NBA Playoffs 2023: Known Schedule, Bracket Format and Dangerous Teams

Parity has never been the NBA's strong suit, as superstars and superteams have racked up many championship rings throughout the league's history.

Yet nothing feels like a foregone conclusion this season.

The title race is as wide open as it's been in recent history, with the reigning champion Golden State Warriors battling in the middle of the standings, LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers in the play-in tournament race and the Denver Nuggets attempting to prove themselves as true contenders from the top of the Western Conference.

Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks are a juggernaut atop the Eastern Conference, but the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have the talent to challenge them ahead of the NBA Finals.

It promises to be a memorable postseason, and all the action begins Tuesday with the start of the play-in tournament. Here is a look at the known schedule and more as the playoffs approach.

NBA Playoffs Schedule

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The NBA playoff schedule is courtesy of the league's official website:

April 11

•  No. 7 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (play-in tournament)
• Western Conference No. 7 vs. No. 8 (play-in tournament)

April 12

• No. 9 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 10 Chicago Bulls (play-in tournament)
• Western Conference No. 9 vs. No. 10 (play-in tournament)

April 14

• Eastern Conference loser of 7/8 vs. winner of 9/10 (play-in tournament)
• Western Conference loser of 7/8 vs. winner of 9/10 (play-in tournament)

April 15

• Start of NBA playoffs

May 1-2

• Start of conference semifinals (may be moved up to April 29-30)

May 16-17

• Start of conference finals (may be moved up to May 14-15)

NBA Finals

• Game 1 on June 1
• Game 2 on June 4
• Game 3 on June 7
• Game 4 on June 9
• Game 5 on June 12 (if necessary)
• Game 6 on June 15 (if necessary)
• Game 7 on June 18 (if necessary) 

Bracket Format

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The presence of the play-in tournament ahead of the official NBA playoffs makes landing a top-six seed in each conference all the more important.

The Nos. 1-6 seeds in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference have some time to rest with their spot in the bracket secured. The winners of the play-in tournament games between the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds become the seventh seeds, while the losers will play a single-elimination contest for the No. 8 seed.

Those single-elimination games will come against the winners of the single-elimination contests between the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds.

Once the play-in tournament is over, the No. 1 seed faces the No. 8, the No. 2 seed faces the No. 7, the No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 and the No. 4 seed faces the No. 5. Every series is a best-of-seven, and, unlike the NFL, there is no reseeding in later rounds if there are upsets.

That means the winner of the series between the Nos. 1 and 8 seeds will face the winner of the series between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the second round.

Dangerous Teams

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This pairing of dangerous teams isn't necessarily one of the title favorites.

After all, it is obvious that top clubs such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets are championship threats.

It is also rather evident that teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and L.A. Clippers will be taken seriously as title contenders regardless of their seeding.

Stars on those teams such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard have largely defined the past decade of championship battles, so the top seeds aren't going to overlook any of their squads.

But they might overlook the dangerous Toronto Raptors in the East or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West if they aren't careful.

Toronto has two playoff-tested champions leading the way in Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam. It also has a double-double threat in Scottie Barnes, a versatile defender in O.G. Anunoby and a scoring spark in Gary Trent Jr.

That's a lot more proven firepower than most play-in tournament teams have, and the Raptors could be a real threat to some of the Eastern Conference's top teams if they make it into the bracket.

Firepower is also the name of the game in Minnesota, as Anthony Edwards can take over a game like few others in the league. It wouldn't be a shock to see him catch fire in multiple contests, which can quickly swing an entire series.

Throw in a frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and a steady point guard in Mike Conley who has plenty of playoff experience and the Timberwolves have the roster to challenge some of the Western Conference's top teams.

That makes them quite dangerous.