2025 NBA Play-In Tournament Set for April as Teams Battle for Playoff Spots

NEW YORK, NY — The 2025 NBA play-in tournament is set to begin on April 15, following the conclusion of the regular season on April 13. This year’s tournament will take place in the lead-up to the playoffs, which commence on April 19.

Initially introduced in the 2020-21 season, the play-in tournament allows the seventh to tenth placed teams from each conference to compete for the final playoff berths. The top six teams from both the Eastern and Western conferences automatically qualify for the postseason.

As the regular season draws to a close, the competition for playoff positioning is increasingly fierce. In the Eastern Conference, teams like the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks are vying for critical positions in the standings, while in the Western Conference, the battle is equally intense as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers push for playoff spots.

The tournament format awards the seventh- and eighth-seeded teams two chances to secure a postseason berth; however, the ninth and tenth seed teams must win back-to-back games to avoid elimination. The first games will pit the 7 and 8 seeds against each other, with the winner earning a playoff spot.

“Every game counts right now, and the stakes are higher than ever as teams aim to secure their future in the playoffs,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum.

As it stands, the Chicago Bulls have locked in a play-in position at the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference, boasting a record of 34-42, yet they still have chances to ascend as high as seventh. Meanwhile, the top four teams—the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers—have already clinched playoff spots.

The Western Conference’s current leader, the Oklahoma City Thunder, has secured the No. 1 seed, but further down the standings, the fight for seeding positions complicates playoff projections. Seven teams remain within striking distance, separated by just five games.

On April 19, the NBA playoffs officially begin, promising a thrilling postseason. Clarity in seeding will resolve by April 13, when all 30 teams compete on the final day of the regular season, allowing for the play-in tournament to commence shortly thereafter on April 15 and conclude by April 18.