2025 NBA Play-In Tournament: How it works, TV schedule, Game times, dates for Warriors vs. Grizzlies, more

On November 19, 2020, the NBA officially introduced a new format for the 2020–21 season: a Play-In Tournament for the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. It was designed to add more excitement—and more competition—for the final playoff spots.

The idea took off. And on July 22, 2022, the NBA Board of Governors voted to make the Play-In Tournament a permanent part of the postseason.

The Setup

Now, only the top six teams in each conference automatically get into the Playoffs. That’s right—1st through 6th place? You’re in. No questions asked.

But teams ranked 7th through 10th? They enter the Play-In Tournament, a mini showdown for the final two playoff spots in each conference.

Here’s how it goes:

How it works

1. Game 1: The 7 vs. 8 Game
2. The 7th seed and 8th seed face off.
3. The winner grabs the 7th spot in the Playoffs.
4. The loser gets one more chance.
5. Game 2: The 9 vs. 10 Game
6. The 9th seed and 10th seed go head-to-head.
7. The winner moves on to play the loser of the 7 vs. 8 game.
8. The loser? Eliminated. Their journey ends here.
9. Game 3: The Final Duel
10. The loser of Game 1 plays the winner of Game 2.
11. The winner of this game earns the 8th and final seed in the Playoffs.
12. The loser is out.

2025 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule

Tuesday, April 15

1. Magic vs. Hawks, 6:30 p.m. TNT
2. Warriors vs. Grizzlies, 9 p.m. TNT

Wednesday, April 16

1. Bulls vs. Heat, 6:30 p.m. ESPN
2. Kings vs. Mavericks, 9 p.m. , ESPN

Friday, April 18

1. East TBD vs. East TBD, Time TBD, ESPN
2. West TBD vs. West TBD, Time TBD, TNT

Western Conference Matchups

The Golden State Warriors missed their shot at a top-six seed after an overtime loss to the Clippers on Sunday. That loss pushed them into the play-in bracket, where they’ll now face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in the 7/8 matchup. The winner of that game secures the No. 7 seed and a first-round date with the Houston Rockets.

The loser? They'll play again on Friday, facing the winner of the 9/10 game between the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks. The prize in that do-or-die matchup: the No. 8 seed, and a chance to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1.

The West is full of storylines. Golden State’s late-season surge began when Jimmy Butler arrived at the trade deadline, bringing a much-needed edge alongside Stephen Curry. Now, they’ll look to recapture the same magic Miami found in 2023, when Butler led the Heat from the play-in to the NBA Finals.

🏀 2025 NBA Playoffs: First-Round Matchups

Eastern Conference

1. No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 (Winner of Bulls/Heat vs. loser of Magic/Hawks)
2. No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 (Winner of Magic vs. Hawks)
3. No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pistons
4. No. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks

Western Conference

1. No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 (Winner of Kings/Mavericks vs. loser of Warriors/Grizzlies)
2. No. 2 Rockets vs. No. 7 (Winner of Warriors vs. Grizzlies)
3. No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
4. No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers

Thunder will open up the playoffs on Sunday, April 20.