What to expect from the 2024 NBA Playoffs: favourites, watch
The 2024 NBA regular season has ended and we are looking forward to the most exciting part of the championship, the Play-In Tournament and Playoffs. Here you will find the 2024 postseason schedule, as well as how to watch the games broadcast and which teams are the main favorites to win.
When does the 2023-2024 NBA season start?
This edition is the 78th season of the NBA Basketball Association since it was first established in the year 1949. Fans of the famous ballgame could enjoy almost 6 months of regular season NBA action, starting on October 24, 2023, and ending on April 14, 2024. As usual, the regular season consisted of a total of 82 games and ends on April 14. The 2024 NBA Playoffs are set to kick off on April 20, 2024, and the NBA Finals will take place between June 6 and June 23, 2024.
The postseason consist of two stages:
- April 16-19 — Play-In Tournament.
- April 20-May 7 - Playoffs.
The top six teams from each conference will automatically advance to the next round based on their standings, while another four will compete in the Play-In Tournament for the final two places, that is, for seventh place and eighth place.
Which teams will participate in the 2024 NBA Play-In?
On April 16, the 7th team from each conference in the standings will host the 8th team, and the winner of that matchup will earn the seventh playoff spot, while the losers will have another chance to earn a spot.
On April 17, the 9th team from each conference in the standings will take on the 10th team, and the winner of that match will advance to the final phase of the Play-In tournament. The losing teams will be eliminated.
On April 19, the losers of the matches between the 7th and 8th teams will play the winners of the matches between the 9th and 10th teams, and the winners will finish in eighth place in the playoffs according to their conference. Losing teams will be eliminated. All six games of the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament will be broadcast on ESPN and TNT.
Below you will find the current standings of the NBA Play-In:
Eastern Conference
- Philadelphia 76ers at the seventh spot (45-35)
- Miami Heat (1.0 game behind, at the eighth spot 44-36)
- Chicago Bulls (6.0 games behind, at the ninth spot 38-42)
- Atlanta Hawks (9.0 games behind, at the 10th spot 36-44)
Eastern Conference Bracket
- April 17 (7 ET): 7/8 Game: Miami vs. Philadelphia
- April 17 (9:30 ET): 9/10 Game: Atlanta vs. Chicago
Western Conference
- Phoenix Suns at the seventh spot (47-33)
- Sacramento Kings (1.5 games behind, at the eighth spot 45-34)
- LA Lakers (2.0 games behind, at the ninth spot 45-35)
- Golden State Warriors (2.5 games behind, at the 10th spot 44-35)
Western Conference Bracket
- April 16 (7:30 ET): 7/8 Game: L.A. Lakers vs. New Orleans
- April 16 (10 ET): 9/10 Game: Golden State vs. Sacramento Kings
Where to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament?
All six matchups of the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament are scheduled to be televised on ESPN and TNT. Live-streaming options will be available on NBA League Pass, which gives viewers access to NBA with a week's worth of free trial.
What are the dates for the 2024 NBA Playoffs and how to watch them?
- On April 20, NBA playoffs 2023 first round begin. You can watch them on ABC, ESPN, TNT, or NBA TV.
- On May 6-7, NBA conference semifinals begin, and they will be broadcast by channels ABC, ESPN, and TNT.
- On May 21-22, NBA conference finals begin. Watch them on ABC, ESPN, TNT.
- On June 6, NBA Finals begin, and will be broadcasted only by ABC.
Which teams made it to the Playoffs?
And here's the 2024 NBA Playoff bracket:
Eastern Conference
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Knicks vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Bucks vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic
Western Conference
(1) Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Timberwolves vs. (6) Suns
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks
Who will be crowned the 2023-2024 NBA champion?
World champions of what? The United States? Those were the famous words from the US track and field star Noah Lyles when he took a swipe against NBA organizations and players proclaiming themselves "world champions" after winning a national championship. Whether you agree with him or not, nobody can deny that the NBA is the best basketball league in the world. And considering the length of the season, winning the NBA is one of the toughest paths in any professional sports competition.
On June 12, 2023, the Denver Nuggets celebrated their first NBA championship in NBA franchise history. As the main core of the Denver Nuggets squad remains pretty much unchanged, at the start of the championship, they were among the main favorites to win the 2023-2024 NBA season. Nuggets were followed by the Boston Celtics, the Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors were also considered serious contenders to win.
Now, as of April 11, the team's prospects look as follows. The top favorites to win the the Eastern Conference and the playoffs are the Boston Celtics. As of Thursday, Boston's odds sit at +165.They are followed by the defending champion Denver Nuggets, the leader in the Western Conference, with +300.