The play-in tournament is over, and the field of 16 is set for the 2024 NBA playoffs. LeBron James and the Lakers made it out of the Western Conference play-in tournament along with the New Orleans Pelicans. In the East, the 76ers and Heat advanced from the play-in tourney.
The first round is underway now and the Cavaliers have notched the first victory of the playoffs proper by dispatching the Magic 97-83. Three more games are on tap for the rest of Saturday and another four games are scheduled for Sunday.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the NBA playoffs.
What is the playoff schedule for today?
Here is the schedule for today’s remaining games and those for the next few days (all times ET):
Saturday, April 20
- Suns vs. Timberwolves, 3:50 p.m. on ESPN
- 76ers vs. Knicks, 6 p.m. on ESPN
- Lakers vs. Nuggets, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Sunday, April 21
- Heat vs. Celtics, 1 p.m. on ABC
- Mavericks vs. Clippers, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
- Pacers vs. Bucks, 7 p.m. on TNT
- Pelicans vs. Thunder, 9:30 p.m. on TNT
Monday, April 22
- Magic vs. Cavaliers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV (Cavaliers lead series 1-0)
- 76ers vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
- Lakers vs. Nuggets, 10 p.m. on TNT
Tuesday, April 23
- Suns vs. Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
- Pacers vs. Bucks, 8:30 p.m. on NBA TV
- Mavericks vs. Clippers, 10 p.m. on TNT
What does the NBA playoff bracket look like?
The Boston Celtics earned the top spot in the East, and the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the defending champion Denver Nuggets for the top seed in the West. Here’s what the matchups look like for the 2024 NBA Playoffs that begin today:
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
- No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
- No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
- No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic
Western Conference
- No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
- No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
- No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns
- No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
How to watch the NBA playoffs
The NBA playoffs will be shown across four channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV. You can watch the games with a cable subscription or a live TV streaming service.
Three of the five major services offer all four channels. Hulu with Live TV lacks NBA TV, which will show only a handful of playoff games. Fubo lacks TNT, which shows a big portion of the NBA playoffs, making Fubo a poor choice for hoops fans. You can also watch TNT broadcasts of playoff games with Max.
All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.