Ah, the NBA Playoffs: the stage where legends are made, and dreams either come to life or crumble away. If you’re a fan of basketball—scratch that, if you’re a fan of sports—then the 2024 NBA Playoffs is an event you simply cannot afford to miss. Buckle up as we dive into the crucial dates, jaw-dropping matchups, and television channels that will bring this spectacle right to your living room.
The 2023-2024 NBA season tips off on October 24, 2023, running all the way through until mid-April when the playoffs begin.
Play-in Tournament: The Prelude
The play-in tournament will then decide the final spots in the playoff bracket, which will then commence on April 13th.
We’re breaking down the playoff schedule in today’s post, including odds for some of the favorites to make it to the NBA finals in 2024.
When do the NBA Playoffs Start?
- Play-in Tournament: April 13th to April 16th
- First Round: April 13th to April 28th
- Conference Semifinals: April 28th to May 14th
- Conference Finals: May 14th to May 27th
- NBA Finals: May 30th to June 16th
Who are the defending NBA Champions?
The Denver Nuggets finally overcame the odds in the NBA playoffs and made it to their first Finals in franchise history in 2023.
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and co. then led the team to a 4-1 series win over the Miami Heat. It was a dominant performance throughout, and back-to-back league MVP Nikola Jokic was named the Finals MVP for his high-level play throughout.
The Nuggets will now look to defend their title in the 2023-2024 season, as one of the most impressive and well-rounded rosters in the NBA.
Head coach Mike Malone has built an impressive unit centered around Jokic with Murray as the primary ball handler. They’ll face stiff competition along the way. but Denver is very much in the conversation for the title.
When are the NBA Finals in 2024?
The NBA Finals will commence on May 30th, and depending on how many games are needed to decide a winner, could run all the way through until June 16th.
How to watch the NBA Playoffs in 2024
The NBA Playoffs will air across multiple channels in the US. ABC, ESPN, and TNT will share coverage, as well as broadcasts being available on NBA TV.
The NBA Finals will then be exclusively aired on ABC.
NFL Playoffs 2024 Schedule
First Round
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
East Conference 1 Seed vs 8 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
East Conference 2 Seed vs 7 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
East Conference 3 Seed vs 6 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
East Conference 4 Seed vs 5 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
West Conference 1 Seed vs 8 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
West Conference 2 Seed vs 7 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC
TBC
West Conference 3 Seed vs 6 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
West Conference 4 Seed vs 5 Seed
April 13th-28th TBC TBC
Conference Semifinals
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
Winner East 1/8 vs Winner East 4/5
April 28th-May 14th TBC TBC
Winner East 2/7 vs Winner East 3/6
April 28th-May 14th TBC TBC
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
Winner West 1/8 vs Winner West 4/5
April 28th-May 14th TBC TBC
Winner West 2/7 vs Winner West 3/6
April 28th-May 14th TBC TBC
Conference Finals
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
Winner East 1/4/558 vs Winner East 2/3/6/7
May 14th-27th TBC TBC
Matchup
Date Time (EST)
Network
Winner West 1/4/558 vs Winner West 2/3/6/7
May 14th-27th TBC TBC
NBA Finals
Eastern Conf. Champion vs Western Conf. Champ
Date Time (EST)
Network
Game 1
May 30th 8-9 PM ABC
Game 2
June 2nd 8-9 PM ABC
Game 3
June 5th 8-9 PM ABC
Game 4
June 7th 8-9 PM ABC
Game 5
June 10th 8-9 PM ABC
Game 6
June 13th 8-9 PM ABC
Game 7
June 16th 8-9 PM ABC
Best NBA Championship 2024 odds (subject to change)
Denver Nuggets +400
Boston Celtics +500
Milwaukee Bucks +600
Phoenix Suns +650
Miami Heat +900
Golden State Warriors +1100
Los Angeles Lakers +1200
Los Angeles Clippers +1200
Philadelphia 76ers +1600
Dallas Mavericks +1800
NBA Championship favorites
The 2023 NBA playoffs saw a stunning run from the Miami Heat late in the year. The franchise barely scraped its way into the postseason via the play-in tournament, and then got hot, taking out one-seed Milwaukee Bucks, five-seed Knicks, and two-seed Boston Celtics on their way to the finals. Ultimately, the final test proved too much for Miami this time around, but with potential reinforcements and a far smoother entry into the postseason in 2024, the Heat will hope to be a contender once again.
Denver remains the favorite to defend their title, with Nikola Jokic playing like the best player in the world right now and proving unguardable as a big man with the passing ability of a point guard.
The Nuggets addition of Aaron Gordon in 2021 has worked really nicely, and they now have one of the strongest starting fives in the NBA.
Boston will once again be expected to challenge, especially after locking Jaylen Brown into a long-term deal and trading for power forward Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards.