How Many Games Are in an NBA Playoff Series? Updated Rules & Format

NBA Playoffs how many games in series rules

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Contrary to popular belief, the NBA playoffs haven’t always featured the same format which we see in 2019. While the current layout includes every series from the first round through the NBA Finals featuring a best-of-seven outlook, that change happened in 2003. Since that point, we’ve seen a number of other tweaks to the playoff format.

But the best-of-seven series outlook is something that’s been in place since 2003 and has not changed. Prior to that, teams had a chance to play fewer games during the early stages of the postseason. We’re going to take a look at the NBA playoff rules and structure behind the number of games in a playoff series.

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NBA Playoffs Go to Seven-Game Series in 2003

From 1984 through 2002, the playoffs featured a best-of-five series in the first round of postseason play. From there, it would shift over to a best-of-seven for the conference semifinals, conference finals and then again for the championship. The seven-game series structure has remained in place since that point, and while there are still tweaks fans hope to see happen, this is one that’s likely to remain.

Prior to 1984 is when the playoffs had a very different outlook. In 1977 the playoffs were expanded from 10 to 12 teams, with division winners receiving first-round byes. During this stretch, the first round was just a best-of-three series, so teams only had to win two games.

Then in 1984 came the big change when the NBA expanded its playoff field from 12 to 16 teams and each team played in the first round. All first-round matchups were best-of-five series, requiring teams to win three games in order to advance.


Later NBA Playoff Changes to Seedings

The NBA attempted a number of different things relating to their playoff rules, one of which was to have guaranteed top seeds, regardless of record, for the division champions. This happened in 2005 but was quickly changed in 2007 to make it so that the division champions were only guaranteed a top-four seed.

This remained in place for a number of years, but there were issues with how this wound up structuring the NBA playoff bracket and the layout of early-round matchups.

After a stretch until 2016 under that format, it became that apparent that another change was needed. In turn, the NBA chose to give the teams with the eight best records a playoff berth. Beyond that, there was no guaranteed top-four seeding for teams who won their divisions. This made it so that the eight teams with the best records in the Eastern and Western Conferences would be seeded based on their record and tiebreakers.

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