NBA Play-In Tournament

The NBA Play-In Tournament is a preliminary playoff round prior to the proper first round of the NBA Playoffs that was first added to the NBA postseason in 2021. The rationale behind adding this play-in round was simply to involve more teams in the postseason, with 20 teams involved rather than the conventional 16. The NBA Play-In Tournament currently involves 8 teams (the teams ranked 7th to 10th in each Conference) fighting it out for the last 4 NBA Playoffs spots in 6 games played out across 4 days. 

How can I get the cheapest tickets to 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament games?

With so much on the line in these brief winner-takes-all (and loser-goes-home) matchups, it is no surprise that NBA Play-In Tournament games are among the most in-demand basketball games of the year. Because these games could either be your team’s portal to the NBA Playoffs or the last chance to see them play this season, tickets to NBA Play-In Tournament games generally sell out rapidly, with many tickets going to season ticket holders who get priority for such high profile matchups. For your best chance at landing the cheapest tickets to NBA Play-In Tournament games, turn to TicketX! TicketX lists all NBA Play-In Tournament tickets as they become available and our handy seating chart is the best way to compare prices and seat locations. With just once click, NBA Play-In Tournament tickets can be all yours, with the lowest commission fees around!

When will the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament be taking place?

After the NBA Regular Season ends on April 14, 2024, there will be a Play-In Tournament from April 16-19. The Play-In Tournament is a sort of “back door” into the NBA Playoffs for teams that finish from 7th to 10th in their respective Conferences. In just 6 games, these 8 teams will vie for the last 4 available spots in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. 

Check back on this TicketX page after April 14 for a full 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule along with all available tickets. 

After the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament, the 2024 NBA Playoffs really get going, with the four best-of-seven series of the NBA Eastern Conference First Round and four best-of-seven series of the NBA Western Conference First Round commencing from April 20. Please check back on TicketX again at the conclusion of each round for the upcoming round’s schedule and list of available tickets.

Where will the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament be taking place?

Because all six games of the Play-In Tournament are single knockout games, each will be hosted by the higher-seeded team in the game (i.e. the team that finished higher in their Conference during the regular season). For example, when the 9th-ranked team plays the 10th-ranked team, the game would be held at the 9th-ranked team’s home arena. These venues will therefore be determined after the end of the regular season and during the Play-In Tournament. 

Which NBA teams will be playing in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament? When will we know which teams will be playing in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament? 

Because the 4 NBA teams that will play in the NBA Play-In Tournament are determined by how they finish during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season, the teams may not be set (nor their rank/seeding) until the NBA regular season ends on April 14. As soon as the teams and their seedings are confirmed, we will post the full NBA Play-In Tournament schedule on this page. 

NBA teams playing in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament

The teams below are based on the standings as of April 4, with 10 more days until the end of the regular season (so things could still change a bit!). 

Eastern Conference

7th: Indiana Pacers

8th: Philadelphia 76ers

9th: Chicago Bulls

10: Atlanta Hawks

Still in Contention: None

Western Conference

7th: New Orleans Pelicans

8th: Sacramento Kings

9th: Los Angeles Lakers

10: Golden State Warriors

Still in Contention: Houston Rockets

How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work? What is the format of the NBA Play-In Tournament?

Right, so it’s a tiny bit complicated, but pleasantly so. Sit down and grab your beverage of choice and we’ll try to explain.

In the NBA Play-In Tournament, the 7th-ranked team in each Conference (Eastern/Western) plays the 8th-ranked team. The winners qualify directly for the NBA Playoffs. The losers go on to play against the winners of the games between the 9th- and 10th-ranked teams. The winners of those games enter the last two playoff spots in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Any NBA Play-In Tournament game that ends in a tie after four quarters will go into overtime. Overtime periods last five minutes, with the team ahead at the buzzer winning the game. If the score is still tied, the game goes into a second overtime period. Oh, the drama!

Because each NBA Play-In Tournament game is a single-knockout, emotions run high. Do not miss your chance to see your favorite team in action. Buy your tickets on TicketX today!

Who will win the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament?

There are some excellent teams from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference that will likely end up in the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament this year. The Golden State Warriors, four-time NBA Champions since 2015, seem headed for a spot, as do LeBron James’s Los Angeles Lakers. The Chicago Bulls will be hoping for a bit of that 1990s magic to resurface, while the Philadelphia 76ers will be anxious to prove that the Playoffs, not the Play-In, is where a team of their talents belongs. Do NOT count out teams from the Play-In Tournament, either, as they have been known to spring surprises and knock off some of the big dogs when it comes to the full NBA Playoffs! 

Are NBA Play-In Tournament games exciting?

Let us bring you in on a little secret: we, like many NBA fans, were dubious when the league launched the NBA Play-In Tournament in 2021. It seemed like just another way to add games to what is already a long postseason. However, the sheer intensity (desperation?) of these winner-takes-all games is enough to capture the imagination of even the most jaded sports fans. Some commentators have even likened the games to the NCAA March Madness tournament in terms of the stakes places on each single game. 

2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule

Here is the full 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule so far as it is known.

April 16

• New Orleans Pelicans (W7) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (W8) @ Smoothie King Center

• Sacramento Kings (W9) vs. Golden State Warriors (W10) @ Golden 1 Center

April 17

• Game 1: Philadelphia 76ers (E7) vs. Miami Heat (E8) @ Wells Fargo Center

• Game 2: Chicago Bulls (E9) vs. Atlanta Hawks (E10) @ United Center

April 19

• Loser of W7/W8 vs. Winner of W9/W10 @ TBD

• Loser of E7/E8 vs. Winner of E9/E10 @ TBD