ESPN
Apr 17, 2024, 06:45 AM
The 2023-24 NBA regular season is complete and the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs is almost here. Expect plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.
The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. They'll await the results of the play-in tournament to know their first-round opponent, as will the No. 2 seed New York Knicks.
In the West, the defending champion Denver Nuggets are the 2-seed, behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and are looking to win the team's first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs will begin with four games on Saturday and four more on Sunday. Eight teams from each conference will reach the first round and face off in a best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have homecourt advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).
We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.
MORE: Play-in tournament coverage | Previewing all 20 postseason teams | What eliminated teams need to do this summer?
EASTERN CONFERENCE
TBD
Boston Celtics (1) vs. TBD (8)
Game 1: Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Wednesday, April 24 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 at play-in winner
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Boston
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at play-in winner
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Boston
Holiday lands contract extension ahead of playoffs
Celtics set NBA record with 0 FT in loss to Bucks
Pelton's regular-season grades: Celtics get an A
TBD
New York Knicks (2) vs. TBD (7)
Game 1: Saturday April 20 at New York (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Monday at New York, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at play-in winner, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at play-in winner, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at New York
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at play-in winner
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at New York (TNT)
Knicks clinch 2-seed on season's final day
Randle's season ends due to shoulder injury
How OG Anunoby turbocharged the Knicks' offense
Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)
Game 1: Sunday at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Tuesday at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Milwaukee
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Indiana
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Milwaukee (TNT)
Sources: Bucks preparing to be without Giannis to start playoffs
Bucks look to put emotions aside vs. familiar foe
Pacers avoid play-in on season's final day
Pelton's regular-season grades: C for Bucks, B+ for Pacers
Game balls, Dame Time taunts and the budding Bucks-Pacers beef
Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)
Game 1: Saturday at Cleveland, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Monday at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Cleveland
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Orlando
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Cleveland
Magic win on season's final day to set up first-round series with Cavs
Cavs' LeVert maintains resilience after cancer surgery in 2021
Inside the beef between Dan Gilbert and Mat Ishbia
How a 5-20 slump turned the Magic into one of the NBA's best surprises
WESTERN CONFERENCE
TBD
Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. TBD
Game 1: Sunday at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Wednesday April 24 at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 at play-in winner
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Oklahoma City
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at play-in winner
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Oklahoma City
Thunder clinch 1-seed, keep 'eyes on the prize'
Daigneault wins NBCA Coach of the Year honors
Inside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's improbable rise
Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)
Game 1: Saturday at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Monday at Denver, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday April 29 at Denver
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Denver (TNT)
Lakers survive Pels' rally, advance to playoffs
How LeBron became a better scorer at age 39
MVP straw poll: Why Jokic is a runaway winner
How Jokic became the best passer in the NBA
Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)
Game 1: Saturday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Tuesday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Minnesota
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Phoenix
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Minnesota
Suns' final day win over Wolves sets up playoff rematch
Towns makes return ahead of postseason
What's next for the sale of the Timberwolves
What to make of a topsy-turvy season for the Suns
LA Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)
Game 1: Sunday at LA Clippers, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Tuesday at LA Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at LA Clippers
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Dallas
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at LA Clippers
The moment that transformed Westbrook and the Clippers' title chase
How Paul George became the archetype for an NBA generation
The Mavs' gamble on the Kyrie-Luka partnership is paying off
