This year will mark the fifth time, under its current structure, that the NBA Play-In Tournament will be played.
The tournament allows for teams in the lower margins of contention to make their way into the playoffs, provided they catch fire and win their games. It also expands the field of teams eligible for the postseason to the top 10 seeds in each conference. Introduced ahead of the 2021 playoffs, any and all statistics recorded in the games do not count toward official records. Yet, the implications for the teams – winners and losers alike – is massive.
Here's a look at the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament and how it would shape up if the regular season ended Thursday:
NBA Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament matchup
If the season ended Thursday, here's the projected structure of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament:
- Seventh-place Orlando Magic vs. eighth-place Atlanta Hawks
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Boston Celtics
- Loser will play in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Ninth-place Chicago Bulls vs. 10th-place Miami Heat
- Winner plays in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Loser eliminated
NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament matchup
If the season ended Thursday, here's the projected structure of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament:
- Seventh-place Minnesota Timberwolves vs. eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Houston Rockets
- Loser will play in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Ninth-place Sacramento Kings vs. 10th-place Dallas Mavericks
- Winner plays in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Loser eliminated
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The tournament involves the teams ranked seventh through 10th in each conference to determine the seventh and eighth seeds, the final two playoff teams in each conference bracket.
Any stats recorded during play-in games do not count toward a player or team's regular season or postseason records. In the simplest terms, the Play-In Tournament is considered a ...
