With the regular season now behind us, the NBA playoffs are set to kick off. With sixteen teams battling it out to advance to the Conference Semifinals and Finals, there’s plenty of action to keep you entertained throughout the competition.
The top six teams in each Conference automatically qualify for the Playoffs, while those finishing seventh through ten will enter the play-in tournament. This second-stage event runs April 11-14, before the first round of the playoffs begins on April 15.
NBA Playoffs Schedule 2023
The NBA Playoffs 2023 begin April 15 and will run through June 1. The top six teams from each conference will earn their spot in the playoffs, while the seventh through tenth-place finishers will enter the play-in tournament for a chance to make it into the postseason.
The 2023 NBA Playoffs will feature four rounds: the first round, conference semi-finals, conference finals and the NBA Finals. Each team will play a best-of-seven-game series to advance to the next round. In each series, the teams with the better regular season record get home-court advantage.
In the first round, the best-of-seven teams in each Conference face off in best-of-seven-game series that lasts two weeks. The winner advances to the Conference semi-finals, where they face the second-best team in their Conference in another best-of-seven-game series.
For the Eastern Conference, the best-of-seven-game first round will be held on Sunday, March 10 and Monday, March 11. The conference semi-finals are scheduled for Wednesday, April 3. The conference finals will take place on Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15.
Both the Eastern and Western Conferences have some key games coming up that could have a big impact on the playoff picture. These matchups include the top-ranked Denver Nuggets and a host of other top teams, including the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.
There will also be a number of other key regular season games that could have a huge impact on the playoff picture. These games will be announced around July or August and are likely to generate a lot of excitement among fans.
The NBA playoffs are the climax of the regular season in the NBA, and there is no better way to end it than with a championship title. The 2023 playoffs will see the best players in the game competing for an NBA title, with the final two teams vying for the NBA crown.
To determine which teams will qualify for the playoffs, the NBA uses a tie-breaker system. These tie-breakers are determined by the total wins and losses of each team.
2023 NBA Playoffs Key Dates:
- April 9: NBA regular season ends
- April 11: Play-In Game 1
- East 7 vs. East 8 > Winner earns 7th seed and advances to NBA Playoffs
- April 11: Play-In Game 2
- West 7 vs. West 8 > Winner earns 7th seed and advances to NBA Playoffs
- April 12: Play-In Game 3
- East 9 vs. East 10 > Winner plays loser of East 7/8 game
- April 12: Play-In Game 4
- West 9 vs. West 10 > Winner plays loser of West 7/8 game
- April 14: Play-In Game 5
- East Loser 7/8 vs. East Winner 9/10 > Winner earns 8th seed and advances to NBA playoffs
- April 14: Play-In Game 6
- West Loser 7/8 vs. West Winner 9/10 > Winner earns 8th seed and advances to NBA playoffs
- April 15: NBA Playoffs 2023 begin
- May 1-2: NBA Conference Semifinals begin (possible move-up to April 29-30)
- May 16-17: NBA Conference Finals begin (possible move-up to May 14-15)
- June 1: NBA Finals 2023 Game 1
- June 4: NBA Finals 2023 Game 2
- June 7: NBA Finals 2023 Game 3
- June 9: NBA Finals 2023 Game 4
- June 12: NBA Finals 2023 Game 5 (if necessary)
- June 15: NBA Finals 2023 Game 6 (if necessary)
- June 18: NBA Finals 2023 Game 7 (if necessary)
NBA Playoffs Matchups
The 2023 NBA playoffs will feature a number of exciting matchups that fans can’t miss. The league released the 2022-2023 schedule this week, and while some of the matchups are familiar to fans, there are some surprises to look out for as well.
The Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Indiana Pacers all stand out as teams who are projected to make a significant impact on the standings. All three teams have a chance to make their way into the postseason, but they will need to string wins together over the course of the final few weeks.
With the regular season coming to a close, teams near the middle of the Western and Eastern Conferences will battle it out for a spot in the NBA Play-In tournament. This will give them a chance to compete for one of the top eight seeds in their conferences.
