How many games and rounds are there in NBA Playoffs? Understanding format and more

With the 2023-24 NBA regular season coming to an end, anticipation for postseason basketball has intensified.

In both the Eastern and Western Conferences, tight contests are unfolding as teams vie for playoff positions. From the struggle for supremacy in the West to the race to secure positions above the play-in tournament threshold, the competition is fierce.

As the regular season reaches its climax, here's a rundown of what to expect in the unfolding NBA action.

The NBA playoffs: Closer look at the format

Once the 16 teams have been determined, matchups will be decided according to seeding. In both the Eastern and Western Conferences, eight teams will compete.

The top six teams from each conference are determined by their regular season records while the outcomes of the Play-in tournament dictate the seventh and eighth seeds.

The NBA playoffs have four rounds:

• First Round
• Conference Semifinals
• Conference Finals
• NBA Final

Best of seven format

With eight teams in each conference advancing to the playoffs, four matchups per conference will ensue. Each matchup has the potential for seven games, with the victor being the first to secure four wins. However, not all seven games may be required if a team reaches four victories sooner.

Throughout each round, the team with the superior regular-season record will enjoy home-court advantage, following a 2-2-1-1-1 format for home and away games. Consequently, the higher-seeded teams will host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 in each round.

First Round

Here are how the matchups look in the First Round:

• No. 1 vs No. 8
• No. 2 vs. No. 7
• No. 3 vs. No. 6
• No. 4 vs No. 5

In the upcoming First Round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, the top four ranked teams in each conference will hold home-court advantage. The action will commence on April 20 and continue through May 5.

Conference Semifinals

Following the conclusion of the best-of-seven series in each conference, the four victorious teams will advance to the Conference Semifinals. The format remains best-of-seven, with the same home-court advantage rules in the second round.

The scheduling of the Conference Semifinals will depend on the pace of the First Round games. They are tentatively set to take place either from May 6-7 or May 4- 5.

Conference Finals

At the culmination of the Conference Semifinals, only two teams will remain in each conference. These two teams will vie against each other in the Conference Finals, competing for the conference title and a coveted spot in the NBA Finals. The home-court advantage and the best-of-seven format rules will persist at this stage of the playoffs.

The scheduling of the Conference Finals will hinge on the pace of the preceding rounds. Tentatively, the Conference Finals could take place either on May 21-22 or May 19-20.

NBA Finals

In the culminating stage of the NBA season, only one team from the Eastern Conference and one from the Western Conference will emerge as finalists. The NBA Finals follow a best-of-seven format, adhering to the home-court advantage rule.

The first team to secure four victories will be crowned NBA Champion and awarded the illustrious Larry O’Brien Championship trophy.

June 6	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 1
June 9	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 2
June 12	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 3
June 14	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 4
June 17	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 5	if necessary
June 20	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 6	if necessary
June 23	NBA Finals 2023-24 Game 7	if necessary