2027 NBA Playoffs

2027 NBA Playoffs · Preview

The 2027 NBA Playoffs start with the Play-In Tournament in mid-April 2027, followed by the First Round in mid-April and four best-of-seven rounds to the NBA Finals in early June. The New York Knicks are the defending champions.

Playoff picture ›Schedule ›

2027 NBA Playoff Bracket

East First Round

1East No. 1
8East No. 8
No. 8 through the Play-In
4East No. 4
5East No. 5
Projected
3East No. 3
6East No. 6
Projected
2East No. 2
7East No. 7
No. 7 through the Play-In

East Semifinals

TBD
TBD

East Conf. Finals

TBD

NBA Finals

TBD

West Conf. Finals

TBD

West Semifinals

TBD
TBD

West First Round

1West No. 1
8West No. 8
No. 8 through the Play-In
4West No. 4
5West No. 5
Projected
3West No. 3
6West No. 6
Projected
2West No. 2
7West No. 7
No. 7 through the Play-In

Seed matchups; the teams fill in from opening night.

2027 NBA Playoffs Key Dates

  1. Season startsOct 20, 2026
  2. Regular season endsExpected mid-April 2027
  3. Play-In TournamentExpected mid-April 2027
  4. First RoundExpected late April 2027
  5. Conference FinalsExpected late May 2027
  6. NBA FinalsExpected early June 2027

From the NBA schedule as soon as it is set; until then the usual window is marked "expected". 2027 NBA Playoffs ›

Where the Race Starts

Defending champion
New York Knicks (beat the Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 Finals)
Last season's No. 1 seeds
Detroit Pistons (60-22, East) and Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, West)
Conference finalists
Thunder, Spurs, Knicks and Cavaliers
Came through the Play-In
76ers, Magic, Suns and Trail Blazers

2027 NBA Playoffs FAQ

When do the 2027 NBA playoffs start?

In mid-April 2027, right after the regular season: the Play-In Tournament first, then the First Round. The NBA confirms the exact dates with the schedule.

How many teams make the 2027 NBA playoffs?

Sixteen, eight per conference: seeds 1 to 6 qualify directly and seeds 7 to 10 play the Play-In Tournament for the last two spots in each conference.

Who are the defending champions going into the 2027 NBA playoffs?

The New York Knicks, who won the 2026 NBA Finals 4-1 over the San Antonio Spurs.

Where can I watch the 2027 NBA playoffs?

In the United States on ESPN and ABC, NBC and Peacock, and Prime Video; the NBA Finals are on ABC.