NBA Play-In: a detailed preview of the road to the playoffs

The first phase of the NBA season is over. Some franchises that were widely expected to finish in the top ten of their respective conferences have already bowed out — most notably the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers, two of the biggest disappointments of the 2024–2025 regular season.

So now we know which teams still have a shot at adding their names to the list of champions — putting a ring on their fingers and hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy high.

Some of those teams — the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Detroit Pistons — will get a few days off after securing a direct ticket to the playoffs, which will begin on April 19.

However, others will have to make a stop in the Play-in — the round that kicks things off before the playoffs — which runs from April 15 to 18. That includes the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat. Out of those eight teams, only four will move on and stay in the hunt for the ring — just four spots remain to complete the final phase.

Here is how the Play-In is configured

Just like the playoffs, the Play-in is split into two brackets: the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Each side has two spots up for grabs in the final phase.

Two of the remaining spots will go to the teams that finished seventh or eighth in the regular season standings. That means the Western Conference spot will be claimed by either the Warriors or the Grizzlies, while the Eastern Conference spot will go to either the Magic or the Hawks.

The other two spots will be decided like this: the ninth- and tenth-place finishers in each conference will face off, and the winner will then play the loser of the seventh-eighth matchup.

In the Western Conference, the Kings and Mavericks will face off, with the winner going up against either the Warriors or the Grizzlies. In the East, the winner of the Bulls vs. Heat matchup will take on either the Magic or the Hawks.

Here's how the franchises get to the Play-In

Just like some teams have been eliminated unexpectedly and won’t hit the hardwood again until next season, there are others that were expected to secure a direct spot in the playoffs — but they’re still in the mix.

In the West, the Warriors stand out. The Californians, who ruled the NBA in the last decade with four rings in six Finals appearances, finished seventh in their conference. Despite a strong finish to the regular season — winning seven of their last ten games — Stephen Curry and company didn’t secure a direct playoff spot and will have to go through the Play-In. They also added Jimmy Butler to their roster in January, which boosts their chances of making it to the final round.

Next are the Grizzlies, who are back in the fight for the ring after missing the Play-In last season, and the Kings. Both teams have seen their fortunes shift throughout the regular season. Then there are the Mavericks, a franchise hit hard by two major factors: injuries during the first half of the season and the departure of their former star, Luka Doncic, to the Lakers. Last year, they were runners-up.

On the other side, in the East, seventh and eighth place went to the Magic, who finished with an even record of wins and losses, and the Hawks, who have shown slight improvement from last season. Also in the mix are the Bulls, one of the NBA's most storied franchises, who haven’t reached the Finals since their last championship in 1997-1998, and the Heat, who were runners-up just two years ago.