The NBA Play-In Tournament will include teams with the 7th through 10th-highest winning percentages in each conference and take place April 12-15.

• Play-In Tournament: April 12-15
• Playoffs Start: April 16
• Playoff Bracket

The Play-In Tournament will take place after the regular season and before the first round of the playoffs, and it will include the teams with the seventh-highest through the tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference.

2022 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule

Tuesday, April 12

• Game 1: (8) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets (7 ET, TNT)
• Game 2: (8) LA Clippers vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves (9:30 ET, TNT)
• Winners earn 7th seeds and advance to NBA playoffs

Wednesday, April 13

• Game 3: (10) Charlotte Hornets vs. (9) Atlanta Hawks (7 ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: (10) San Antonio Spurs vs. (9) New Orleans Pelicans (9:30 ET, ESPN)

Friday, April 15

• Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 1 (TBD*, ESPN)
• Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 2 (TBD*, TNT)

Winners earn 8th seeds and advance to NBA playoffs

Q: When is the 2022 Play-In Tournament?
The Play-In Tournament will begin Tuesday, April 12 and conclude Friday, April 15. The teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot. The teams with the ninth-highest and tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot.

Q: How will the Play-In Tournament be structured?
At the conclusion of the regular season but before the first round of the playoffs, the team with the 7th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 8th-highest winning percentage in a Play-In Game (the “Seven-Eight Game”). The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will earn the No. 7 seed.

The team with the 9th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 10th-highest winning percentage in the “Nine-Ten Game”. The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, and the winner of that game in each conference will earn the No. 8 seed.

Q: What happens to the winners of the Play-In Tournament?
The winners of the Play-In tournament will receive the 7th and 8th-seeded positions in each conference. Following the Play-In Tournament, the NBA Playoffs will commence with the traditional 16-team, best-of-seven series structure.

Q: When Do The Playoffs Start?
The NBA Playoffs will start on Saturday, April 16 and conclude no later than June 19.

COURTESY NBA COMMUNICATIONS