The NBA season format has four main stages: an 82-game regular season, the in-season NBA Cup, the play-in tournament, and a 16-team playoff that ends with the NBA Finals. This guide explains how each stage works and how teams move from one to the next, with the key 2026-27 dates in Philippine time.
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The 2026-27 season is the league’s 81st. For the latest scores, schedules, and stories, follow our NBA news and results.
How many games are in an NBA season?
Each NBA team plays 82 regular-season games, 41 at home and 41 on the road. That number includes the NBA Cup games played during the season, except the Cup’s championship game. The 2026-27 regular season runs from October 21, 2026 to April 12, 2027 in Philippine time.
The 30 teams are split into two conferences, East and West, with 15 teams each. Each conference has three divisions of five teams, and teams play their division and conference rivals more often than teams from the other conference.
NBA 2026-27 key dates in Philippine time
Most NBA games are played in the US evening, which falls on the morning of the next day in the Philippines. The dates below are converted to Philippine time (PHT), so they usually land one day after the US date.
| Stage | Dates (PHT) |
|---|---|
| Preseason | October 4 to 17, 2026 |
| Regular season | October 21, 2026 to April 12, 2027 |
| NBA Cup group play | October 31 to November 28, 2026 |
| NBA Cup championship | December 12, 2026 |
| All-Star Game | February 22, 2027 |
| Play-in tournament | April 14 to 17, 2027 |
| Playoffs begin | April 18, 2027 |
| NBA Finals | June 2027 (dates to be confirmed) |
In the Philippines, games air on ONE Sports and NBA TV Philippines. Coverage varies by game, so check the schedule for which channel carries each one.
The preseason
Before opening night, teams play a short set of exhibition games to set their rotations. Preseason results don’t count toward the standings, and coaches often limit their stars’ minutes. Some teams also play exhibition games overseas before returning home for opening night. This year’s preseason included Kawhi Leonard’s return to the Raptors, his first game for Toronto since the 2019 NBA Finals.
How does the NBA Cup work?
The NBA Cup is an in-season tournament played inside the regular season. All 30 teams take part, and every Cup game except the championship game also counts as a regular-season game. That’s how the Cup fits into the 82-game schedule without adding extra games for most teams.
Group play
Teams are drawn into six groups of five, three in each conference, and each team plays four group games. These “Cup Nights” are mostly on Tuesdays and Fridays. The three group winners in each conference advance, along with one wild card, the best second-place team.
Knockout rounds
The eight qualifiers play single-elimination quarterfinals and semifinals, which also count in the regular-season standings. The championship game is the only Cup game that doesn’t count. In 2026, it’s scheduled for December 12 (PHT) at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Teams that don’t reach the knockout rounds, or that lose in the quarterfinals, play extra regular-season games against each other so every team still finishes with 82.
How are playoff seeds decided?
Seeds are based on each team’s win-loss record within its conference at the end of the regular season. The best record in each conference earns the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage through the conference playoffs. Division titles don’t guarantee a top seed; only the record counts.
When two teams finish with the same record, the first tiebreaker is usually their head-to-head result during the season. If that’s level, the league moves through further tiebreakers, including division and conference records. Ties among three or more teams follow a separate set of steps.
The 65-game rule for awards
To be eligible for major awards such as Most Valuable Player, a player generally has to appear in at least 65 regular-season games. The rule, part of the current collective bargaining agreement, was introduced to cut down on rest days for star players. It’s worth watching late in the season, when injuries can push a contender below the mark.
How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
The play-in tournament decides the last two playoff spots in each conference. The teams that finish 1st to 6th in each conference go straight to the playoffs, while the teams finishing 7th to 10th play for seeds 7 and 8. The 2026-27 play-in runs from April 14 to 17, 2027 (PHT).
| Game | Matchup | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | 7th seed vs 8th seed | Winner takes the 7th seed |
| Game 2 | 9th seed vs 10th seed | Loser is eliminated |
| Game 3 | Loser of Game 1 vs winner of Game 2 | Winner takes the 8th seed; loser is eliminated |
The format gives the 7th and 8th seeds two chances to qualify, while the 9th and 10th seeds must win twice. Teams that finish 11th or lower miss the postseason.
How do the NBA playoffs work?
Sixteen teams, eight from each conference, play four rounds of best-of-seven series. The first team to win four games advances, so a champion needs 16 playoff wins. The 2026-27 playoffs begin on April 18, 2027 (PHT), and the NBA Finals are scheduled for June.
| Round | Teams | Format |
|---|---|---|
| First round | 16 (8 per conference) | Best of seven; 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 |
| Conference semifinals | 8 | Best of seven |
| Conference finals | 4 | Best of seven; winners are conference champions |
| NBA Finals | 2 | Best of seven; East champion vs West champion |
The higher seed has home-court advantage in each series, hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7. In the Finals, home court goes to the team with the better regular-season record. Across four rounds, a team can play up to 28 playoff games if every series goes to seven. Unlike some leagues, the NBA doesn’t reseed between rounds, so the bracket stays fixed once the playoffs begin.
What happens after the Finals?
The offseason starts as soon as the Finals end. The 14 teams that miss the playoffs enter the draft lottery, which sets the order of the top picks, and the NBA Draft follows in June. Free agency opens right after, when teams can sign players whose contracts have ended.
Summer League gives rookies and young players their first games in July, and training camps open again in late September. The cycle then restarts with the preseason in October.
What the format means for fans and bettors
The season’s stages create different storylines at different times of year. Early on, the NBA Cup adds high-stakes games in November and December. Late in the season, the race for the top six spots and the play-in shapes how teams manage their rosters and rest their stars.
The format also explains why some bets take months to settle. Futures, such as the NBA champion or the Most Valuable Player award, aren’t decided until the playoffs or the end of the season. Our basketball betting guide explains how futures and other basketball markets work, and our game previews cover upcoming matchups. Betting is for adults aged 21 and over.
