NBA Playoff Schedule 2024: Date, Start Time, Live Stream, TV Channel

The NBA Playoffs are more exciting than the regular season for basketball fans! Every spring, the best teams from the regular season battle it out in a single-elimination tournament to decide who will be crowned the NBA champion. From the “play-in” games to the championship series, the playoffs offer a thrilling journey to watch as teams battle for a chance to win the NBA Finals.

NBA Playoff Schedule 2023

In this guide, we will go over everything you need to know about the 2024 NBA Playoffs, including the date, time, TV channel, how to live stream, bracket, and more.

Important Events and Key Dates for the 2023-24 NBA Season:

  • Regular season begins: October 24, 2023
  • All-Star Weekend: February 16-18, 2024
  • Regular season ends: April 14, 2024
  • Play-In Tournament: April 16-19, 2024
  • Playoffs begin: April 20, 2024
  • Finals begin: June 6, 2024
  • NBA Draft: TBD

When do NBA Playoffs start in 2024?

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are set to kick off on Saturday, April 20th.

NBA Playoffs on Saturday, April 15, 2023

  • Game 1: (6) Nets at (3) 76ers, 1 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 1: (7) Hawks at (2) Celtics, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 1: (5) Knicks at (4) Cavaliers, 6 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 1: (6) Warriors at (2) Kings, 8:30 p.m., ABC

NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 16, 2023

  • Game 1: (7) Lakers at (2) Grizzlies, 3 p.m., ABC
  • Game 1: (8) Heat at (1) Bucks, 5:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 1: (5) Clippers at (4) Suns, 8 p.m., TNT
  • Game 1: (8) Timberwolves at (1) Nuggets, 10:30 p.m., TNT

NBA Playoffs on Monday, April 17, 2023

  • Game 2: Nets at 76ers, 7:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 2: Warriors at Kings, 10 p.m., TNT

NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, April 18, 2023

  • Game 2: Hawks at Celtics, 7 p.m., NBA TV
  • Game 2: Knicks at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 2: Clippers at Suns, 10 p.m., TNT

NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, April 19. 2023

  • Game 2: Lakers at Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 2: Heat at Bucks, 9 p.m., NBA TV
  • Game 2: TBD at Nuggets, 10 p.m., TNT

NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 20, 2023

  • Game 3: 76ers at Nets, 7:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 3: Kings at Warriors, 10 p.m., TNT
  • Game 3: Suns at Clippers, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV

NBA Playoffs on Friday, April 21, 2023

  • Game 3: Celtics at Hawks, 7 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 3: Cavaliers at Knicks, 8:30 p.m., ABC
  • Game 3: Nuggets at TBD, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

NBA Playoffs on Saturday, April 22, 2023

  • Game 4: 76ers at Nets, 1 p.m., TNT
  • Game 4: Suns at Clippers, 3:30 p.m., TNT
  • Game 3: Bucks at Heat, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 3: Grizzlies at Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN

NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 23, 2023

  • Game 4: Cavaliers at Knicks, 1 p.m., ABC
  • Game 4: Kings at Warriors, 3:30 p.m., ABC
  • Game 4: Celtics at Hawks, 7 p.m., TNT
  • Game 4: Nuggets at TBD, 9:30 p.m., TNT

NBA Playoffs on Monday, April 24.2023

  • Game 5: Nets at 76ers, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 4: Bucks at Heat, TBD
  • Game 4: Grizzlies at Lakers, TBD

NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, April 25, 2023

  • Game 5: Hawks at Celtics, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 5: Clippers at Suns, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 5: TBD at Nuggets, TBD (if necessary)

NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, April 26, 2023

  • Game 5: Knicks at Cavaliers, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 5: Heat at Bucks, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 5: Lakers at Grizzlies, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 5: Warriors at Kings, TBD (if necessary)

NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 27, 2023

  • Game 6: 76ers at Nets, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Celtics at Hawks, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Nuggets at TBD, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Suns at Clippers, TBD (if necessary)

