When do the NBA Playoffs start?

Now that the All-Star break has come and gone, the 2023-24 NBA regular season is officially nearing an end, adding more significance and intensity to the remaining games as the race for the playoffs heats up as teams run out of time to jostle for seeding and postseason implications.

But, how much time remains in the regular season? What about the Play-In Tournament? When do the NBA Playoffs start? 

When does the NBA regular season end?

The last day of the 2023-24 NBA regular season ends on Apr. 14, with no game scheduled to begin later than 3:30 p.m. ET. Moreover, the deadline for rosters to officially be set for the 2024 playoffs is 3 p.m. ET the following day (Apr. 15).

When is the NBA Play-In Tournament?

Once teams lock in their postseason lineups, the NBA Play-In Tournament will take place from Apr. 16-19, where the seventh through tenth seed of the Eastern and Western Conference will compete to fill the last two playoff seeds for each conference.

When that is settled, it is time for the grand finale.

When do the 2024 NBA Playoffs start? 

One day later, on Apr. 20, the 2024 NBA Playoffs will start. From that day until sometime between June 14-23, the league's best teams will battle it out in pursuit of the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but only one team will come away with the title.

The Boston Celtics, who currently have the NBA’s best record (43-12), are considerable favorites to win it all -- according to FanDuel Sportsbook. However, the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, are the next-closest team on the list.

Will one of the favorites go on to win the 2024 NBA Finals? Or could there be a sleeper team out there capable of beating the odds and shocking the world? Regardless, this year’s playoffs should be intriguing to follow and exciting to watch.