2026 NBA Play-In Tournament: Schedule, Standings & Results
The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament starts Tuesday, April 14, with eight teams competing for the final four NBA Playoffs spots. The Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors all have a chance to reach the postseason this week. Adam Silver introduced the Play-In format in 2021 and it has been part of the NBA calendar ever since.
This page has the full 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule with live results, standings and everything you need to follow the action.
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament decides the 7th and 8th playoff seeds in both the East and West. Four teams from each conference compete for two playoff spots after the regular season ends.
The 7th and 8th seeds need just one win to reach the playoffs. The 9th and 10th seeds need two wins in a row. One loss ends their season right away.
Every No. 7 seed has made the playoffs since this format started in 2021.
They hold an 8-2 record in the opening round. No. 10 seeds have made the playoffs just once in ten tries. No. 9 seeds have reached the full playoffs three times out of ten attempts.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule & Results
Last Updated: April 15, 2026 – Results update after each game.
All six games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Tuesday, April 14 – FINAL
Two games tipped off on opening night. Both delivered instant classics.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Watch | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 14 | (10) Miami Heat @ (9) Charlotte Hornets | 7:30 PM | Prime Video | CHA 127, MIA 126 (OT) |
| Tue, Apr 14 | (8) Portland Trail Blazers @ (7) Phoenix Suns | 10:00 PM | Prime Video | POR 114, PHX 110 |
East 9/10: Charlotte Hornets advance to Friday’s final game. Miami Heat eliminated. West 7/8: Portland Trail Blazers earn the No. 7 seed and face the San Antonio Spurs in Round 1. Phoenix Suns get one more chance Friday.
Wednesday, April 15 – TODAY
Two more games on Wednesday. The East 7/8 game tips off at 7:30 PM ET followed by the West 9/10 game at 10:00 PM ET.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Watch | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Apr 15 | (8) Orlando Magic @ (7) Philadelphia 76ers | 7:30 PM | Prime Video | Scheduled |
| Wed, Apr 15 | (10) Golden State Warriors @ (9) LA Clippers | 10:00 PM | Prime Video | Scheduled |
East 7/8: Winner earns the No. 7 seed and advances to Round 1. Loser gets one more chance Friday against the Hornets. West 9/10: Winner advances to Friday’s final game against the Suns. Loser is eliminated.
Friday, April 17 – Final Play-In Games
The loser of each 7/8 game hosts the winner of each 9/10 game. One team reaches the playoffs. The other goes home.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Watch | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Apr 17 | East: 76ers/Magic Loser vs Charlotte Hornets | 7:30 PM | Prime Video | Scheduled |
| Fri, Apr 17 | West: Phoenix Suns vs Clippers/Warriors Winner | 10:00 PM | Prime Video | Scheduled |
Winners earn the No. 8 seed and advance to Round 1. Losers are eliminated.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Standings
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | Play-In Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (7) | Philadelphia 76ers | 45 | 37 | vs (8) Magic, Wed Apr 15, 7:30 PM ET – Scheduled |
| (8) | Orlando Magic | 45 | 37 | @ (7) 76ers, Wed Apr 15, 7:30 PM ET – Scheduled |
| (9) | Charlotte Hornets | 44 | 38 | Beat (10) Heat 127-126 OT – Advances to Fri final |
| (10) | Miami Heat | 43 | 39 | Lost to (9) Hornets 126-127 OT – Eliminated |
The 76ers and Magic both finished the regular season at 45-37. A tiebreaker placed Philadelphia at seventh and Orlando at eighth giving the 76ers home court for Wednesday’s game. Joel Embiid remains out after emergency appendix surgery on April 9 with no timetable to return, leaving Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to carry the load.
The Hornets delivered one of the best play-in games in tournament history on Tuesday. LaMelo Ball hit the go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime and Miles Bridges blocked the final shot to seal a 127-126 win over Miami. The Heat are eliminated after falling just one point short in overtime.
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | Play-In Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (7) | Phoenix Suns | 45 | 37 | Lost to (8) Trail Blazers 110-114 – Fri final game |
| (8) | Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | Beat (7) Suns 114-110 – No. 7 seed – Faces Spurs Rd 1 |
| (9) | LA Clippers | 42 | 40 | vs (10) Warriors, Wed Apr 15, 10:00 PM ET – Scheduled |
| (10) | Golden State Warriors | 37 | 45 | @ (9) Clippers, Wed Apr 15, 10:00 PM ET – Scheduled |
Portland pulled off one of the best comebacks in play-in history on Tuesday. Down 11 points in the fourth quarter, Deni Avdija posted 41 points and 12 assists on 15-of-22 shooting to lead the Trail Blazers past Phoenix 114-110. Avdija hit the go-ahead 3-point play with 16.1 seconds left to seal the win. He became the fifth player to score 40 or more points in play-in tournament history, joining Jayson Tatum, Coby White, Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis.
