NBA Play‑In kicks off
The 2026 NBA Play‑In Tournament begins this week with eight teams fighting for the final playoff spots, using the 7‑vs‑8 and 9‑vs‑10 format to decide seeds. (nbcsports.com) Headline matchups include Stephen Curry’s Warriors vs. Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers in the West and 76ers vs. Magic in the East, making tonight’s games decisive for who advances to the main playoff bracket. (cbssports.com)
The National Basketball Association Play-In Tournament starts Tuesday, April 14, with eight teams chasing the last four spots in the 2026 playoff bracket. (nba.com) The format is the same in both conferences: the No. 7 seed hosts No. 8 for a playoff berth, while No. 9 hosts No. 10 in an elimination game. The loser of the 7-versus-8 game gets one more chance against the winner of the 9-versus-10 game for the No. 8 seed. (nba.com) Tuesday’s games are Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets in the East at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time and Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns in the West at 10 p.m. Eastern time. Wednesday’s games are Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time and Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers at 10 p.m. Eastern time. (nba.com) The bracket is already partly set because six teams in each conference skipped the Play-In by finishing in the top six. In the East, the Detroit Pistons are No. 1 and the Boston Celtics are No. 2; in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are No. 1 and the San Antonio Spurs are No. 2. (nba.com) The Play-In exists to settle the seventh and eighth seeds after the regular season, which ended Sunday, April 12. The first round begins Saturday, April 18, so the tournament compresses four win-or-go-home races into four days. (nba.com) In the East, Philadelphia and Orlando both finished 45-37, but they landed in the 7-8 game instead of a guaranteed series. Charlotte finished 44-38 and Miami 43-39, putting the Hornets and Heat into the elimination matchup. (nba.com) In the West, Phoenix finished 45-37, Portland 42-40, Los Angeles 42-40, and Golden State 37-45. That leaves the Suns and Trail Blazers playing for the No. 7 seed, while the Clippers and Warriors open in the 9-10 elimination game. (nba.com) Every Play-In game this year is scheduled for Prime Video, according to the league’s official postseason schedule. The winners on April 14 and April 15 clinch the No. 7 seeds, and the final No. 8 seeds will be decided on Friday, April 17. (nba.com) By Friday night, the bracket will be full and the first-round matchups will be locked. The Play-In’s job is simple: turn seeds seven through 10 into two playoff teams in each conference before the postseason opens on April 18. (nba.com)
