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    Explainer

    How the NBA season works: regular season, NBA Cup, Play-In, playoffs

    An NBA season has 82 regular-season games per team, an in-season NBA Cup whose early games double as league games, and a postseason where the top six in each conference qualify directly and seeds 7-10 play a Play-In for the last two spots.[1][2] In 2026-27 the season runs from 20 October 2026 to 11 April 2027, with the playoffs starting on 17 April.[3][4]

    Editor reviewedUpdated ExplainerSports

    The national-basketball-association season has three parts: an 82-game regular season, an in-season tournament called the NBA Cup, and a postseason made up of the Play-In Tournament and the playoffs.[1][2] This guide explains each part using the 2026-27 calendar. Current results are in the 2026-27 season tracker.

    The regular season

    There are 30 teams, split into an Eastern and a Western Conference.[5] Each team plays 82 games between October and April.[1] In 2026-27 the first games are on 20 October 2026 and the last on 11 April 2027, when all 30 teams play.[3][4] Teams are ranked within their own conference, and that ranking decides who reaches the postseason.[2]

    Important deadlines shape the season. Teams set opening-day rosters on 19 October 2026.[6] The trade deadline is 11 February 2027, and the All-Star break follows, with All-Star 2027 in Phoenix on 19-21 February.[7] Teams set playoff rosters on 12 April, the day after the regular season ends.[4]

    The NBA Cup

    The NBA Cup is a tournament played during the regular season, mostly on Friday “Cup Nights” in November.[8] Each team is placed in a group of five teams from its own conference and plays each of the other four once.[9] The best eight teams then play knockout games, and the 2026 final is on 11 December in Indianapolis.[10][8] The games still count in the normal standings, except the final.[1]

    Groups are drawn randomly within each conference, based on the previous season’s records. Each team plays two group games at home and two away.[9] Eight teams advance: the six group winners plus one wild card per conference, the second-placed team with the best group record. Quarterfinals (4-5 December) and semifinals (8 and/or 9 December) are played at the higher seed’s arena.[10][8] All 67 Cup games except the final count toward the regular-season standings, and every team still finishes with 82 regular-season games.[1] The 2026 final is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.[8]

    YearWinner
    2023Los Angeles Lakers[11]
    2024Milwaukee Bucks[11]
    2025New York Knicks[12]

    The Play-In Tournament

    When the regular season ends, the top six teams in each conference are in the playoffs.[2] Teams that finish seventh to tenth get a second chance in the Play-In Tournament, a short knockout that decides the seventh and eighth playoff places.[2] The 2027 Play-In runs from 13 to 16 April.[4]

    The format is a small double-elimination bracket for the top two teams and single elimination for the bottom two:[13]

    GameMatchupResult
    1No. 7 hosts No. 8Winner is the 7th seed; loser goes to Game 3
    2No. 9 hosts No. 10Winner goes to Game 3; loser is eliminated
    3Game 1 loser hosts Game 2 winnerWinner is the 8th seed

    NBA owners made the Play-In a permanent part of the postseason in July 2022.[14] In 2026-27 all six Play-In games stream exclusively on Prime Video.[15]

    The playoffs and Finals

    Eight teams from each conference reach the playoffs: six automatic qualifiers and two from the Play-In.[2] The 2027 playoffs begin on 17 April.[4] The two conference champions meet in the NBA Finals. The 2026 Finals ended with the Knicks beating the Spurs 4-1.[16]

    Under the current TV deals, ABC has the Finals. In 2027 ESPN platforms also have the Western Conference finals, and Prime Video streams the Eastern Conference finals.[15]

    Where to go next

    Learn how to watch games in How to watch the NBA in 2026-27, and see which teams analysts favour in the 2026-27 contenders analysis.[17]

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    How many games are in an NBA season?

    Each team plays 82 regular-season games. NBA Cup group games and the Cup quarterfinals and semifinals are part of those 82; the Cup final is not.[1]

    What is the NBA Cup?

    An in-season tournament. Teams are drawn into groups of five within their conference, play four group games, and eight teams advance to single-elimination knockout rounds in December.[9][10]

    How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?

    Seeds 7-10 in each conference play off. No. 7 hosts No. 8 and the winner takes the 7th seed. No. 9 hosts No. 10 and the loser is out. The 7-8 loser then hosts the 9-10 winner for the 8th seed.[13]

    How many teams make the NBA playoffs?

    In each conference, the top six qualify directly and two more come through the Play-In Tournament, so eight per conference.[2]

    When is the 2026 NBA Cup final?

    On 11 December 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.[8]

    Sources

    · 17 claims from 2 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      All 67 NBA Cup games except the championship count toward the regular-season standings, and each team still plays 82 regular-season games. confirmedas of 2026-08-12

    2. [2]

      Teams finishing 1st to 6th in each conference go straight to the playoffs; teams 7th to 10th enter the Play-In Tournament for the 7th and 8th seeds. confirmedas of 2026-04-18

    3. [3]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts on 20 October 2026 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader of Celtics vs. Pistons, 76ers vs. Knicks and Thunder vs. Spurs. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    4. [4]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season ends on 11 April 2027, the Play-In Tournament runs 13-16 April and the playoffs begin on 17 April 2027. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    5. [5]

      The 2026 NBA Cup groups are West A (Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, Jazz), West B (Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies), West C (Spurs, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings), East A (Pistons, Raptors, Magic, Bucks, Nets), East B (Knicks, Cavaliers, 76ers, Heat, Pacers) and East C (Celtics, Hawks, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards). confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    6. [6]

      NBA teams must set opening-day rosters by 5 p.m. ET on 19 October 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      The 2026-27 NBA trade deadline is 11 February 2027 and NBA All-Star 2027 is in Phoenix on 19-21 February 2027. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    8. [8]

      The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup group play runs from 30 October to 27 November 2026, with quarterfinals on 4-5 December, semifinals on 8 and/or 9 December and the championship on 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      In NBA Cup group play, the 30 teams are drawn into groups of five within their conference, based on the previous season's records, and each plays four group games, two at home and two away. confirmedas of 2026-08-12

    10. [10]

      Eight teams reach the NBA Cup knockout rounds, the six group winners and one wild card from each conference, and quarterfinals and semifinals are played at the higher seed's arena. confirmedas of 2026-08-12

    11. [11]

      Past NBA Cup winners are the Lakers (2023), the Bucks (2024) and the Knicks (2025). confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    12. [12]

      The 2025-26 Knicks were the first team to win the NBA Cup and the NBA championship in the same season; they beat the Spurs 124-113 in the 2025 Cup final. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    13. [13]

      In the Play-In, No. 7 hosts No. 8 with the winner taking the 7th seed; No. 9 hosts No. 10 with the loser eliminated; the 7-8 loser then hosts the 9-10 winner for the 8th seed. confirmedas of 2026-04-18

    14. [14]

      NBA owners voted in July 2022 to make the Play-In Tournament a permanent part of the postseason. confirmedas of 2022-07-13

    15. [15]

      For 2026-27, ABC has the NBA Finals and ESPN platforms the 2027 Western Conference finals, while Prime Video has all six Play-In games and the 2027 Eastern Conference finals. confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    16. [16]

      The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 NBA Finals, their first championship since 1973. confirmedas of 2026-06-14

    17. [17]

      The 2026-27 season is the second of the NBA's 11-year media agreements with Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock) and Amazon (Prime Video). confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "How the NBA season works: regular season, NBA Cup, Play-In, playoffs." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/how-nba-season-works

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