2023 NBA Playoff Bracket: How does it work? The 2023 postseason games are set to begin on April 15th and will end with final game 7 on June 18th. A total of 16 teams from the 32 will compete in the 2023 playoff/ The teams are ranked by their win-loss record and the six of the top seeded teams from each conference will clinch a postseason spot.
The seventh to 10th places teams in each conference will then compete for the remaining four spots. The seventh to 10th place teams are decided by a play-in tournament which was implemented in 2021. The teams will play each other in a format that combines single-and-double elimination.
First, the seventh-placed team plays the eighth-placed team, with the winner handed the seventh seed in their conference. The ninth-placed team then plays the 10th-placed team, and the losing team is eliminated. The loser of the first game then plays the winner of the second for the eighth seed.
The playoffs use a best of seven elimination format. Two teams play each other up to seven times, the team that wins four games progressing onto the next round. In each round the team with the better regular season record has home-court advantage.
See below for how the 2023 playoff bracket is broken down.
Eastern Conference, first round
1 vs. 8
2.vs. 7
3 vs. 6
4 vs. 5
Western Conference, first round
1 vs. 8
2 vs. 7
3 vs. 6
4 vs. 5
Eastern Conference semifinals
Winner of 1/8 vs. Winner of 2/7
Winner of 3/6 vs. Winner of 4/5
Western Conference semifinals
Winner of 1/8 vs. Winner of 2/7
Winner of 3/6 vs. Winner of 4/5
Eastern Conference Finals
Winner of 1/8 vs. /2/7 vs. Winner of 3/6 vs. /4/5
Western Conference Finals
Winner of 1/8 vs/ 2 /7 vs. Winner of 3/6/4/5
2023 NBA Finals
Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion
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