The regular season is over, and the NBA’s top teams have jockeyed for position in the standings, hoping to catapult themselves into post-season contention with a favourable seeding heading into the first round. Teams and fans alike are gearing up for 2 months of intense competition and high-stakes drama, so let’s have a peek at what we can look forward to.
NBA Playoff Matchups
Here’s a look at the bracket heading into the first round:
- Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat/Chicago Bulls*
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers
- New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans/Sacramento Kings*
- Los Angeles Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Phoenix Suns
- Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers
*Opponent to be determined by the final games of the NBA Play-In Tournament
One of the most intriguing Round 1 matchups thrown up by the seedings is the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets enjoyed a strong regular season campaign, finishing 2nd in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record. The Lakers lost in a 4-0 clean sweep when they met in the playoffs last season and the Nuggets have also triumphed in all 3 of their meetings this season, but LeBron James – who ended the regular season in outstanding form – will be hoping to get some revenge.
The Nuggets finished behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference standings, marking the first time since 2013 that the Thunder have clinched the top seed. The Thunder will be appearing in the Playoffs for the first time since 2020, and they’ll face either the New Orleans Pelicans or the Sacramento Kings; the Thunder have won their last 2 meetings against both sides, but they’ll face a stern test either way.
In terms of regular season performance, no one can hold a candle to the Boston Celtics this season, who finished with a 64-18 record to comfortably top the Eastern Conference table. They’ll play either 2023 runners-up the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls in Round 1. The Celtics won all 3 meetings with both sides, but they’ll be hoping to face the Bulls, whom they’ve beaten on all 5 occasions they’ve met in the playoffs, while the Heat have a 4-2 historical record against them in the post-season competition.
NBA Playoff Schedule
The NBA Playoffs begin on 20 April, with the first round potentially set to conclude on 5 May, depending on whether any of the ties go the full 7-game distance. Round 1 will be swiftly followed by the Conference Semifinals, and then the Conference Finals over the rest of May.
The Conference winners will then be pitted against one another for the championship in the NBA Finals, which will start on 6 June and potentially conclude on 23 June.
NBA Playoff Tickets
Tickets are on sale for the first round of the NBA Playoffs. All playoff matchups are a best-of-7 series of fixtures, so at least 4 games will be played in each. Many teams wait to see if Games 5, 6, or 7 are necessary before setting their tickets for those fixtures on sale, but whether you’re buying tickets firsthand or via resale, you can expect a full refund for any tickets purchased for games that do not go ahead. Always be sure to check the seller’s guarantees before making a purchase, however, just to be safe.
NBA Playoff ticket prices can vary wildly from team to team; in Round 1 they can start as low as around USD $33 and or easily exceed $1,000, depending on the game, seating location, and any associated benefits.
For ticket information and prices for every NBA Playoff game, click here.