NBA Playoffs
First implemented in 1984, the NBA Playoffs’ current format involves 16 teams competing in four rounds. The first round was best-of-five until 2003 when it became a best-of-seven matchup. Since the 2016 playoffs, the top six teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences qualify according to their win-loss records.
The coronavirus pandemic changed how teams qualify for the NBA Playoffs as the league managed two shortened seasons. Now, the play-in tournament grants two teams with playoff seeds No. 7 and No. 8 employing a four-team, three-game format.
- Number of participating teams: 16
- Rounds: four
- Format: best of seven games
- Most NBA Playoff appearances: Los Angeles Lakers (63)
- Least NBA Playoff appearances: New Orleans Pelicans (7)
- Longest NBA Playoff drought: Sacramento Kings (last appearance: 2005-06)
- Longest active NBA Playoff appearance streak: Portland Trail Blazers (8 consecutive playoffs since 2013-14)
- Longest NBA Playoff streak ever: San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers (22 consecutive seasons)
Featured articles:
NBA Playoffs: How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
The Most Significant NBA Playoff Injuries of All Time
Larry Bird Cried Foul in the 1998 NBA Playoffs and Drew a Brutal Response From Phil Jackson
Visit NBA.com‘s NBA Playoffs section.
Read the latest articles about the NBA Playoffs:
With the score even at 97 and just over a minute left in the fourth quarter of Game 2 between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, a second straight fourth quarter collapse seemed inevitable for the Pistons. Earlier in the frame, they held a commanding 13-point advantage, and just a few minutes before that, […]
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the NBA Playoffs with sky-high expectations. After a historic season, stemming from a lockdown defense and a possible MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals. Memphis enters the postseason after a narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors before bashing the Dallas Mavericks […]
For the first time since LeBron James left town, the Cleveland Cavaliers will enter a playoff series as heavy favorites. After a historic regular season, the East’s top team will begin its postseason journey looking to dispatch the Miami Heat. In what has become a yearly tradition, The Heat escaped the Play-In Tournament, this time […]
Charles Barkley paid a well-known heckler to harass Michael Jordan during the 1993 NBA Finals.
The NBA has seen six different champions in six years just once.
During the Chicago Bulls’ six NBA title runs, Scottie Pippen led Michael Jordan in every major statistical category in the postseason outside of scoring.
The shoes worn by Michael Jordan in his famous “Flu Game” during the 1997 NBA Finals sold for $1.38 million.
A look at every NBA Finals MVP Award winner, specifically where each was taken in the NBA Draft.
A brief look at every NBA Finals MVP in history.
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