks, best of seven series
Western Conference
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves, best of seven series
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers, best of seven series
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors, best of seven series
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, best of seven series
Here are the dates for the first round series:
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