How does seeding work in the NBA 2024 playoffs?

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are just days away. The top eight seeded teams from each conference will take center stage from April 20 onwards. Before the Covid-19 shortened 2019-20 season, the top eight teams from each conference would directly qualify for the playoffs.

However, teams seeded ninth and 10th have also had the opportunity to make it to the playoffs since then. The NBA introduced the play-in tournament, which is played right before the playoffs and after the regular season ends.

The team that wins the seventh vs. eighth seed game will qualify for the playoffs as the seventh seed, while the loser will get another chance against the team that wins the 9th vs. 10th seed game (the loser of the game will be eliminated). The team that wins the eighth vs. ninth seed game will be the eighth seed in the playoffs, and the loser will be disqualified from the postseason.

The same rules will be applied to playoff seedings once the play-in tournament ends. The top four seeds will have homecourt advantage in the first round. Homecourt advantage will play out for the rest of the playoffs too. The first two games will be played on the homecourt of the higher seed or the team with the better record, followed by two home games for the team with the lower seeding.

If the series extends to five, six, or seven games, Game 5 and Game 7 will be played on the homecourt of the team with the highest seeding and Game 6 on the homecourt of the team with the lower seeding.

The playoff bracket will see the No. 1 team go up against the No. 8 team, No. 2 against No. 7, No. 3 against No. 6 and No. 4 against No. 5.

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The 2024 NBA Playoffs bracket is one of the most unpredictable in recent history

The 2024 NBA playoffs could be full of surprises. The Eastern Conference has one legitimate contending team, the Boston Celtics. However, the East also features dark horses like the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Miami Heat, who could give the hot favorites a run for their money.

Meanwhile, the Western Conference seems even more unpredictable. Kevin Durant's Phoenix Suns, Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors and LeBron James' Lakers are three of the four teams in the NBA Play-in tournament.

Despite being the lower seeds, all three veteran star-studded teams could give the top three seeds, the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and OKC Thunder, a run for their money.

Meanwhile, the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks have set up a first-round series matchup as the four-five seeds. The final seedings could also seem a lot different between now and once the regular seasons ends despite only two games left for each team.