NBA Playoffs 2024: Explaining Play-In Format, Seedings and More
The 2024 NBA postseason tips off Tuesday night.
Well, sort of.
While no playoff games will technically place, the play-in tournament will tip off and wind up handing out two playoff tickets before the night's finished. The other two won't be decided until the tournament concludes Friday night.
With no shortage of star power participating, there could be as much attention on this year's tournament as any that preceded it. So, it's worth freshening up on the tournament terms before laying out the postseason bracket and finally predicting how Tuesday's two-game slate will play out.
Play-in Tournament Format
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The play-in tournament features eight teams—seeds 7 through 10 from each conference—fighting against one another for the final four playoff berths.
Each conference's No. 7 seed hosts its No. 8. The winner of that contest wins the seventh seed in the playoffs, while the loser gets one more chance to crack the playoff field.
Then, each conference's No. 9 team hosts its No. 10. The losers are sent packing, while the winners secure a spot in the tournament finale.
Finally, the losers of those 7-8 matchups host the winners of the 9-10 tilts in win-or-go-home games with the eighth seed in the playoffs at stake. The winners get that spot, while the losers are sent to summer vacation.
Play-In Seedings, Schedule
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Play-in tournament seeds
Eastern Conference
No. 7: Philadelphia 76ers
No. 8: Miami Heat
No. 9: Chicago Bulls
No. 10: Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference
No. 7: New Orleans Pelicans
No. 8: Los Angeles Lakers
No. 9: Sacramento Kings
No. 10: Golden State Warriors
Play-in tournament schedule
Tuesday, April 16
7/8 Game: Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
9/10 Game: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Wednesday, April 17
7/8 Game: Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
9/10 Game: Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls, 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday, April 19
Eastern Conference 8 Seed Game, TBD (ESPN)
Western Conference 8 Seed Game, TBD (TNT)
Tuesday's Play-In Predictions
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Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans
These teams locked horns four times this season, and the Lakers came out on top three teams—with all three victories decided by double-digits. In fact, L.A.'s least lopsided victory in the series came Sunday when the Purple and Gold closed out their regular-season with a 124-108 victory on New Orleans' home floor.
If the Lakers stars are healthy—LeBron James (ankle) is probable and Anthony Davis (back) is questionable—they can win this game. The Pels don't have a great answer for either one, and their on-paper depth advantage could be a non-factor, especially if Brandon Ingram looks at all rusty in only his second game back from a three-and-a-half week layoff with a left knee contusion.
Prediction: Lakers 122, Pelicans 116
Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
The Warriors and Kings split their season series 2-2, but even if either team had an advantage in it, that could go out the window here. All four contests came in January and earlier, and each club looks dramatically different since.
While the Warriors played their best basketball down the stretch (10-2 over their last 12), the Kings are literally and figuratively limping into this bout. Malik Monk (knee) and Kevin Huerter (shoulder) are both stuck on the sidelines, and Sacramento enters having lost seven of its last 11. Between the trajectories, the injuries and the disparity in big-stage experience, it's hard not to back Stephen Curry the road Warriors here.
Prediction: Warriors 125, Kings 115
