The creation of the NBA Play-In Tournament brought a new level of excitement to the end of the 2020-21 regular season, and it managed to do the same this year.
The 2022 edition of the Play-In Tournament may not have a matchup as juicy as Warriors vs. Lakers, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters on April 6 that he is "very pleased" with how the event has increased the level of competitiveness around the league. He believes the Play-In Tournament will remain a consistent part of the NBA schedule for years to come.
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"As I've mentioned before, when we first were examining it, we were very focused on the actual Play-In games themselves," Silver said. "What we're seeing is a far greater impact essentially on the last month of the season, where teams are either jockeying to get into the Play-In Tournament itself or jockeying to get out of the Play-In Tournament with a locked-in sixth seed."
Who will escape this year's Play-In Tournament and earn a spot in the NBA Playoff bracket?
Here's a breakdown of what to expect from the 2022 Play-In Tournament, including a bracket and schedule for upcoming games.
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
- The NBA Play-In Tournament will be held after the conclusion of the 2021-22 regular season and before the start of the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots. Teams Nos. 7-10 will enter the Play-In Tournament.
- Each conference's Nos. 7 and 8 teams will face off, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The loser will still have one more opportunity to reach the playoffs.
- Each conference's Nos. 9 and 10 teams will face off, with the winner advancing to play the loser of the No. 7-vs.-No. 8 game. The loser of the No. 9-vs.-No. 10 game will be eliminated from playoff contention.
- The loser of the No. 7-vs.-No. 8 game and the winner of the No. 9-vs.-No. 10 game will then play against each other. The winner of that game will be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.
- Beyond the Play-In Tournament, the 2022 NBA Playoffs will follow the typical format, with full best-of-seven series all the way through the NBA Finals.
When does the NBA Play-In Tournament start?
- Play-In Tournament: April 12-15
- NBA Playoffs: April 16
The 2021-22 NBA regular season will end on Sunday, April 10. The 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 12. The first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs will start four days later on Saturday, April 16.
NBA Play-In Tournament bracket 2022
NBA Play-In Tournament matchups 2022
Eastern Conference
(7) Nets vs. (8) Cavaliers
(9) Hawks vs. (10) Hornets
Western Conference
(7) Timberwolves vs. (8) Clippers
(9) Pelicans vs. (10) Spurs
NBA Play-In Tournament schedule
April 12
| Game |
| Nets 115, Cavaliers 108 |
| Timberwolves 109, Clippers 104 |
April 13
| Game |
| Hawks 132, Hornets 103 |
| Pelicans 113, Spurs 103 |
April 15
| Game |
| Hawks 107, Cavaliers 101 |
| Pelicans 105, Clippers 101 |
