NBA

When do the 2022 NBA playoffs start?

The 2022 NBA playoffs start as soon as the Play-In Tournament concludes on April 15. Find everything you need to know about the playoffs here.

Reem Abdalazem
Layne Murdoch Jr.Getty

The NBA playoffs have arrived.

With the regular season ending on April 10th, this year’s postseason tipped off with the NBA Play-In Tournament April 12-15, which initially debuted last year and became a big hit. The NBA decided to continue incorporating the play-in since then.

The 2022 playoffs begin as soon as the Play-in tournament concludes on April 15. All first games of the 8 first round matchups will be played on April 16 or 17.

When do the NBA playoffs start?

NBA Playoffs: April 16

See also:

How does the NBA Play-in tournament work?

The teams guaranteed to have a spot in the NBA playoffs are the ones that finish Nos. 1-6 in each conference. Teams 7-10 enter the Play-In Tournament.

Eastern and Western conference No. 7 and 8 teams face off, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs and the loser having another opportunity to make it to the playoffs.

Eastern and Western conference No. 9 and 10 teams face off, with the winner of each game advancing to play the loser of the No. 7 and 8 games. The losers of the No. 9 and No. 10 are then eliminated from the playoffs.

The loser of the seventh and eighth game and the winner of the ninth and tenth game then play each other, with the victorious team becoming the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The loser is, again, eliminated from playoff contention.

This year’s playoffs follow the usual format, with the best-of-seven series going all the way through the NBA finals, which start on Thursday June 2, 2022 and possibly last until June 19.

Most viewed

More news