NBA Playoffs 2023

The 2022–2023 NBA playoffs are the coming postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association. The playoffs are starting on 15 April and will conclude the 2022-23 season.

History of the NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs have a rich history that dates back to the inception of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949. As the NBA season started each of the 30 teams competed in their respective conferences and tried to confirm their seat in the playoffs. The playoffs consist of a series of elimination games that are played by the top teams from the Eastern and Western conferences. The playoffs winner is awarded the NBA championship trophy, named after former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien.

After finishing the 2023 AT&T Play-In Tournament which will start on April 11, the players will be playing in the NBA playoffs' opening round starts on April 15. Generally, the playoffs begin in late April or early May and last until mid-June.

The first NBA playoffs were held in 1949, and they featured three rounds of best-of-three series. The Minneapolis Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship by defeating the Washington Capitols in six games. Over the years, the playoffs format has evolved over the years to include more teams and rounds.

In the early years of the NBA, only eight teams qualified for the playoffs, and the postseason consisted of just two rounds. In 1967, the league expanded to 12 teams, and the playoffs were extended to three rounds. In 1975, the NBA added four more teams, bringing the total number of teams to 18, and the playoffs were expanded to four rounds.

The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships with 17, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers with 16. Other successful teams include the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Golden State Warriors. Some of the greatest players in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, have made their mark on the playoffs and contributed to the rich history of this iconic tournament.

NBA Playoffs: Rules, Format, and Gameplay

Eight teams will be selected from both conferences and placed in a proper seeding order (teams with the highest win percentage in the regular season will be placed at the top of the list).

The selection for the first six teams will be based on the winning percentage in the regular season of their respective conferences, with the team with the most wins placed first and so on. The selection of the 7th and 8th teams will be based on the play-in tournament which was introduced by the NBA Board of Governors in 2021. The tournament features the teams that finish the regular season in seventh through tenth place in each conference, with the seventh and eighth-place teams competing in one game and the ninth and tenth-place teams competing in another game.

The winner of the game between the seventh and eighth-place teams earns the seventh seed in the playoffs, while the loser gets another chance to secure the eighth and final playoff spot by playing the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth-place teams. The loser of the second game is eliminated from playoff contention.

After the eight teams qualified from both the Eastern and Western conference the NBA playoffs start, which comprises a series of elimination games played by the top teams from the Eastern and Western conferences. The playoffs format has evolved over time, but typically involves a best-of-seven series in each round, with the winner of each series advancing to the next round until the NBA championship is ultimately won.

The sequence in which the teams will compete is the team with the best record in each conference plays the team with the worst record, and the second-best placed team plays the second-worst placed team, and so on. The teams then play a best-of-seven series until one team wins four games and advances to the next round.

The gameplay during the playoffs is similar to that of the regular season, with a few minor differences. The games tend to be more intense and competitive, with players giving their all to secure a win. The officials may also be more lenient when it comes to fouls, allowing players to play a more physical style of basketball. In addition, teams may adjust their game plan and player rotations based on their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, making for more strategic and exciting games.

Top Teams to Watch in NBA Playoffs 2023

In the  AT&T Play-In Tournament of the Eastern Conference, the match scheduled is as follows:

• Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks 

• Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls 

Similarly, in the Western Conference the match scheduled is as follows:

• Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves 

• New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder

EASTERN CONFERENCE BRACKET

1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Winner of No. 8 seed play-in tournament
2. Boston Celtics vs. Winner of No. 7 seed play-in tournament
3. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets
4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

WESTERN CONFERENCE BRACKET

1. Denver Nuggets vs. Winner of No. 8 seed play-in tournament
2. Memphis Grizzlies vs Winner of No. 7 seed play-in tournament
3. Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors
4. Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers

Most Memorable Moments in NBA Playoffs History

• “The Block’’- In the final seconds of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, LeBron James' chase-down block on Andre Iguodala helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first championship in franchise history.

• "The Flu Game"- In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan made history by scoring 38 points while suffering from the flu.

• "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" - The Utah Jazz made their first appearance in the NBA Finals thanks to John Stockton's buzzer-beater in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets.

• "The Shot Part II" - The game-winning shot by Michael Jordan over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, gave the Chicago Bulls their sixth and final championship.

Top Players to Watch in NBA Playoffs 2023

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

2. Stephen Curry

3. Nikola Jokic

4. Joel Embiid

5. Kevin Durant

6. Devin Booker

7. Jayson Tatum

8. Ja Morant

9. LeBron James

Best NBA Playoff Rivalries

• Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers:

This legendary rivalry between the two historic clubs in NBA history with the two teams meeting a record 12 times in the NBA Finals.

• Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors:

These two teams have faced off in four NBA Finals in a row, with the Warriors taking three of them. Several of the top names who have participated in the rivalry, includes LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving.

• Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons:

In the late 1980s and early 1990s these two teams had a strong rivalry that included some of the most physical play in NBA history.