National Basketball Association

2024 NBA Play-In Tournament: Bracket, schedule, scores, standings, rules

Updated Apr. 22, 2024 10:18 a.m. ET

Before the 2024 NBA playoffs officially started on April 20, four teams from each conference participated in a play-in tournament for the seventh and eighth seeds in their respective conferences.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament:

2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule and Scores

Tuesday, April 16

Play-In Game 1: (8) Lakers 110, (7) Pelicans 106
Play-In Game 2: (9) Kings 118, (10) Warriors 94

Wednesday, April 17

Play-In Game 3: (7) 76ers 105, (8) Heat 104
Play-In Game 4: (9) Bulls 131, (10) Hawks 116

Friday, April 19

Play-In Game 5: (8) Heat 112, (9) Bulls 91
Play-In Game 6: (7) Pelicans 105, (9) Kings 98

2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Standings

Here's how the NBA Play-In Tournament race shook out:

Eastern Conference

(7) Philadelphia 76ers
(8) Miami Heat (1 GB)
(9) Chicago Bulls (8 GB) - eliminated in play-in
(10) Atlanta Hawks (11 GB) - eliminated in play-in

Eastern Conference Bracket

(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Miami Heat
(9) Chicago Bulls vs. (10) Atlanta Hawks

Nuggets, Celtics win conferences, 76ers upset Knicks, Suns advance in Colin's NBA bracket | The Herd

Western Conference

(7) New Orleans Pelicans
(8) Los Angeles Lakers (2 GB)
(9) Sacramento Kings (3 GB) - eliminated in play-in
(10) Golden State Warriors (3 GB) - eliminated in play-in

Western Conference Bracket

(7) New Orleans Pelicans vs. (8) Los Angeles Lakers
(9) Sacramento Kings vs. (10) Golden State Warriors

What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?

The NBA Board of Governors approved the adoption of the NBA Play-In Tournament on a full-time basis back in July 2022. In the 2023-24 NBA season, the Play-In Tournament took April 16-19, 2024, between the last day of the regular season on April 14 and the start of the playoffs on April 20.

The tournament included the four teams with the seventh to tenth best winning percentages in the Eastern and Western Conferences. After six games, the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference were determined for the NBA Playoffs.

When is the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament?

The 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament took from Tuesday, April 16 to Friday, April 19.

How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?

The seventh and eighth seeds in each conference will play in the first play-in games on April 16, and the ninth and tenth seeds in each conference will play on April 17. The winners of the 7-8 games will advance to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The losers of the 7-8 games will face the winners of the 9-10 games on April 19, with the No. 8 seed on the line. The team that loses will be disqualified from playoff contention.

The losers of the 9-10 games are disqualified from playoff contention.

Essentially, the teams that finish seventh and eighth in their conference after the NBA season get two chances to earn a spot in the NBA playoffs.