With just three days left before the 2025-2026 regular season wraps up, excitement is building as fans look ahead to the postseason. There’s still one important step before the playoffs officially begin, though. The play-in tournament plays a key role in finalizing the bracket.
This format, introduced in the 2019-2020 season and now a permanent feature, gives teams outside the traditional top eight a chance to fight their way into the playoffs.
Teams ranked 7th and 8th face off, with the winner securing the 7th seed. Meanwhile, the teams in 9th and 10th place play each other to secure a clash against the loser of the 7 vs 8 matchup. The winner of that final game earns the 8th seed.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Bracket
As of now, only two of the eight play-in spots are locked in. In the Western Conference, the #7 Phoenix Suns and #10 Golden State Warriors have secured their positions.
The rest of the West is still up in the air. The LA Clippers currently sit at #8, with the Portland Trail Blazers right behind at #9. With two games left in the regular season, both teams still have time to shift positions before everything is finalized.
Things are even more uncertain in the Eastern Conference, where nothing has been locked in yet. At the moment, the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers hold the #7 and #8 spots, followed by the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat at #9 and #10. But with a few games still to play, those standings could easily change.
However, it gets even more complicated. Even the Atlanta Hawks at #5 and the Toronto Raptors at #6 are not completely safe yet. Neither team has officially secured a playoff spot, which means there is still a chance they could slip into the play-in range.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule
The Play-In Tournament tips off on April 14 with the first matchup between the #7 and #8 seeds. The Eastern Conference game (Game 1) will start at 7:30 PM ET, followed by the Western Conference game (Game 2) at 10 PM ET.
The action continues on April 15 with Games 3 and 4, featuring the #9 and #10 teams from each conference. Once again, the Eastern Conference game is set for 7:30 PM ET, with the Western Conference game scheduled for 10 PM ET.
The final day of the play-in tournament falls on April 17. This gives the winners from the previous games a full day to recover before their next matchup. Game 5 for the Eastern Conference will tip off at 7:30 PM ET, followed by Game 6 for the Western Conference at 10 PM ET.
Who do the winners of the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament play?
The winner of Game 1 in the 2026 NBA play-in tournament will go on to face the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference. That spot is not locked in yet. The Boston Celtics are currently in a strong position to secure it, but the New York Knicks still have a mathematical chance. That means the team that comes out on top between the #7 and #8 teams will take on either Boston or New York in the first round.
On the Western side, the winner of Game 2 will face the #2 San Antonio Spurs.
Finally, winners of Games 5 and 6 will move on to face the top seeds in their respective conferences: the Detroit Pistons in the East and the OKC Thunder in the West.
Read More: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Prediction, Preview and Starting Lineups Tonight (Apr. 9)
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