After a regular season that featured spectacular games, stunning trades and plenty of drama, basketball fans are ready for the NBA Playoffs. Before the first round begins, though, the NBA Play-In Tournament will determine which teams earn the final spots in the postseason bracket.
While the top six teams in each conference go straight to the first round, the squads that finished Nos. 6-10 in the East and West standings must fight their way out of the NBA Play-In Tournament. The winning teams will become the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, while the losing teams will be eliminated.
Battling through the NBA Play-In Tournament could give a team the momentum to make a deep run, as the 2022-23 Heat went from the tournament all the way to the NBA Finals. Will we witness the start of another underdog story this year?
Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament, including TV and streaming options for each game.
NBA Play-In Tournament 2025 schedule
- Dates: Tuesday, April 15-Friday, April 18
The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 15, and conclude on Friday, April 18. Once the postseason field has been finalized, the 2025 NBA Playoffs will start on Saturday, April 19.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| April 15 | No. 7 Magic vs. No. 8 Hawks | TBD | TNT, Sling |
| West No. 7 vs. West No. 8 | TBD | TNT, Sling | |
| April 16 | No. 9 Bulls vs. No. 10 Heat | TBD | ESPN, Sling |
| West No. 9 vs. West No. 10 | TBD | ESPN, Sling | |
| April 18 | East 7/8 loser vs. East 9/10 winner | TBD | TNT, Sling |
| West 7/8 loser vs. West 9/10 winner | TBD | ESPN, Sling |
NBA Play-In Tournament 2025 TV channels, live streams
- TV channels: ESPN, TNT
- Live streams: Sling
NBA Play-In Tournament games will air on ESPN and TNT. Each network will cover a total of three games. Cord-cutters can stream every NBA Play-In Tournament game on Sling.
Sling is the home for sports fans, as it offers a wide range of channels. You can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1 and more.
NBA Play-In Tournament 2025 radio station
You can listen to every NBA Play-In Tournament game live on SiriusXM. Channels for postseason games are listed on the SiriusXM website.
Get SiriusXM for free for your first four months. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
NBA Playoffs bracket 2025
The matchups below are projections based on the current standings in each conference. The bracket will be updated after the 2024-25 regular season has ended.
Eastern Conference
- (1) Cavaliers vs. (8) TBD
- (4) Pacers vs. (5) Bucks
- (3) Knicks vs. (6) Pistons
- (2) Celtics vs. (7) TBD
East Play-In Tournament
- (7) Magic vs. (8) Hawks
- (9) Bulls vs. (10) Heat
Western Conference
- (1) Thunder vs. (8) TBD
- (4) Nuggets vs. (5) Clippers
- (3) Lakers vs. (6) Warriors
- (2) Rockets vs. (7) TBD
West Play-In Tournament
- (7) Timberwolves vs. (8) Grizzlies
- (9) Kings vs. (10) Mavericks
NBA standings 2025
The standings below are current as of Saturday, April 12. Records will be updated after Sunday’s games have concluded.
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cavaliers* | 64-17 | — |
| 2. | Celtics* | 60-21 | 4 |
| 3. | Knicks* | 50-31 | 14 |
| 4. | Pacers* | 49-32 | 15 |
| 5. | Bucks* | 47-34 | 17 |
| 6. | Pistons* | 44-37 | 20 |
| 7. | Magic** | 41-40 | 23 |
| 8. | Hawks** | 39-42 | 25 |
| 9. | Bulls** | 38-43 | 26 |
| 10. | Heat** | 37-44 | 27 |
*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched Play-In Tournament berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Raptors, Nets, 76ers, Hornets, Wizards
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Thunder* | 67-14 | — |
| 2. | Rockets* | 52-29 | 15 |
| 3. | Lakers* | 50-31 | 17 |
| 4. | Nuggets | 49-32 | 18 |
| 5. | Clippers | 49-32 | 18 |
| 6. | Warriors | 48-33 | 19 |
| 7. | Timberwolves | 48-33 | 19 |
| 8. | Grizzlies** | 47-34 | 20 |
| 9. | Kings** | 39-42 | 28 |
| 10. | Mavericks** | 39-42 | 28 |
*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched Play-In Tournament berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Suns, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Pelicans, Jazz
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