The NBA playoffs are set to begin this week. The postseason kicks off with the fifth edition of the NBA play-in tournament, with this year's play-in games beginning on Tuesday, April 16.
This year, the play-in tournament will kick off in the Western Conference on Tuesday when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the New Orleans Pelicans, the no. 7 vs. no. 8 matchup. The winner of the Lakers vs Pelicans matchup will be slotted as the no. 7 seed in the playoff bracket and be set for a series with the no. 2 Denver Nuggets.
Meanwhile, the losing team will play against the winner of the no. 9 vs no. 10 game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings for the no. 8 seed.
Below, GOAL brings you everything you need to know to tune in to the NBA 2024 Play-In tournament.
How to watch NBA 2024 Play-In Tournament
All of this year's play-in games will be broadcast on TV through ESPN and TNT. Fans without access to those channels will also be able to stream games through Max and ESPN+.
Plans for Max start at under $10 a month. Max With Ads is available for $9.99/month($99.99/year), and ad-free plans are priced at $15.99/month ($149.99/year) or $19.99/month ($199.99/year).
Plans for ESPN+ start at $10.99/month, with the most expensive monthly subscription being the Disney Bundle Trio at $14.99/month. A discounted annual subscription is also available.
Western Conference Play-In Schedule
| Date | Game | Time | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2024 | Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans | 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana | TNT on Max |
| April 16, 2024 | Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings | 10:00 pm ET/ 7:00 pm PT | Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California | TNT on Max |
| April 19, 2024 | TBD vs TBD | TBD | TBD | TNT on Max |
On Wednesday night, the Eastern Conference will feature a no. 7 vs. no. 8 matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat. The winner of the Miami vs Philadelphia game will be slotted as the no. 7 seed in the playoff bracket and be set for a matchup against the New York Knicks.
Meanwhile, the losing team will play against the winner of the no. 9 vs no. 10 game for the no. 8 seed. This year, the no. 9 vs no. 10 match in the Eastern Conference will be the Atlanta Hawks vs the Chicago Bulls.
Eastern Conference Play-In Schedule
| Date | Game | Time | Location | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2024 | Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers | 7:00 pm ET / 4:00 pm PT | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ESPN/ ESPN+ |
| April 17, 2024 | Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls | 9:00 pm ET/ 7:00 pm PT | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | ESPN/ ESPN+ |
| April 19, 2024 | TBD vs TBD | TBD | TBD | ESPN/ ESPN+ |