The NBA play-in tournament has been used to determine the final playoff teams in each conference since being adopted by the league during the bubble. The current iteration of the play-in tournament has a format that’s easy to understand, and puts extra pressure on teams to maximize their regular season win total to secure their seeding.
NBA play-in tournament rules, explained for 2025, with updated standings for tight races
Here’s an explainer on the NBA play-in tournament and the matchups for 2025.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
The NBA play-in tournament has never been more consequential than it is this year, with five Western Conference teams battling for the last three protected seeds in the final games of the regular season. Two of these teams will be sequestered to the play-in tournament, where their season can end quickly if they don’t deliver. The four Eastern Conference play-in teams are already locked in, but the fight for positioning will go down to final day of the season.
Here’s a quick explanation of how the play-in tournament works, plus a look at the teams fighting to stay out of it before the regular season ends on Sunday, April 13.
- The No. 7 team in the regular season standings hosts the No. 8 team in a single-elimination game. The winner gets the No. 7 seed in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
- The No. 9 team in the regular season standings hosts the No. 10 team in a single-elimination game. The loser’s season is over.
- The winner of the 9-10 game faces the loser of the 7-8 game for the No. 8 seed in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Here’s what it looks like in graphic form. Now, let’s dive into the teams involved in the 2025 NBA play-in tournament during the final days of the regular season.
No NBA team wants to be in the play-in tournament, because your season can end with one (or two) bad nights. Here’s the current regular season standings in the East and the West.
NBA Western Conference play-in tournament matchups and dates
Tuesday, April 15
No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup for the No. 7 seed
- Warriors vs. Grizzlies, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Wednesday, April 16
No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup. Winner plays the 7-8 loser for the No. 8 seed
Friday, April 18
- West 7-8 loser vs. West 9-10 winner, TNT
NBA Eastern Conference play-in tournament matchups and dates
Tuesday, April 15
No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup for the No. 7 seed
Wednesday, April 16
No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup. Winner plays the 7-8 loser for the No. 8 seed
Friday, April 18
- East 7-8 loser vs. East 9-10 winner, ESPN
7. Memphis Grizzlies: vs. Mavericks
8. Minnesota Timberwolves: vs. Jazz
9. Sacramento Kings: vs. Suns
10. Dallas Mavericks: @ Grizzlies
NBA Western Conference play-in scenarios
Here are the scenarios for the Western Conference, from John Hollinger of The Athletic.
NBA Eastern Conference standings, play-in race, and games remaining
We’ll update these standings every night until the end of the regular season. Last update: April 12 morning.
The six protected playoff teams in the East are locked in. Here’s what the standings look like right now:
Here’s the remaining regular season schedule for the play-in teams:
7. Orlando Magic: @ Hawks
8. Atlanta Hawks: vs. Magic
9. Chicago Bulls: @ 76ers
10. Miami Heat: vs. Wizards
Teams that get eliminated in the play-in tournament enter the NBA draft lottery. You can find updated NBA lottery odds here.
The regular season will be over on Sunday. With two games left for every team, there’s never been more pressure to secure the playoff seed or play-in tournament placement teams need ahead of the postseason push.
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