When are the NBA playoffs? A look at the upcoming pro hoops schedule

March Madness is in the rearview mirror, but hoops fans still have a major event to look forward to: the NBA playoffs.

That's right, the league's 16 best squads will soon play for the coveted Larry O'Brien Trophy. And the storylines are aplenty. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo win his second championship with the Milwaukee Bucks? Can Stephen Curry when his fifth title on the Golden State Warriors, despite the team's struggles on the road this season? And what about Donovan Mitchell? How far will he take the Cleveland Cavaliers in his first year with the team?

The NBA will provide us with some box-office entertainment the next few months.

But first, what does the schedule look like? Who's playing in the NBA play-in tournament? We answered questions people are likely asking heading into this exciting time of the year.

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How many teams make the NBA playoffs?

Sixteen teams make the playoffs – eight in the Eastern Conference, eight more in the Western Conference. There are also four other teams that make the NBA play-in tournament but go home before the actual playoffs begin.

Which teams are in the NBA play-in tournament?

The NBA play-in tournament is relatively new, debuting during the 2020 season, but it has led to some fun games. The seventh and eighth-place teams in each conference go head-to-head, with the winners claiming the No. 7 seed in each conference playoff, respectively. The losers of those two games will play the winners of the ninth and tenth-place teams from each conference. Whichever squads come out victorious in those final matchups will be rewarded the No. 8 seeds in each conference.

Here are the teams in the 2023 play-in tourney.

Western Conference

• No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves.

• No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 10 Oklahoma City Thunder.

Eastern Conference

• No. 7 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks.

• No. 9 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 10 Chicago Bulls.

When is the NBA play-in tournament?

Here is the schedule for the play-in tournament.

April 11

• The Heat play the Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET Tuesday. (The Hawks won 116-105. They will play the Celtics in the first round. The Heat will play the winner of Raptors-Bulls for the No. 8 seed in the East on Friday.)

• The Lakers play the Timberwolves at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday. (The Lakers won 108-102. They will play the Grizzlies in the first round. The Timberwolves will play the winner of Pelicans-Thunder for the No. 8 seed in the West on Friday.)

April 12

• The Raptors play the Bulls at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday.

• The Pelicans play the Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.

April 14

• The loser of Heat-Hawks plays the winner of Raptors-Bulls at 7 or 7:30 p.m. ET.

• The loser of Lakers-Timberwolves plays the winner of Pelicans-Thunder at 9:30 or 10 p.m. ET.

What channel is the NBA play-in tournament on?

Both April 11 games and the first game April 14 will air on TNT. Both contests taking place April 12 and the second April 14 game will be on ESPN.

You can also stream them through your TV provider on the ESPN and TNT apps, or on various streaming services, like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV.

Who won the game between the Lakers and Timberwolves?

The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 108-102 in overtime. LeBron James had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

LA will play the Grizzlies in the first round. The Timberwolves will play the winner of Pelicans-Thunder for the No. 8 seed in the West on Friday.

Who won the game between the Hawks and Heat?

The Hawks defeated the Heat 116-105. Trae Young had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

Atlanta will play the Celtics in the first round. The Heat will play the winner of Raptors-Bulls for the No. 8 seed in the East on Friday.

Which teams are in the NBA playoffs?

These 14 teams have already clinched playoff spots.

Western Conference

1. Denver Nuggets

2. Memphis Grizzlies

3. Sacramento Kings

4. Phoenix Suns

5. Los Angeles Clippers

6. Golden State Warriors

7. Los Angeles Lakers

Eastern Conference

1. Milwaukee Bucks

2. Boston Celtics

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

5. New York Knicks

6. Brooklyn Nets

7. Atlanta Hawks

When do the NBA playoffs start and what is the schedule?

After the NBA play-in tournament, the playoffs begin Saturday, April 15. Here's the schedule for each Game 1.

April 15

• Nets vs. 76ers, 1 p.m. ET.

• Celtics vs. Hawks, 3:30 p.m. ET.

• Cavaliers vs. Knicks, 6 p.m. ET.

• Warriors vs. Kings, 8:30 p.m. ET.

April 16

• Grizzlies vs. Lakers, 3 p.m. ET.

• Bucks vs. East No. 8 seed, 5:30 p.m. ET.

• Clippers vs. Suns, 8 p.m. ET.

• Nuggets vs. West No. 8 seed, 10:30 p.m. ET.

After the first round, the conference semifinals will begin between April 29-May 2. The conference finals are scheduled to start between May 14-17. And the NBA finals will begin June 1. For the full schedule, visit NBA.com.

How can I watch the NBA playoffs?

According to Fox Sports, the playoffs will air on ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV. You can stream them through your TV provider on the ESPN, TNT and NBA apps, or on various streaming services, like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When are the NBA playoffs? Did the Lakers win? The schedule and more