How Many Games Is First Round Of Nba Playoffs?
Contents
The first round of the NBA playoffs is a best-of-seven series. So, how many games does each team have to win to advance?
How the NBA Playoffs Work
If you’re new to the NBA, or just need a refresher on how the playoffs work, you’re in the right place. The playoffs are a best-of-seven series between the eight teams in each conference that had the best regular-season records. The conference semifinals are best-of-seven series between the conference quarterfinal winners. The conference finals are also best-of-seven series, and the NBA Finals are between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.
The regular season
During the regular season, each team plays 82 games. These games are used to determine which teams will make the playoffs. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, meaning that once a team loses, they are out of the playoffs. The playoffs start with 16 teams: the eight teams with the best record in each conference. These teams are seeded based on their regular season record, with the team with the best record getting seed 1, and so on.
The playoffs
The playoffs are a best-of-seven series between the top eight teams in each conference, with the lowest-seeded team playing the first game at home. The next three games in the series are played alternately between the two highest remaining seeds, and the final two games (if necessary) are played at the home of the higher seed. The team with the better regular season record has home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
How Many Games Are in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs?
The first round of the NBA playoffs is a best-of-seven series. In other words, the team that wins four games first advances to the next round. So, how long does it usually take for a team to win four games?
Four-game series
The first round of the NBA playoffs is a four-game series. The team with the better regular season record gets home-court advantage, meaning they get to host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 (if necessary).
In a four-game series, the team with the better record only needs to win two games to advance to the next round. However, if the two teams split the first four games, then a Game 5 will be played to determine who advances.
Five-game series
In a five-game series, the team with the better record receives home-court advantage. The higher seed hosts games one, two, five and (if necessary) seven, while the lower seed hosts games three, four and (if necessary) six.
Seven-game series
In a seven-game series, the team with the better regular-season record plays on its home court for Games 1, 2, 5 and 7. The other team hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.