NBA Playoffs on Friday, April 27, 2023

  • Game 6: Bucks at Heat, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Cavaliers at Knicks, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Grizzlies at Lakers, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 6: Kings at Warriors, TBD (if necessary)

NBA Playoffs on Saturday, April 28, 2023

  • Game 7: 76ers at Nets, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Celtics at Hawks, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Nuggets at TBD, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Suns at Clippers, TBD (if necessary)

NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 29, 2023

  • Game 7: Bucks at Heat, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Cavaliers at Knicks, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Grizzlies at Lakers, TBD (if necessary)
  • Game 7: Kings at Warriors, TBD (if necessary)

*(All times Eastern)

What channel NBA Playoffs?

The 2024 NBA Playoffs will be broadcast on TNT, ABC, ESPN, ESPN3, and NBA TV. ABC will feature exclusive coverage of the NBA finals and select games from the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

TNT will televise the majority of the playoff games, including the first round, conference semifinals, and one game of each conference finals. This channel will cover 40 games in 40 nights. For the first-round games, you can expect to watch matches from Sunday to Thursday nights, while you may get to watch the occasional stream on Saturdays.

However, ESPN will broadcast select games from the first round as well as from the conference semifinals. Finally, NBA TV will also have exclusive coverage of select first-round games. With these channels, fans can watch every game of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

How to watch NBA Playoffs 2024?

The best way to watch the NBA playoffs is to subscribe to all the playoff streaming channels, such as TNT, ABC, ESPN, ESPN3, and NBA TV. These services provide access to all of the games, including the highlights and analysis of the post-games. Additionally, your local cable provider can be another source to watch the playoffs.

However, you can also find a great alternative way to watch NBA Playoff Games live via third-party streaming providers such as YouTube TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. To help you out, we’ve put together a guide on how to watch the NBA Playoffs using different Live TV streaming providers.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is one of the great and easy, seamless alternatives for watching the NBA Playoffs. It offers a selection of local and cable channels to watch most games on one platform. It offers over 70 channels, including ESPN, TNT, and ABC, which will broadcast many games and cost you $64.99/month.

Sling TV

Sling TV is another great option for looking to stream the NBA Playoffs. It boasts a wide selection of cable channels, so you’ll be sure to catch all the excitement. Plus, it allows you to customize your package to include specific channels, ensuring you won’t miss a single game. The $55/month plan is more than good enough to watch playoff games without interruption.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream offers an interactive and immersive experience with full-court coverage of the games in HD and access to exclusive highlights, live stats, and replays. You can also access post-game interviews and analysis from the experts. For watching playoffs, you will have access to ABC, ESPN, and TNT for as low as $70/month.

How many teams make NBA Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs consist of 16 teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. These teams are determined by the regular season standings and are comprised of the eight best teams with an excellent records in their respective conference.

How does the NBA Playoffs work?

All 16 teams that qualify for the playoffs are seeded in the tournament according to their respective records. As per the NBA rules, the playoffs are divided into four rounds.

  • The first round’s format contain a single-elimination tournament among the eight team and same format goes for the both conference.
  • The second round also known as Conference Semifinal has seven series games between the four division winners from each conference.
  • The third round also known as the conference finals contain series games. It is also seven series games between the conference semifinal winners.
  • And the fourth round which is also known as the NBA Finals is a best-of-seven series games between the third round winner of each conference. Whichever team win the Finals are the NBA champion.

NBA Playoff bracket 2023

After completing the Play-in Tournament, the postseason follows a traditional playoff bracket. It contains 8 teams from both the Western and Eastern Conferences. And these teams play four-round postseason games consisting of seven-game series in each round. The opening round games are 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5. These are the first to eighth teams in the point table and seed from Play-in Tournament.

How does NBA Playoff bracket work?

The playoffs for both conferences are structured in the classic bracket format and consist of the best-of-seven series. The higher seed team gets the home-court advantage. Therefore, the higher seed team can host the first, second, fifth, and seventh game. On the other hand, the opposite team cab host third, fourth and sixth game. Additional games will be played based on the series outcome.