NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule, Format and Teams for 2023 Playoffs (How Does it Work?)

The 2022-23 NBA season officially wraps up on Sunday, which means the playoffs are right around the corner. The postseason will begin with the play-in tournament, which determines the final two seeds in each conference.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament.

When Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Start?

The NBA Play-In Tournament will officially begin on Tuesday, April 11 with the 7-seed vs. 8-seed games in each conference. Then the 9 vs. 10 matchups in the east and west will take place on Wednesday, April 12.

After a one-day break, the final games of the play-in tournament will be held on Friday, April 14. The NBA Playoffs tip off the next day on April 15.

How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?

The NBA Play-In Tournament is used to determine the final two seeds of each conference in the playoffs. The teams that finished No. 7-10 in the standings at the end of the regular season in both the east and west will participate.

Play begins with the 7 vs. 8 matchup in each conference. The winners become the official 7-seed and move on to face the 2-seed in their respective conference during the playoffs.

The losers, meanwhile, are forced to play in the win-or-go-home 8-seed game. Their opponent will be determined by the 9 vs. 10 matchup. Whoever emerges victorious from that contest advances with a chance to become the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

How Many Games Are in the NBA Play-In Tournament?

The NBA Play-In Tournament features a total of six games. There is a 7-seed vs. 8-seed matchup in both conferences, as well as a 9 vs. 10 showdown. Then the tournament concludes with the eighth-place contest for both the east and west.

The winners of the 7 vs. 8 game automatically advance to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed seed in their conference. The losers play whoever won the 9 vs. 10 matchup to determine who will officially move on as the No. 8 seed in the postseason.

NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule 2023

Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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