Calendar, projections and rules explained

04.07.2022

Held prior to the first round of playoffs, the tournament adds an exciting twist to the end of the regular season. Now the top 10 teams in each conference standings will finish the campaign with at least a chance to make the postseason, which will take place April 12-15.

Here’s everything you need to know.

How the playoff race is shaping up
EASTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Thursday, here’s how the ‘play-in’ standings look in the East:

  1. Cleveland Cavaliers: 43-37, 1.5 games ahead of eighth.
  2. Brooklyn Nets, 42-38, 1 JD
  3. Atlanta Hawks, 42-38, 1 JD
  4. Charlotte Hornets: 40-39, 2.5 JD

All four playoff teams in the East are set. All that remains to be determined is the final spot. The Nets are currently listed as the eighth seed over the Hawks due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Here’s what the games would look like if the season ended today:

No. 8 Nets at No. 7 Cavaliers

No. 10 Hornets at No. 9 Hawks

Here are Thursday’s games with the potential to impact the play-in standings:

Magic at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET

WESTERN CONFERENCE.

Entering Thursday, here’s what the ‘play-in’ standings look like in the West:

6. Denver Nuggets: 47-33, 2 games ahead of 7th.

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves: 45-35, 2 TDs — 8.
  2. LA Clippers: 39-40 (assured of eighth place)
  3. New Orleans Pelicans: 35-44, 1 game ahead of 10th place
  4. San Antonio Spurs: 34-45, 1 JD

The Nuggets’ next win or the Timberwolves’ next loss will secure Minnesota in the seventh seed entering the tournament going in. The Pelicans and Spurs secured a playoff spot.

Here’s what the games would look like if the season ended today:

No. 8 Clippers at No. 7 Timberwolves

No. 10 Spurs at No. 9 Pelicans

These are the Thursday games with the potential to impact the play-in standings:

Spurs at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET

Trail Blazers at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET

Grizzlies at Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET

How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
There will be six total games involving eight teams, split between the two conferences.

Teams finishing between Nos. 1 and 6 in each conference will be guaranteed playoff berths, while teams 7 and 10 in the standings will enter the playoffs. Any team finishing worse than No. 10 will be in the lottery.

Here’s how the games will work:

Game 1: The No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team, with the winner getting the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing team gets another chance.

Game 2: The No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, and the winner advances. The loser is eliminated and enters the NBA draft lottery.

Game 3: The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup, and the winner gets the No. 8 seed in the postseason.

This means that the teams with the seventh- and eighth-highest winning percentages will have two chances to win a game to earn a playoff berth, while the teams with the ninth- and 10th-highest winning percentages need to win two consecutive games to advance.

What’s next after the play-in?
Once the play-in winners, the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds from each conference, advance, the 2022 NBA Playoffs will begin on April 16. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is June 2.