How the NBA Draft Lottery and Playoff Seeding Work

The NBA regular season determines two things that shape the league for years: which 20 teams make the playoffs and play-in tournament, and which 14 teams enter the draft lottery. Understanding the rules behind both is key to following the schedule with full context.

Playoff qualification

Each conference sends 10 teams to the postseason. The top six seeds by regular-season record qualify directly. Seeds 7 through 10 enter the play-in tournament, a short knockout stage where the 7th and 8th seeds get two chances to advance while the 9th and 10th seeds must win every game.

How seeding works

Seeding is based on win-loss record within each conference. Tiebreakers follow a specific sequence: head-to-head record, division winner status, division record, conference record, and then point differential against common opponents. The 1 seed faces the 8 seed, the 2 seed faces the 7 seed, and so on.

The draft lottery

The 14 teams that miss the playoffs enter the draft lottery for the right to pick first in the NBA Draft. The three worst records each have a 14 percent chance at the first overall pick, with odds decreasing for better records. The lottery determines only the top four picks; the remaining selections follow inverse order of regular-season record.

Why regular-season games matter

Every game on the schedule affects either playoff positioning or draft lottery odds. A single win in March can be the difference between home-court advantage and a road series, or between a 14 percent and a 6 percent chance at the first pick.