NBA Play-In Tournament 2025: A Closer Look at the Exciting Race to the Playoffs
As the 2024-25 NBA regular season draws to a close on April 13, basketball fans are gearing up for the thrilling play-in tournament, which kicks off on April 15 and wraps up on April 18, just a day before the first round of the playoffs begins. This tournament, which was first introduced in the 2020-21 NBA season, has added a new layer of excitement to the postseason by expanding the field to 20 teams, with 10 from each conference. The top six teams from each conference automatically secure their playoff spots, while the teams seeded 7th through 10th battle it out in the play-in tournament for a chance to keep their championship dreams alive.
Since its inception, the play-in tournament has intensified the race to the postseason, making every game count as teams vie for those coveted spots. In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic are neck and neck for the No. 7 seed, with the winner earning the right to host the first play-in game. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are locked in a tight battle for the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds.
Over in the Western Conference, the competition has been fierce all season long. The No. 6 seed Golden State Warriors are clinging to a slim half-game lead over the surging Minnesota Timberwolves, who themselves are only a half-game ahead of the No. 8-seeded LA Clippers. With plenty of conference play remaining in the final two weeks, the postseason positioning is still very much up for grabs.
For those eager to follow the action, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 play-in tournament, including how it works, the current standings, and potential matchups.
MORE: Which teams are in the 2025 playoffs?
Current Standings
Through games of March 31.
Regular-Season Games to Watch
Eastern Conference
- April 8: Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. ET
- April 9: Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat, 8 p.m. ET
- April 11: Detroit Pistons vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m. ET
- April 13: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons, 1 p.m. ET
- April 13: Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic, 1 p.m. ET
Western Conference
- April 1: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m. ET
- April 1: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 10 p.m. ET
- April 3: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors, 10 pm. ET
- April 4: Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET
- April 4: LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks, 10:30 p.m. ET
- April 5: LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks, 10:30 p.m. ET
- April 6: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 3:30 p.m. ET
- April 6: Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets, 8:30 p.m. ET
- April 8: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. ET
- April 9: Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7:30 p.m. ET
- April 9: Sacramento Kings vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET
- April 10: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m. ET
- April 11: Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 9 p.m. ET
- April 11: Sacramento Kings vs. LA Clippers, 10 p.m. ET
- April 11: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, 10:30 p.m. ET
- April 13: Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. ET
- April 13: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks, 3:30 p.m. ET
- April 13: Golden States Warriors vs. LA Clippers, 3:30 p.m. ET
- April 13: Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns, 3:30 p.m. ET
Projected Matchups
Here’s a glance at how the 2025 play-in tournament would look if the season ended today.
Eastern Conference
- No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
- No. 10 Chicago Bulls at No. 9 Miami Heat
- Winner 9/10 vs. loser 7/8
Western Conference
- No. 8 LA Clippers at No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves
- No. 10 Sacramento Kings at No. 9 Dallas Mavericks
- Winner 9/10 vs. loser 7/8
How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
The play-in tournament consists of six total games involving eight teams, split between the two conferences. The top six teams in each conference are guaranteed playoff spots, while teams ranked 7th through 10th enter the play-in. Any team finishing worse than 10th will be in the NBA draft lottery.
The 2024-25 NBA regular season concludes on April 13, with all 30 teams playing. The play-in tournament will then take place from April 15 through 18, before the first round of the playoffs.
Here’s how the games will work:
- Game 1s: Each conference’s No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing teams get another chance in their respective conference’s Game 3.
- Game 2s: Each conference’s No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The losers are eliminated and enter the NBA draft lottery.
- Game 3s: The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchups will host the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups, with the victors grabbing each conference’s No. 8 seed in the postseason. The losers of Game 3 enter the NBA draft lottery.
Under this format, teams with the seventh- and eighth-highest winning percentages have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot, while the teams with the ninth- and 10th-highest winning percentages need to win two straight games to advance.
Originally Written by: ESPN