Ultimately, the winner of the NBA Play-In will then play in the NBA playoffs. The first round of the playoffs will be a best-of-seven series, and the winners will advance to the second round.
After the first round of the playoffs, the top four teams from each conference will meet in a best-of-seven series to determine the Finals. The top-seeded team will host the first two games of the series, followed by the other teams playing on the road.
In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets are currently head and shoulders above the rest of the field. They have been one of the most efficient teams in the league this season and have a great offense. They’ll be tough to beat in the first round of the playoffs, and they’re at a price point that makes them a solid bet to win the championship.
On the East side, the Boston Celtics continue to hold top-five odds to win the 2022 NBA title. They have a strong team and will be looking to continue their dominance in the postseason, especially with Kyrie Irving set to join their ranks this season.
In the West, the Los Angeles Clippers are another strong bet to win the title. They have a solid defense and have been on a winning streak that has them sitting near the top of the standings. They’ll face a tough challenge in their first round matchup with the Phoenix Suns, but they’re still a good bet to take at the price of (+700).
NBA playoffs 2023 Betting Odds
NBA playoffs 2023 betting odds are available on DraftKings, and they offer good value on teams with potential to make a run. The Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers are among the favorites to win the Eastern Conference crown in 2022-23, while the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets lead the West.
While the Western Conference features a few familiar faces, there are also a few newcomers who have the potential to break out as playoff contenders. The Phoenix Suns are a team that has built itself around young talent, while the Philadelphia 76ers feature a pair of players who are likely to be among the league’s top stars.
The Philadelphia 76ers may have fallen out of favor in the preseason, but they’ve found some traction at the start of the season with Joel Embiid and James Harden bringing new energy to the franchise. Whether these players can translate their high-end talent into a championship run is the big question mark for this team.
If you want to bet on a team that has the best chance to make the NBA Finals, look no further than the Golden State Warriors, who are currently the favorite to win the championship at BetMGM. The team is coming off back-to-back NBA titles, but they will have to be motivated and healthy next season in order to defend their title.
In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies are also expected to make deep runs in 2022-23. Both have high-skilled, deep rosters that will be able to handle a variety of matchups in the NBA playoffs.
Despite their long-term injury woes, the Houston Rockets are a team that has shown promise over the course of the season. The team has a promising young core and has made some key trades in the offseason to bolster its depth and versatility.
But there’s still a lot of room for improvement. The team has been plagued by injuries in recent years, and there are plenty of other factors that could sour their chances of making a deep run in the playoffs.
NBA Playoffs Betting Predictions
Whether you’re betting in a pool or wagering the event, the nba playoffs are a fantastic way to make some money this season. The upcoming 2023 NBA season will be the most exciting in years as teams compete for their place among the league’s top seeds. In addition, there will be some interesting battles for play-in spots in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
The Golden State Warriors are the odds-on favorites to win the nba title in 2023, but they’re facing some tough competition from their Eastern counterparts, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. They’ve only lost two games this season and are currently ranked third in the conference.
Another team that’s a longshot to challenge for the crown is the Los Angeles Clippers, who haven’t made the playoffs in two years. However, they have a few key pieces in place that should put them in position to challenge for the title.
In the West, the Denver Nuggets are a strong contender to make the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a record of 40-19. They have one of the best players in the NBA, Nikola Jokic, who creates matchup problems for every opponent he faces.
Other teams that should have an impact in the playoffs include the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Bucks are arguably the most talented team in the NBA right now, while the Nets are a solid team that hasn’t had star players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the floor.
The 76ers are also a great bet to win the title this year, as they have a deep roster with plenty of quality talent and experience. They have been playing well recently as they are currently on an eight-game winning streak.
While the Dallas Mavericks are sitting in 11th place, they have a chance to move up in the standings if they can finish with a few wins in their last five games. They’re one game ahead of Phoenix and Los Angeles, who are both battling for play-in spots in the Western Conference.