The NBA regular season has officially wrapped up, and now it’s time for the decisive battles. The Play-In Tournament tips off in just two days, with teams fighting for the final playoff berths. While some first-round matchups are already set, the remaining playoff picture will be completed this week as 7th through 10th seeds battle for survival.
Tuesday Matchups: East and West Showdowns
On Tuesday, the Eastern Conference features a clash between the Orlando Magic (7th) and the Atlanta Hawks (8th). In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors (7th) will face the Memphis Grizzlies (8th). Winners of these games will secure the 7th seed in their respective conferences and face the No. 2 seeds — Boston Celtics in the East and Houston Rockets in the West — in the first round. 
However, the losers are not out yet. They’ll get a second chance by facing the winners of the 9th vs. 10th seed games scheduled for Wednesday.
Wednesday Elimination Games: Win or Go Home
The Eastern Conference will see the Chicago Bulls host the Miami Heat at United Center at 6:30 p.m. CT (1:30 a.m. CET), while the Sacramento Kings take on the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference.
The stakes are high: losers of these games are eliminated from postseason contention, while the winners advance to Friday’s final Play-In round to compete for the 8th seed.
Confirmed First-Round Matchups
Some playoff matchups are already locked in:
Eastern Conference:
- (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
- (4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks
Western Conference:
- (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
- (4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) LA Clippers
Top seeds Cleveland Cavaliers (East) and Oklahoma City Thunder (West) await the Play-In winners and will face the lower-seeded team advancing from that bracket.
NBA Playoff Timeline
- Playoffs begin: April 19
- Conference Semifinals: May 5–6
- Conference Finals: May 20–21
- NBA Finals begin: June 5
Follow us for live updates and full coverage as the Play-In Tournament unfolds. The road to the NBA Finals has just begun!
