The top six playoff spots for each NBA conference are set, but before the NBA Playoffs tip off on Saturday, the Play-In Tournament has to wrap up. This Friday, closing out the NBA Play-In action, the Atlanta Hawks will play the Miami Heat at 7 p.m. ET on TNT, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies vs. the Dallas Mavericks at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Here’s what to know.
How to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament:
Dates: April 15-18
TV channel: TNT, ESPN
Streaming: Max, DirecTV and more
When is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament runs through Friday, Apr. 18.
2025 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule:
Tuesday, April 15
• (7) Orlando Magic 120, (8) Atlanta Hawks 95
• (7) Golden State Warriors 121, (8) Memphis Grizzlies 116
The winners advance to the playoffs as the No. 7 seeds; the losers will play again on Friday.
Wednesday, April 16
• (10) Miami Heat 109, (9) Chicago Bulls 90
• (10) Dallas Mavericks 120, (9) Sacramento Kings 106
The winners will play again Friday for a shot at the No. 8 seeds; the losers will be eliminated.
Friday, April 18
• (8) Atlanta Hawks vs. (10) Miami Heat (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• (8) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (10) Dallas Mavericks (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
How to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament without cable:
DIRECTV’s MySports pack is a curated live TV package geared toward sports fans, with access to ESPN’s suite of channels, TBS, TNT, USA, FS1 and an included subscription to ESPN+ for $69.99/month.
The MySports pack guarantees access to thousands of live televised events, plus all the live-streaming and library content on ESPN+, all on one interface and one bill. You can try it for free for five days before committing.
Try free at DirecTV
Max, aka “the one to watch,” has select live sports available through its Bleacher Report Sports add-on, which is included free of charge for ad-free Max subscribers.
On top of March Madness games on TBS, TNT and TruTV, Max has buzzy shows including The Pitt, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, Dune: Prophecy and more.
Ad-supported Max starts at $10/month. The Standard plan (which includes B/R Sports free of charge) costs $17/month.
$16.99/month at Max
How does the NBA Play-In tournament work?
The Play-In Tournament expands the field of eligible teams for the NBA playoffs. This week, ahead of the NBA playoffs, the NBA teams ranked seventh through 10th in their respective conferences will play each other to determine who gets the final two spots in each playoff conference bracket.
If March Madness is still fresh in your mind, the Play-In Tournament is the NBA’s version of the First Four.
When do the NBA playoffs start?
The 2025 NBA Playoffs begin Saturday, Apr. 19.
2025 NBA playoffs schedule:
Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Bucks at Pacers, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 1: Clippers at Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 1: Pistons at Knicks, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 1: Timberwolves at Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Sunday, April 20
Game 1: East No. 8 at Cavaliers (TBD)
Game 1: East No. 7 at Celtics (TBD)
Game 1: West No. 8 at Thunder (TBD)
Game 1: West No. 7 at Rockets (TBD)
More ways to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament:
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