What is the difference between Playoffs and Play-In in NBA?

The NBA Play-In Tournament and the NBA playoffs are both exhilarating phases of the season, but they operate under different formats and serve distinct purposes.

The NBA Play-In Tournament, introduced in the 2019-2020 season, adds an extra layer of competition to determine the final playoff seeds. It involves teams ranked seventh through 10th in each conference battling it out for the last two spots in the playoffs.

In contrast, the NBA playoffs consist of the top eight teams from each conference competing in a traditional postseason format, aiming to advance through multiple rounds and ultimately contend for the coveted championship. While both events showcase intense basketball action, they vary in structure, stakes, and significance within the NBA calendar.

Here's a closer look at the differences between NBA Play-In and the NBA playoffs:

What is the NBA Play-In?

The play-in structure encompasses the seventh through 10th seeds in both conferences. It pits the seventh-seeded team against the eighth-seeded team, while the ninth-seeded team squares off against the 10th-seeded team.

The victor of the 7-8 matchup secures the seventh seed for the playoffs, while the defeated team faces off against the winner of the 9-10 matchup to determine the eighth seed.

• The 7-8 teams just need to win one game to make the playoffs, and the 9-10 teams need to win twice.
• Seed Nos. 1-6 in both conferences are guaranteed a first-round series.

What is the NBA Playoffs?

Playoffs employ a best-of-seven elimination setup where teams face each other in a series of up to seven games, with the first team to win four advancing to the subsequent round.

During the initial round, matchups are structured as follows: the top-seeded team confronts the eighth seed, the second seed takes on the seventh, the third seed battles the sixth, and the fourth seed clashes with the fifth.

Following the initial round, the subsequent stage is dubbed the conference semi-finals, succeeded by the conference finals.

Teams that emerge victorious from each conference converge in the NBA Finals to vie for the championship title.

Throughout each round, the team boasting a superior regular-season record is granted home-court advantage. The playoff series adheres to a 2-2-1-1-1 home/away arrangement, meaning the higher-seeded team hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7.

In the playoffs, teams engage in a best-of-seven showdown, vying for supremacy. This format entails teams facing each other in a series of up to seven games, with the first to claim victory in four games advancing to the subsequent round.

How many teams are in the NBA playoffs?

The NBA playoffs consist of a total of 16 teams, evenly split between the league's Eastern and Western Conferences, with eight teams qualifying from each.

Teams within each conference are ordered based on their regular-season win-loss records. The top six teams in each conference secure direct entry into the playoffs by virtue of their standings.

However, the seventh through 10th-ranked teams in each conference engage in a play-in tournament to determine the final four playoff berths.