Dec 23, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; The NBA logo is seen on a basketball during warm ups before the Golden State Warriors play the Indiana Pacers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

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2025 NBA Play-In Tournament: Schedule, Betting Odds & How It Works

The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament tips off Tuesday, April 15, officially opening the door to the postseason for eight teams fighting for just four remaining playoff spots. With high stakes and tighter margins, this mini-tournament has quickly become a fan favorite—and a goldmine for sports bettors.

Here’s everything you need to know about the NBA Play-In, including how it works, the full schedule, and the latest betting odds from BetMGM.

How the NBA Play-In Tournament Works ?

Since its official implementation in 2020, the Play-In format has added a thrilling twist to the playoff race. Instead of automatically locking in the top 8 teams, the NBA now gives teams finishing 7th through 10th in each conference a chance to secure the final two seeds.

Format Breakdown:

Game 1: No. 7 seed hosts No. 8 seed. The winner secures the 7th playoff spot.
Game 2: No. 9 seed hosts No. 10 seed. The loser is eliminated.
Game 3: The loser of Game 1 faces the winner of Game 2. The winner secures the 8th playoff spot, while the loser is eliminated.

This format gives a leg up to the 7th and 8th seeds, while still leaving the door open for 9th and 10th to make a surprise run.

NBA Play-In Schedule (All times ET)

Eastern Conference

Tuesday, April 15 No. 8 Atlanta Hawks at No. 7 Orlando Magic — 7:30 PM (TNT)
Wednesday, April 16 No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Chicago Bulls — 7:30 PM (ESPN)
Friday, April 18 Winner of Heat/Bulls vs. Loser of Hawks/Magic — Time TBD (TNT)

Western Conference

Tuesday, April 15 No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at No. 7 Golden State Warriors — 10:00 PM (TNT)
Wednesday, April 16 No. 10 Dallas Mavericks at No. 9 Sacramento Kings — 10:00 PM (ESPN)
Friday, April 18 Winner of Mavericks/Kings vs. Loser of Grizzlies/Warriors — Time TBD (ESPN)

NBA Play-in Betting Odds

Here is a fll view of betting lines for all 4 NBA Play-in matchups :

Game	Point Spread	Moneyline	Total
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic	Hawks (+5) at Magic (-5)	Hawks (+170) at Magic (-210)	217.0
Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors	Grizzlies (+6.5) at Warriors (-6.5)	Grizzlies (+260) at Warriors (-325)	229.0
Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls	Heat (+1.5) at Bulls (-1.5)	Heat (-105) at Bulls (-115)	219.0
Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings	Mavericks (+4.5) at Kings (-4.5)	Mavericks (+170) at Kings (-210)	216.0

Updated NBA Title Odds from BetMGM

A few of these Play-In teams could make real noise if they get through. Here’s where the championship futures sit heading into the tournament:

Team	Odds
Oklahoma City Thunder	+175
Boston Celtics	+220
Cleveland Cavaliers	+600
Los Angeles Lakers	+1100
Golden State Warriors	+1400

Photo Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

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Charles Taudin

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Global Editorial Chief of The Playoffs, I created The Free Agent, which became The Playoffs FR, in 2020 during the pandemic. A longtime fan of the four major American sports, I now oversee the editorial strategy and social media for all versions of The Playoffs. I still occasionally write about sports I’m particularly passionate about, such as the NFL or MLB. If there’s one thing you should remember: Eli Manning is the true GOAT for beating Tom Brady twice.