Zcode System Automated Winning Sports Picks | NBA Playoff and Play-in Tournament 2023 Preview: Milwaukee Bucks favorite to win NBA Title

The NBA Play-in Tournament tips off on Tuesday, April 11, with eight teams desperate to make the postseason proper.

The NBA Playoffs 2023 will start just days after the Play-in Tournament comes to an end. Since the 2021 season, the Play-in competition has been a staple of the playoffs. The excitement provided by the eight-team mini-tournament means fans can look forward to it after the regular season in future.

NBA Playoff 2023 Schedule

April 11-14: Play-In Tournament
April 15: NBA playoffs first round begins
May 1-2: NBA Conference Semifinals begin (tentative date)
May 16-17: NBA Conference Finals begin (tentative date)
June 1: NBA Finals 2023 Game 1
June 4: NBA Finals 2023 Game 2
June 7: NBA Finals 2023 Game 3
June 9: NBA Finals 2023 Game 4
June 12: NBA Finals 2023 Game 5 (if necessary)
June 15: NBA Finals 2023 Game 6 (if necessary)
June 18: NBA Finals 2023 Game 7 (if necessary)

When does the Play-in Tournament start?

The NBA Play-in Tournament 2023 will feature the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, LA Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks.

The mini-competition will start on Tuesday, April 11 and conclude on Friday, April 14. The Play-in Tournament features the teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest win percentages from each conference from the regular season.

The teams have two chances to win one basketball game and earn a spot in the NBA Playoffs 2023. The teams with the ninth-highest and 10th-highest win percentages from each conference during the regular season must win back-to-back basketball games to progress to the playoffs.

Which teams are in the NBA Play-in Tournament?

The Play-in Tournament will take place over the course of four days.

Eastern Conference:

No 7 Miami Heat vs No 8 Atlanta Hawks
No 9 Toronto Raptors vs No 10 Chicago Bulls

The team that loses the No 7 vs No 8 game will play the winning team of the No 9 vs No 10 game for the final place in the NBA Playoffs 2023.

Western Conference:

No 7 LA Lakers vs No 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
No 9 New Orleans Pelicans vs No 10 Oklahoma City Thunder

The team that loses the No 7 vs No 8 game will play the winning team of the No 9 vs No 10 game for the final place in the NBA Playoffs 2023.

Which teams qualified for the NBA Playoffs?

The first round of the playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 15. The teams that qualified for the playoffs proper will have around a week to rest and prepare for the postseason.

NBA Playoff First-Round Series:

Eastern Conference

No 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs No 8 Seed
No 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs No 5 NY Knicks
No 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs No 6 Brooklyn Nets
No 2 Boston Celtics vs No 7 Seed

Western Conference

No 1 Denver Nuggets vs No 8 Seed
No 4 Phoenix Suns vs No 5 LA Clippers
No 3 Sacramento Kings vs No 6 GS Warriors
No 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs No 7 Seed

Which teams won the most recent NBA titles?

Golden State Warriors 2022
Milwaukee Bucks 2021
LA Lakers 2020
Toronto Raptors 2019
Golden State Warriors 2018
Golden State Warriors 2017
Cleveland Cavaliers 2016
Golden State Warriors 2015
San Antonio Spurs 2014
Miami Heat 2013

Which team had the best regular-season record?

The Milwaukee Bucks were the best team in the NBA during the regular season. The Bucks had a record of 58-24. The Bucks finished the season with one more win than the Boston Celtics, who were the NBA’s second-best team.

The Bucks and Celtics are the bookmakers’ favorites to win the NBA title. The Bucks won the championship in 2021 and the Celtics were runners-up to the GS Warriors last season.

The top three teams in the Eastern Conference had a better win record than the Western Conference’s best team. The Bucks, Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers all had 54 or more wins.

The Denver Nuggets were the NBA’s best team in the Western Conference. The Nuggets had a 53-29 record. The reigning champion Warriors just finished in the top six in the West. Steph Curry and company nearly had to play in the Play-in Tournament.