As the NBA regular season is in its final stretch, fans are undoubtedly eager to watch the 2023 NBA Playoffs. All NBA fans will certainly know what the playoffs are. They are considered part of the NBA postseason where the best teams from each conference will look to bring back their franchise a coveted NBA title.
Although it is almost impossible to predict which team will win the NBA Finals every year, there are a lot of variables and factors that help or hurt a team’s chances to win. With that being said, let us take a closer look at what this season’s playoffs could look like and more key details on when it is expected to begin.
How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
Many people will already know how many teams make the NBA postseason every year. There are currently 30 teams in the NBA. 15 franchises in each of the conferences. Traditionally, the top 8 teams from the East and West are qualified to play in the postseason. The teams that failed to qualify will have a much longer offseason. Especially when compared to the teams who make the NBA Finals.
At the moment, most teams have played 67 to 69 games out of an 82-game regular season. That means there are only a little more than a dozen games left for teams to make a push for the playoffs. While the dates could vary slightly in the event of postponement or some other expected development, the 2023 NBA playoffs are expected to begin on 15th April.
The NBA has also introduced a change to the postseason. We have all heard about the play-in tournament, a scheme that allows the 9th and 10th-positioned teams to qualify for the playoffs. It would begin with the 7th and 8th seeds facing off, with the winner officially claiming the 7th spot for the postseason. The loser of that match will play against the winner between the 9th and 10th seeds in order to qualify as the 8th seed.
Therefore, even a 10th-seed team has a chance to make the NBA postseason, provided that they win two back-to-back elimination games. Although some stars like LeBron James have spoken out against the play-in tournament, it is still a great way for the league to improve its revenue and ratings.
In any case, after the 8 teams make the playoffs, they will have to win 4 best of 7 series’ against the teams they match up against. Winning the 4th one will ensure that the team wins the NBA Finals, which is expected to take place between June 1 and June 18.
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