NBA
How the NBA Playoffs Work: 16 Teams, a Play-In and Four Best-of-7 Rounds
Sixteen teams reach the NBA playoffs, but 20 take part in the postseason because seeds 7 through 10 first play a separate Play-In Tournament. After that, four best-of-7 rounds decide the champion. The 2026 postseason, won by the Knicks over the Spurs 4-1, shows each step in practice.