2023 NBA playoffs preview – 16 teams. There are eight best-of-seven first-round games. There is only one trophy. Here’s all you need to know about the NBA playoffs in 2023.
The 2022-23 NBA regular season has concluded, and while the massive problem of the Play-In tournament remains unresolved, we are just days away from the start of the world’s largest professional basketball event: the NBA playoffs.
Here’s all you need to know about the NBA playoffs in 2023.
2023 NBA playoffs preview: Full schedule and Where to watch live
When do the NBA playoffs in 2023 begin?
The NBA playoffs begin on April 15th, 2023 following the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament on April 14th.
The 2023 NBA playoffs are the postseason competition for the 2022–23 season of the National Basketball Association. The playoffs began on April 15 and will conclude with the 2023 NBA Finals.
How do the NBA playoffs work?
The NBA playoffs are a four-round, best-of-seven emilination postseason tournament held each year to determine the champion of the previous season. The playoffs take place following the regular season and the NBA Play-In competition, the league’s preliminary postseason competition.
Each playoff matchup is determined by seeding (for example, the first seed will play the eighth seed, the second seed will play the seventh seed, and so on), with the top four seeds in each conference receiving home-court advantage. The series is played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, which means that the team with home-court advantage hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the opposing team hosts Games 3, 4, and 6, with Games 5, 6, and 7 played if necessary. The team with the most wins progresses to the next round.
Playoff qualifying
The Milwaukee Bucks became the first team to clinch a playoff spot on March 14, 2023. While division titles are recorded in the tables below, they have no influence on seeding.
The first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11-14, selected seeds 7 and 8 in each conference.
NBA 2023 Teams
ATLANTIC
- Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
- Brooklyn NetsBrooklyn Nets
- New York KnicksNew York Knicks
- Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
- Toronto RaptorsToronto Raptors
CENTRAL
- Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
- Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
- Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
- Indiana PacersIndiana Pacers
- Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks
SOUTHEAST
- Atlanta HawksAtlanta Hawks
- Charlotte HornetsCharlotte Hornets
- Miami HeatMiami Heat
- Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
- Washington WizardsWashington Wizards
What are the NBA playoff matchups for Game 1?
Saturday, 15 April, 2023 – NBA playoffs
- Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers
- Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
- New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers
- Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
Sunday, 16 April, 2023 – NBA playoffs
- Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
- LA Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies
- LA Clippers at Phoenix Suns
NBA Playoff Schedule Bracket 2023
May 1-2: NBA conference semifinals begin (possible move-up to 29-30 April)
May 16-17: NBA conference finals begin (possible move-up to 14-15 May)
June 1: NBA Finals 2023 Game 1
June 4: NBA Finals 2023 Game 2
June 7: NBA Finals 2023 Game 3
June 9: NBA Finals 2023 Game 4
June 12: NBA Finals 2023 Game 5 (if necessary)
June 15: NBA Finals 2023 Game 6 (if necessary)
June 18: NBA Finals 2023 Game 7 (if necessary)
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
Read Also – Ballon d’Or 2023 Power Rankings
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
At the completion of the regular season, the top six teams in each conference are assured a position in the NBA Playoffs. Teams finishing seventh through tenth place will compete in the Play-In Tournament to decide the seventh and eighth seeds. The seventh and eighth teams from each conference will face off in the first round of the Play-In Tournament, with the victor securing the seventh seed and the loser having one more chance to make the playoffs.
The ninth and tenth teams in each conference will then compete, with the winner advancing to face the loser of the seventh vs. eighth game. The loser will be knocked out of the playoffs. The losers of the seventh and eighth games will meet, as will the winners of the ninth and tenth games. The winner receives the eighth seed, while the loser is eliminated.
THE BRACKET IS SET 🍿 pic.twitter.com/j7Dn0yxXyy
— NBA (@NBA) April 9, 2023
How to Watch the NBA Playoffs in 2023
The 2023 NBA playoffs will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV in the United States. Select games will air on each of the aforementioned networks throughout the first round and conference semifinals.
International audiences can tune in via local broadcasters or the NBA League Pass app, which is available on mobile, PC, and smart TVs.