How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?

The NBA Playoff structure has been slightly different over the past few seasons. In 2020, the Play-In Tournament was added to the mix due to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the NBA bubble.

The Play-In Tournament has remained since its inception and will once again be a factor this year.

Though it gives more teams an opportunity to get into the playoffs, the tournament itself does not count as part of the playoffs.

16 teams reach the playoffs, and it used to be the top eight teams per conference. However, to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, the tournament is played, and two extra teams are added to the mix.

NBA Play-In Tournament: How it works

The Play-In Tournament takes place just prior to the playoffs. This year, it will take place from April 16-19. The actual playoffs will kick off on April 20.

Instead of the top eight teams per conference being guaranteed playoff spots, only the top six are guaranteed a berth. The tournament features the next best four teams per conference.

The teams with the seventh- and eighth-best records play a one-game playoff against each other to determine the official seventh seed. The winner is obviously granted seed No. 7, but the tournament suddenly becomes like a double-elimination bracket for the loser of the 7-8 matchup.

The teams with the ninth- and tenth-best records also play a one-game playoff. The winner moves on to play the loser of the 7-8 matchup, and the loser is eliminated from playoff contention. The final game determines the official eighth seed, and the loser is eliminated as well.

So, four additional teams are added to the mix for the play-in tournament, and the tournament itself features a total of eight teams, four per conference. It adds a little extra drama to the NBA playoff picture and gives more teams a chance to make it.

Seed No. 10 could ultimately get into the playoffs no matter their regular season record. They would only have to win two games in order to secure seed No. 8, so it does create an interesting dynamic. The regular season records and actual standings essentially become irrelevant.

It's a unique tournament, and you could make the case that the winner of each conference's Play-In Tournament is decided before the tournament is even done, as all it takes to gain seed No. 7 is a win in the first game.

If the season ended today, here is what the Play-In Tournament would look like.

The Sacramento Kings would play host to the Dallas Mavericks to determine the seventh seed in the Western Conference, while in the East, the Indiana Pacers would host the defending Conference champions, the Miami Heat to determine seed No. 7.

The Chicago Bulls would host the Atlanta Hawks in the 9-10 matchup in the East, while the Los Angeles Lakers would welcome the fading Golden State Warriors to town for the 9-10 matchup in the West.