The Suns played in the Play-In Tournament for the first time in franchise history on Tuesday and now face a must-win Friday final against the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors game. The Warriors at 37-45 are the lowest seed in the field. Stephen Curry and the Warriors must beat the Clippers on Wednesday just to earn the right to play Friday again.
How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
Game 1, The 7/8 Game: The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed. The winner goes straight to the NBA Playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The loser does not go home yet. They get one more shot in Friday’s final game.
Game 2, The 9/10 Game: The No. 9 seed hosts the No. 10 seed. The winner moves on to Friday. The loser is out of the playoffs with no second chance. This is the most dangerous spot for the lower seeds.
Game 3, The Final Play-In Game: The loser of the 7/8 game hosts the winner of the 9/10 game. The winner earns the No. 8 playoff seed. The loser’s season ends right there. One game decides it all.
How to Watch and Live Stream the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament
All six games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. This is the first year the entire Play-In Tournament moved to one streaming platform under the NBA’s new 11-year deal with Amazon worth $19.8 billion. You need an active Amazon Prime membership to watch.
Outside the US? Here is where to watch:
- Canada: TSN and Sportsnet
- United Kingdom: Sky Sports
- Australia: Kayo Sports
- All other countries: NBA League Pass
When Do the 2026 NBA Playoffs and Finals Start?
The NBA Playoffs first round starts on Saturday, April 18. Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals tips off Wednesday, June 3, on ABC at 8:30 PM ET. A potential Game 7 falls on Friday, June 19. Track the fully updated results on our 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Bracket page. Check our 2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule for first-round tip-off times once the field is set.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament FAQs
How many teams make the NBA playoffs from the Play-In Tournament?
Four teams advance from the Play-In Tournament, two from the East and two from the West. Each conference sends one No. 7 seed and one No. 8 seed. Those four teams join the 12 teams that already qualified directly through the regular season standings. The full playoff field has 16 teams total.
Do Play-In teams get home-court advantage in the first round?
No. Play-In teams enter as the No. 7 or No. 8 seed. The No. 7 faces the No. 2 seed in Round 1. The No. 8 faces the No. 1 seed. Both top seeds hold full home-court advantage for the entire series. Play-In teams play most of their first-round games on the road.
What is the difference between the Play-In Tournament and the regular playoffs?
The Play-In Tournament runs before the main bracket begins. Its only job is to decide the 7th and 8th seeds in each conference. Play-In games use a single-elimination or double-chance format. The actual playoffs use a best-of-seven format for every round from the first round through the Finals.
Which NBA team has the best Play-In Tournament record?
No. 7 seeds hold the best overall record in play-in history. Every No. 7 seed has reached the full playoffs since the format started in 2021 and they are 8-2 in the opening round. Among the teams in this year’s field the Golden State Warriors are the most historically significant. They won the 2022 NBA Championship as a top seed and now fight as the No. 10 seed just to reach Round 1.
Can a team finish 7th in the regular season and still miss the playoffs?
Yes. Finishing 7th does not guarantee a playoff spot. The No. 7 seed must win at least one of their two play-in games to advance. A team that loses the 7/8 game and then loses the Friday final game misses the playoffs completely despite finishing above the 9th and 10th place teams over 82 games.
How does the NBA decide home-court advantage in Play-In games?
Regular season seeding decides home court in every play-in game. The higher seed always plays at home. The No. 7 hosts the No. 8. The No. 9 hosts the No. 10. In the final play-in game the loser of the 7/8 game hosts the winner of the 9/10 game. The No. 7 or No. 8 seed keeps home court even after losing their first game.
Does the NBA Play-In Tournament count toward a team’s playoff appearance record?
No. Playing in the Play-In Tournament does not count as a playoff appearance in official NBA records. A team only earns a playoff appearance when they advance through the play-in and reach the actual first round of the NBA Playoffs. A team that loses both play-in games is listed as missing the playoffs for that season in the official record books.
The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament has real drama across both conferences. The 76ers and Magic meet Wednesday deadlocked at 45-37. The Suns play their first-ever play-in game at home on Tuesday night. The Warriors need two straight road wins to survive. All six games are live on Amazon Prime Video starting Tuesday, April 14.