What we know about the NBA playoff bracket and schedule for Round 1 so far (2024)

The 2024 NBA playoff picture is coming into focus.

The Los Angeles Lakers became the first team to advance from the play-in tournament into the playoffs by outlasting the Pelicans in New Orleans on Tuesday night. Los Angeles earned the No. 7 seed with the victory and now enters a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals with the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in Round 1.

New Orleans, meanwhile, will have a chance to claim the West's eighth seed against the Sacramento Kings, who was the winner of the 9-10 matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

Over in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers rebounded from an ugly first half and rallied for a home win over the Miami Heat in Wednesday night's 7-8 matchup. Miami will next host the Chicago Bulls for the final playoff spot out East after the latter eliminated the Atlanta Hawks.

Six of the eight first-round playoff matchups are now set. The East's No. 1 Boston Celtics and West's No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder are the teams still without a first-round opponent.

So, here's everything we know about the NBA playoff bracket and schedule for Round 1 so far:

When do the NBA playoffs start?

The first playoff games are scheduled for Saturday, April 20.

What are the first-round NBA playoff matchups?

Here's a look at the first-round series in each conference:

Eastern Conference

• No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (Chicago or Miami)
• No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic
• No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
• No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (New Orleans or Sacramento)
• No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
• No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns
• No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Kazeem Famuyide discusses why these three players have the most to prove in the 2024 NBA playoffs.

What is the first-round NBA playoff schedule?

Here's an updated look at the first-round schedule (* = if necessary):

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Celtics vs. No. 8 seed

• Game 1:TBD at Celtics; Sunday, April 21 (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 2:TBD at Celtics; Wednesday, April 24 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Celtics at TBD; Saturday, April 27 (6 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 4:Celtics at TBD; Monday, April 29 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 5*:TBD at Celtics; Wednesday, May 1 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*: Celticsat TBD; Friday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:TBD at Celtics; Sunday, May 5 (TBD, TBD)

No. 2 Knicks vs. No. 7 76ers

• Game 1:76ers at Knicks; Saturday, April 20 (6 p.m. ET, ESPN )
• Game 2:76ers at Knicks; Monday, April 22 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Knicks at 76ers; Thursday, April 25 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 4:Knicks at 76ers; Sunday, April 28 (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5*:76ers at Knicks; Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*: Knicks at 76ers; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:76ers at Knicks; Sunday, May 4 (TBD, TBD)

No. 3 Bucks vs. No. 6 Pacers

• Game 1:Pacers at Bucks; Sunday, April 21 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2:Pacers at Bucks; Tuesday, April 23 (8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
• Game 3:Bucks at Pacers; Friday, April 26 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4:Bucks at Pacers; Sunday, April 28 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5*:Pacers at Bucks; Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*:Bucks at Pacers; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:Pacers at Bucks; Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TBD)

No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic

• Game 1:Magic at Cavaliers; Saturday, April 20 (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 2:Magic at Cavaliers; Monday, April 22 (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
• Game 3:Cavaliers at Magic; Thursday, April 25 (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
• Game 4:Cavaliers at Magic; Saturday, April 27 (1 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5*:Magic at Cavaliers; Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*:Cavaliers at Magic; Friday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:Magic at Cavaliers; Sunday, May 5 (TBD, TBD)

Western Conference

No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 seed

• Game 1:TBD at Thunder; Sunday, April 21 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2:TBD at Thunder; Wednesday, April 24 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Thunder at TBD; Saturday, April 27 (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 4:Thunder at TBD; Monday, April 29 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 5*:TBD at Thunder; Wednesday, May 1 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*: Thunder at TBD; Friday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:TBD at Thunder; Sunday, May 5 (TBD, TBD)

No. 2 Nuggets vs. No. 7 Lakers

• Game 1:Lakers at Nuggets; Saturday, April 20 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 2:Lakers at Nuggets; Monday, April 22 (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Nuggets at Lakers; Thursday, April 25 (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 4:Nuggets at Lakers; Saturday, April 27 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5*:Lakers at Nuggets; Monday, April 29 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*: Nuggets at Lakers; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:Lakers at Nuggets; Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TBD)

No. 3 Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Suns

• Game 1:Suns at Timberwolves; Saturday, April 20 (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 2:Suns at Timberwolves; Tuesday, April 23 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Timberwolves at Suns; Friday, April 26 (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4:Timberwolves at Suns; Sunday, April 28 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5*:Suns at Timberwolves; Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*:Timberwolves at Suns; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:Suns at Timberwolves; Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TBD)

No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Mavericks

• Game 1:Mavericks at Clippers; Sunday, April 21 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 2:Mavericks at Clippers, Tuesday, April 23 (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3:Clippers at Mavericks, Friday, April 26 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4:Clippers at Mavericks, Sunday, April 28 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5*:Mavericks at Clippers, Wednesday, May 1 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6*:Clippers at Mavericks, Friday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7*:Mavericks at Clippers, Sunday, May 5 (TBD, TBD)

How many games is the first round of the NBA playoffs?

All playoff series are best of seven with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.

Does the NBA reseed in the playoffs?

Unlike theNFLplayoffs, teams aren't reseeded after the first round. So the winner of the 1-8 matchup faces the winner of the 4-5 matchup in Round 2, while the winner of the 2-7 matchup faces the winner of the 3-6 matchup.

When does the second round of the NBA playoffs start?

The second round is scheduled to start May 6-7, though it could be moved up to May 4-5 if the first-round ends early.

Where to watch and stream the NBA playoffs

NBA playoff games will be broadcast nationally across ESPN, TNT, NBA TV and ABC.

Games on ABC and ESPN will be available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app. TNT games can be streamed on TNTdrama.com and the TNT app. Games on NBA TV can be streamed on NBA.com and the NBA app.