NBA Playoffs First implemented in 1984, the NBA Playoffs’ current format involves 16 teams competing in four rounds. The first round was best-of-five until 2003 when it became a best-of-seven matchup. Since the 2016 playoffs, the top six teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences qualify according to their win-loss records. The coronavirus pandemic changed how teams qualify for the NBA Playoffs as the league managed two shortened seasons. Now, the play-in tournament grants two teams with playoff seeds No. 7 and No. 8 employing a four-team, three-game format. Number of participating teams: 16 Rounds: four Format: best of seven games Most NBA Playoff appearances: Los Angeles Lakers (63) Least NBA Playoff appearances: New Orleans Pelicans (7) Longest NBA Playoff drought: Sacramento Kings (last appearance: 2005-06) Longest active NBA Playoff appearance streak: Portland Trail Blazers (8 consecutive playoffs since 2013-14) Longest NBA Playoff streak ever: San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers (22 consecutive seasons) Featured articles: NBA Playoffs: How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work? The Most Significant NBA Playoff Injuries of All Time Larry Bird Cried Foul in the 1998 NBA Playoffs and Drew a Brutal Response From Phil Jackson Visit NBA.com‘s NBA Playoffs section. Read the latest articles about the NBA Playoffs: Read more
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NBAHistory of NBA Playoffs Formats Best Defined as a Long, Strange Trip by Phil Watson Published on June 4, 2021 6:00 am
NBAHas LeBron James Ever Lost in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs? by Jack Dougherty Published on June 4, 2021 5:57 am
NBAWhich NBA Players Have the Most Triple-Doubles in Playoff History? by David Wysong Published on June 2, 2021 5:54 pm
NBADevin Booker Credits Having a Basketball Legend ‘Right in Your Backyard’ For His Success by Tim Crean Published on June 1, 2021 10:56 pm
NBALeBron James Can Secure His Place in NBA Playoff History With a Single Block by Joe Kozlowski Published on June 1, 2021 8:39 pm
NBAChauncey Billups May Not Yet Be a Hall of Famer but He’s the Only Player in NBA History With a Winning Record Against Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James by Luke Norris Published on June 1, 2021 10:00 am
NBAJimmy Butler Might Want to Take Back His Old Comments After Embarrassing Playoff Flop: ‘I’m Stupidly Locked In’ by Jack Dougherty Published on May 31, 2021 3:06 pm
NBAChris Paul Has Lost 11 Consecutive Playoff Games Refereed by Scott Foster and He’s Clearly Less Than Thrilled About It by Luke Norris Published on May 28, 2021 2:54 pm
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NBALuka Doncic Tells Patrick Beverley He’s ‘Too F**king Small’ to Guard Him by Tim Crean Published on May 25, 2021 10:23 pm
NBAGiannis Antetokounmpo Channels His Inner Lionel Messi and Entertains Milwaukee Bucks Fans During Game 2 Blowout of Miami Heat by Tim Crean Published on May 25, 2021 12:31 pm
NBACharles Barkley Gets Brutally Honest About the Lakers’ Playoff Chances: ‘Nobody is Afraid of Them’ by Stephen Sheehan Published on May 24, 2021 8:29 pm
NBAWhat the 2021 NBA Playoffs Would Look Like If the Conference Factor Were Taken Out of Play and Teams Were Seeded 1-16 by Luke Norris Published on May 24, 2021 7:17 pm
NBATrae Young Joined LeBron James in a Pair of Highly Exclusive Clubs With His Incredible Performance in the Hawks’ Game 1 Victory Over the Knicks by Luke Norris Published on May 24, 2021 4:02 pm
NBAWithout Donovan Mitchell, the Utah Jazz Could Face a Historic Upset by Tim Crean Published on May 24, 2021 12:18 pm
NBATrae Young Forces Knicks Fans to Relive Their Worst Nightmare After Silencing Madison Square Garden Crowd by Jack Dougherty Published on May 24, 2021 12:08 pm
NBADid New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Just Jinx the Brooklyn Nets? by Tim Crean Published on May 19, 2021 11:39 am