The NBA Play-In Tournament gives teams finishing seventh through tenth in each conference a path to the final two playoff seeds. It is a compact set of games, not a best-of-seven series.
At a glance
- The No. 7 team hosts No. 8; the winner becomes the seventh seed.
- The No. 9 team hosts No. 10; the loser is eliminated.
- The remaining two teams play for the eighth seed.
The first set of games
The teams finishing seventh and eighth meet in the Seven-Eight Game. The winner secures the conference’s No. 7 playoff seed. The loser is not immediately eliminated and receives one more opportunity.
The teams finishing ninth and tenth meet in the Nine-Ten Game. The winner advances, while the loser’s season ends.
The final play-in game
The loser of the Seven-Eight Game hosts the winner of the Nine-Ten Game. The winner claims the No. 8 seed and advances to face the conference’s top seed in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The loser is eliminated.
Why regular-season position matters
The seventh- and eighth-place teams need only one victory to qualify. The ninth- and tenth-place teams must win twice. Higher finishers also receive the hosting advantages described in the format, making late-season standings meaningful even for teams already likely to reach the play-in.
What the play-in does not change
Once the two play-in winners are placed into the playoff bracket, the traditional best-of-seven series begin. The play-in results determine seeds No. 7 and No. 8; they do not reseed the rest of the conference field.
Sources
AskNovus links readers to the original official sources so you can review the underlying information directly.
This is an original AskNovus explanation based on the linked sources. It does not reproduce a publisher’s article. Featured image: Simon Kessler via Unsplash. Information may change after publication; check the official sources for the latest details.
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