Professional Basketball

NBA Playoffs Bracket

Complete guide to the NBA Playoffs - 16 teams competing in best-of-seven series to determine the NBA Champion. Learn the format, history, and create your own bracket.

Playoffs Overview

16 Teams

Top 8 teams from each conference

4 Rounds

First Round → Conference Finals → NBA Finals

April-June

2-month playoff tournament

Best of 7

Each series is best-of-seven games

NBA Playoffs Format

The NBA Playoffs feature the top 16 teams from the regular season competing in a best-of-seven elimination tournament. Eight teams from each conference (Eastern and Western) qualify based on their regular season record.

Playoff Structure

Each round follows the same best-of-seven format, where the first team to win four games advances to the next round:

  • First Round: 16 teams → 8 teams
  • Conference Semifinals: 8 teams → 4 teams
  • Conference Finals: 4 teams → 2 teams
  • NBA Finals: 2 teams → 1 NBA Champion

Conference Structure

Eastern Conference

8 Playoff Teams

Teams ranked 1-8 by regular season record qualify for playoffs.

Seeding Matchups

1 seed vs 8 seed
2 seed vs 7 seed
3 seed vs 6 seed
4 seed vs 5 seed
Western Conference

8 Playoff Teams

Teams ranked 1-8 by regular season record qualify for playoffs.

Seeding Matchups

1 seed vs 8 seed
2 seed vs 7 seed
3 seed vs 6 seed
4 seed vs 5 seed

Official Resources & Links

NBA Official

Official NBA playoffs information and schedules

Visit NBA.com
ESPN NBA

Playoff coverage and analysis

View ESPN
Basketball Reference

Historical playoff data and statistics

View Stats

Create Your NBA Playoffs Bracket

Design professional playoff brackets for your league or fantasy purposes

Create NBA Bracket Now