NBA 2026-27
NBA playoff picture — if the season ended today
Eight per conference, sixteen in all. Seeds 1–6 go directly; seeds 7–10 play the play-in tournament for the 7 and 8 seeds.
Bracket if the season ended today
If the season ended today. Seeds 1–6 direct, 7–10 play-in.
East
Direct (1–6)
Play-in tournament
7 vs 8 winner → 7 seed / loser vs (9 vs 10 winner) → 8 seed · single game
West
Direct (1–6)
Play-in tournament
7 vs 8 winner → 7 seed / loser vs (9 vs 10 winner) → 8 seed · single game
Playoffs
Play-in tournament
7 vs 8 winner → 7 seed / loser vs (9 vs 10 winner) → 8 seed · single game
First round
Best of 7 · 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 · Higher seed has home advantage (2-2-1-1-1)
Conference Finals
Best of 7
NBA Finals
Best of 7 · home advantage to the better regular-season record
NBA game tickets
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FAQ
How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
Eight per conference, sixteen in all. Seeds 1–6 go directly; seeds 7–10 play the play-in tournament for the 7 and 8 seeds. The 7 vs 8 winner takes the 7 seed; its loser faces the 9 vs 10 winner for the 8 seed.
How does the play-in work?
The 7 vs 8 winner takes the 7 seed. Its loser then faces the 9 vs 10 winner for the 8 seed. All single games, higher seed at home.
Is the gap between 6th and 7th really that big?
Yes. Sixth is a guaranteed playoff spot; seventh gets a second chance after one loss, while ninth and tenth must win two straight.
As of 2026-11-02 · Data: licensed data from BALLDONTLIE, tallied by us. Standings and scenarios are our own calculations and may differ from official announcements.