How many teams make the NBA Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs can be a bit unusual for fans of other sports to get accustomed to. On top of the fact that more teams make the playoffs every year than miss them and new formats of tournaments serve to further add to the confusion, it’s fair to say that the whole thing can be called weird.

As teams like the Toronto Raptors try their best to get back into the postseason picture following a season in the lottery, the rest of the top half of the Eastern Conference is trying to gear up and solidify themselves as contenders once again.

How many of those Eastern Conference teams will actually succeed in their goal and make it to the playoffs?

How many teams make the NBA playoffs?

The best six teams in each conference, based on regular season records, are selected to the NBA Playoffs. To figure out the final two spots, the NBA instituted a play-in tournament that features teams ranked seventh through tenth in the conference battling it out.

The No. 7 seed will host the No. 8 seed, with the winner advancing and becoming the new No. 7 seed. The No. 9 and No. 10 seed will battle, with the loser being eliminated. The winner of the 9-10 game will play the loser of the 7-8 game, and the winner of that game will become the No. 8 seed.

Who has made the NBA playoffs the most?

The Los Angeles Lakers have made the playoffs a whopping 63 times, while the Boston Celtics are right behind them with 60 appearances. The 76ers (53), Hawks (49), and Knicks (43) are right behind them.

The New Orleans Pelicans, whose franchise history dates back to 2002, have only made the playoffs eight times, the fewest of any franchise.

How many times have the Toronto Raptors made the playoffs?

The Raptors have made the postseason 13 times, most of which have come under the leadership of Masai Ujiri. Only a handful of pre-Ujiri seasons were good enough to crack the top half of the Eastern Conference.