A look at how NBA Play-In Tournament works and what Hawks must do to make playoffs

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Hawks and Magic look to secure their spot in the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday night in the first game of the NBA Play-In Tournament. With the stakes high, both teams know that winning gets them in, while a loss delays their shot at making the full postseason slate.

The NBA began the Play-In Tournament during the 2020 NBA playoffs in Orlando with a more pared-down version of the current format. In the first Play-In Tournament, only the eighth and ninth seeds battled for the final playoff spot. Now, teams that are seventh through 10th in the Eastern and Western Conference standings compete for the final two playoff spots in each conference.

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Here’s how the Play-In Tournament works:

The teams ranked seventh and eighth in each conference face each other, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The loser of the 7-vs.-8 game faces the winner of the game between the ninth and 10th seeds. The winner of that final Play-In matchup moves to the playoffs as the eighth seed, while the loser goes home.

The NBA launched the program to give teams that sat on the playoff bubble a chance to play their way into the postseason. It gave teams whose years may have been stymied by injuries another opportunity to extend their seasons.

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This is the fourth consecutive year the Hawks have appeared in the Play-In Tournament. The Hawks have not advanced further than the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs during the Play-In era, but doing so isn’t impossible.

The Heat advanced to the NBA Finals in 2023 despite losing to the Hawks in a 7-vs.-8 Play-In matchup.

The Heat beat the Bulls in the final Play-In game to earn the eighth seed. Then the Heat defeated the top-seeded Bucks, fifth-seeded Knicks and second-seeded Celtics in the next three playoff rounds before falling in the NBA Finals to the Nuggets, 4-1.

On Tuesday, the Hawks begin their postseason run against the Magic at 7:30 p.m. at the Kia Center in Orlando.

Hawks Play-In Tournament History

2025

April 15: (8) Hawks at (7) Magic, 7:30 p.m.

2024

April 17: (9) Bulls 131, (10) Hawks 116 (Atlanta eliminated)

2023

April 11: (8) Hawks 116, (7) Heat 105

First-round results: Hawks lost to the Celtics 4-2

2022

April 13: (9) Hawks 132, (10) Hornets 103

April 15: (9) Hawks 107, (8) Cavaliers 101

First-round results: Hawks lost to the Heat 4-1

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