When Does the NBA Playoffs Begin?

The 2019 NBA Playoffs begin on April 13. Find out the schedule, seeding, and predictions for the first round matchups.

The NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament held annually to crown the National Basketball Association (NBA) champion. The playoffs began on April 15 and will end on June 16 if the Finals go to a Game 7. All rounds are best-of-seven.

What is the NBA Playoffs?

The NBA Playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annually held after the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) regular season to determine the league’s champion. The playoffs were first instituted in 1947. The winning team of the NBA Finals receives the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1983.

How does the NBA Playoffs work?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annual championship round of the NBA. The playoffs began on April 15, 2019, and will end on June 16, 2019, with the Toronto Raptors winning their first NBA championship.

Teams qualifying for the playoffs are seeded in the order of their regular season record. They compete in separate brackets (or “tournaments”) for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference championships.

First round
The three division winners in each conference (labeled 1–3 below) plus the five best second-place teams (labeled 4–8 below), ranked by regular season record, qualify for the first round of the playoffs ().

Eastern Conference

1. Toronto Raptors*

2. Milwaukee Bucks*

3. Philadelphia 76ers*

4. Indiana Pacers

5. Boston Celtics

6. Brooklyn Nets

7. Orlando Magic

8. Detroit Pistons * denotes division winner
seeding was determined by regular season record

Western Conference

1. Golden State Warriors *

2. Denver Nuggets *

3. Portland Trail Blazers *

4 Houstan Rockets

5 Oklahoma City Thunder

6 Utah Jazz

7 Los Angeles Clippers Finished regular season with same record as San Antonio Spurs but won season series 2–1; thus, they receive higher seed in playoff standings
8 Los Angeles Lakers Finished regular season with same record as Sacramento Kings but won season series 2–1; thus, they receive higher seed in playoff standings

What is the history of the NBA Playoffs?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The NBA playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annually held after the conclusion of the regular season to determine the league’s champion.

The winning team of the NBA Finals receives the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, which is named after former NBA commissioner Larry O’Brien. The current champions are the Toronto Raptors, who defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals.

When does the NBA Playoffs begin?

The NBA playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annually held after the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) regular season to determine the league’s champion.

When is the NBA Playoffs?

The playoffs are set to begin on April 15th and will end no later than July 22nd. The first round is a best-of-seven series. The second round, conference semifinals and conference finals are best-of-seven series. The NBA Finals is a best-of-seven series.

The playoff format has changed several times throughout the years. The first change came in 1949 when the BAA and NBL merged to form the NBA. As part of the merger, it was agreed that 3 teams from each division would qualify for the playoffs. This made 8 total teams that would compete for the NBA title.

In 1957, the playoffs expanded to include 10 teams (3 from each division). This lasted for 3 seasons before reverting back to 8 teams in 1960. It wouldn’t be until 1975 when another expansion occurred and the field was increased to 12 teams (4 from each division). This lasted until 1984 before going back down to 8 teams. In 1989, it was increased again to 10 teams (the current format), with 4 teams from each division qualifying for the postseason.

The current playoff format has been in place since the 2004-05 season.

What time does the NBA Playoffs start?

The start time for the NBA Playoffs will vary from game to game and day to day. The first game of the playoffs is scheduled for April 15th, at 3:00pm EST. The following games will be played on April 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th. All of these games will have a start time of 3:00pm EST. The NBA Playoffs will continue until one team has won four games.

What are the TV channels for the NBA Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs are upon us, and it’s time to start preparing for what promises to be an exciting postseason. The first round of the playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 15, and will air on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. The second round will begin on April 28, and will air on the same four channels. The conference finals will begin on May 15, and will air on ABC, ESPN, and TNT. Lastly, the NBA Finals will begin on May 30, and will air exclusively on ABC.