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2024 NBA Playoffs: Schedule, how to watch, teams, format & more

Jaquob Crooke Updated: 23 Apr 24 10:43

With a memorable regular season in the books, here's everything you need to know about the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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2024 NBA Playoffs start date

The NBA Playoffs started on Saturday 20th April following the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament.

2024 NBA Playoffs teams

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Milwaukee Bucks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Orlando Magic
Indiana Pacers
Philadelphia 76ers
Miami Heat

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder
Denver Nuggets
Minnesota Timberwolves
Los Angeles Clippers
Dallas Mavericks
Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles Lakers
New Orleans Pelicans

2024 NBA Playoffs schedule

First round matches started on Saturday 20 April and will end on Sunday 5 May.

The conference semi-finals will begin on 6-7 May but can be moved to 4-5 May, if the prior round is completed early.

After that is the conference finals which are set to commence on 21-22 May, though they can also be moved to 19-20 May if the previous round is completed early.

The NBA Finals will begin on Thursday 6 June.

Western Conference - First Round

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v New Orleans Pelicans (8)

Game 1: Sunday 21 April @ Oklahoma City
Game 2: Wednesday 24 April @ Oklahoma City
Game 3: Saturday 27 April @ New Orleans
Game 4: Monday 29 April @ New Orleans
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday 1 May @ Oklahoma City
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday 3 May @ New Orleans
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday 5 May @ Oklahoma City

(2) Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Game 1: Saturday 20 April @ Denver
Game 2: Monday 22 April @ Denver
Game 3: Thursday 25 April @ Los Angeles
Game 4: Saturday 27 April @ Los Angeles
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday 29 April @ Denver
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday 2 May @ Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday 4 May @ Denver

(4) Los Angeles Clippers v Dallas Mavericks (5)

Game 1: Sunday 21 April @ Los Angeles
Game 2: Tuesday 23 April @ Los Angeles
Game 3: Friday 26 April @ Dallas
Game 4: Sunday 28 April @ Dallas
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday 1 May @ Los Angeles
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday 3 May @ Dallas
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday 5 May @ Los Angeles

(3) Minnesota Timberwolves v Phoenix Suns (6)

Game 1: Saturday 20 April @ Minnesota
Game 2: Tuesday 23 April @ Minnesota
Game 3: Friday 26 April @ Phoenix
Game 4: Sunday 28 April @ Phoenix
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday 20 April @ Minnesota
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday 2 May @ Phoenix
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday 4 May @ Minnesota

Eastern Conference - First Round

(1) Boston Celtics v Miami Heat (8)

Game 1: Sunday 21 April @ Boston
Game 2: Wednesday 24 April @ Boston
Game 3: Saturday 27 April @ Miami
Game 4: Monday 29 April @ Miami
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday 1 May @ Boston
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday 3 May @ Miami
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday 5 May @ Boston

(2) New York Knicks v Philadelphia 76ers (7)

Game 1: Saturday 20 April @ New York
Game 2: Monday 22 April @ New York
Game 3: Thursday 25 April @ Philadelphia
Game 4: Sunday 28 April @ Philadelphia
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday 30 April @ New York
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday 2 May @ Philadelphia
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday 4 May @ New York

(3) Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers (6)

Game 1: Sunday 21 April @ Milwaukee
Game 2: Tuesday 23 April @ Milwaukee
Game 3: Friday 26 April @ Indiana
Game 4: Sunday 28 April @ Indiana
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday 30 April @ Milwaukee
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday 2 May @ Indiana
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday 4 May @ Milwaukee

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers v Orlando Magic (5)

Game 1: Saturday 20 April @ Cleveland
Game 2: Monday 22 April @ Cleveland
Game 3: Thursday 25 April @ Orlando
Game 4: Saturday 27 April @ Orlando
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday 30 April @ Cleveland
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday 3 May @ Orlando
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday 5 May @ Cleveland

NBA Finals schedule

Game 1: Thursday 6 June
Game 2: Sunday 9 June
Game 3: Wednesday 12 June
Game 4: Friday 14 June
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday 17 June
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday 20 June
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday 23 June

2024 NBA Playoffs format

After the 82-game regular season concludes and the Play-In tournament is completed, eight teams from each conference will battle it out for supremacy in the NBA Playoffs.

The first round matches are seeded and teams will face off in a best-of-seven series to advance.

All four rounds of the Playoffs are best-of-seven series but the teams are not reseeded after each round.

The team with the better regular season record will have home advantage, with each series played out in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the team with the better regular season record will have one more home match if the series reaches Game 7.

In each conference, the winner of the No.1 seed v No.8 seed will play the winner of the No.4 seed and No.5 seed. The winner of the No.2 seed v No.7 seed will encounter the winner of the No.3 seed v No.6 seed.

The last two remaining teams in each conference will face off in the Conference Finals and the winners of those matches will meet in the NBA Finals.

How to watch 2024 NBA Playoffs

UK residents will be able to view every match of the NBA Playoffs on TNT Sports.

Alternatively, every match will be available to view on bet365 courtesy of our Live Streaming service.

NBA Playoffs previous winners

Denver Nuggets are the defending champions having defeated Miami Heat to win their first NBA title in franchise history last year.

Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are the most successful teams in NBA history, with the two teams winning 17 titles apiece.

Golden State Warriors have been the most dominant victory in the last decade, reaching the NBA Finals in six seasons and clinching the title in four of those.

As of 2023, there have been 40 eastern conference champions compared to 37 from the western conference.

Most NBA titles

	Titles	Finals appearances
Los Angeles Lakers	17	32
Boston Celtics	17	22
Golden State Warriors	7	12
Chicago Bulls	6	6
San Antonio Spurs	5	6
Philadelphia 76ers	3	9
Detroit Pistons	3	7
Miami Heat	3	7