NBA Play-in Tournament FREE LIVE STREAMS: Watch every elimination game online

The NBA Play-in Tournament begins on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (04/16/24) and ends on Friday, April 19, 2024 (04/19/24).

WATCH THIS: Fans can watch the games via a free trial on fuboTV or DirecTV Stream. Fans can also watch via SlingTV, which offers a 50% discount for the first month.

TICKETS: Fans wishing to attend the game can purchase tickets at StubHub, SeatGeek or Vivid Seats. Book your flights with Expedia, CheapTickets or Priceline and find a hotel with Hotels.com or Choice Hotels.

Here are the three best streaming options for NBA play-in tournaments:

1. DirecTV Stream (FREE TRIAL)

DirecTV Stream is the best option for NBA fans as it broadcasts all channels. Fans can try it for free using this link.

2. SlingTV

In terms of price, SlingTV offers the best value for NBA fans. SlingTV's Blue package ($22.50 per month) carries TNT and ESPN, so fans can watch all the playoff games for one great price.

3. fuboTV (FREE TRIAL)

fuboTV carries ESPN networks, but not TNT – meaning fans will have to combine the free trial with SlingTV's low price to get the full streaming package. fuboTV is $74.99 per month without the process.

Here is the complete TV schedule for the play-in tournament:

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Lakers vs. Pelicans 7:30 p.m. TNT

Live broadcast: DirecTV stream (free trial) and Sling TV

Warriors vs. Kings 10 p.m. TNT

Live broadcast: DirecTV stream (free trial) and Sling TV

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers 7 p.m. ESPN

Live broadcast: DirecTV stream (free trial) and fuboTV (Free trial period)

Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls 9:30 p.m. ESPN

Live broadcast: DirecTV stream (free trial) and fuboTV (Free trial period)

Friday, April 19, 2024

TBD vs TBD

TBD vs TBD

AP preview:

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back in the play-in tournament. That goes for Stephen Curry as well, as he and Golden State will be fighting for their season. And Jimmy Butler also returns after this round was the first step on Miami's path to the NBA Finals last year.

The postseason — not technically the playoffs — begins Tuesday with two Western Conference games. The Lakers visit New Orleans, with the winner securing the No. 7 seed and a series with defending champion Denver in Round 1. And then the Warriors head to Sacramento, an elimination game for both teams.

The Eastern Conference takes the stage on Wednesday: Philadelphia hosts Miami in a game where the No. 7 seed is on the line, and Atlanta visits Chicago, with those clubs' seasons on the line.

The Lakers forced a rematch of the regular-season finale with a 128-104 win at New Orleans on Sunday, knocking the Pelicans out of sixth place. Now the Lakers expect the Pelicans to respond as if it were Game 2 of a playoff series.

“You win the first game and a team has several days to rest on that feeling, with the taste of defeat in their mouth, so they will be extremely ready for us and we have to go in with the same feeling I have a feeling of urgency,” said James, 39, who is playing in his 21st NBA season.

The Lakers and Heat showed last year that the play-in can be a stepping stone to bigger and better things; The Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals, the Heat reached the NBA Finals.

“We’re not the same group we were last year,” Butler said. “We – I – have a lot of confidence in the people we have and we know what we are capable of. We’ll see what we get whenever the time comes.”

Golden State gets a short bus ride north for an elimination game against the Kings, on the same floor where the Warriors won a road Game 7 in Round 1 last season.

“We’re excited to have a chance,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.

The same goes for the Kings, who have had a season full of ups and downs – but have a chance to overcome the memory of losing to the Warriors in the playoffs a year ago.

“Let’s fucking get it,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said.

FORMAT

This is Year 4 of this format and technically Year 5 for the play-in tournament overall. A reminder of how the format works:

— There are six games in the tournament. For all six teams, one team either qualifies for the playoffs, is eliminated, or both.

– No. 7 plays against No. 8. The winner advances and receives the No. 7 seed for the playoffs. The loser has a second chance.

— No. 9 plays No. 10. The loser's season is over. The winner moves on to visit the loser of the 7v8 game.

— The remaining teams (the 7-8 loser and the 9-10 winner) will play with the higher seeds, with the winner receiving the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The losers' season ends.

STORY

2020

Western Conference: Portland defeated Memphis 126-122 to earn eighth place.

2021

Eastern Conference: Boston defeated Washington 118-100 to secure seventh place; Indiana defeated Charlotte 144-117 in 9-10 play; Washington defeated Indiana 142-115 to earn eighth place.

Western Conference: Lakers beat Golden State 103-100 for No. 7 seed; Memphis defeated San Antonio 100-96 in a 9-10 game; Memphis defeated Golden State 117-112 to earn eighth place.

2022

Eastern Conference: Brooklyn defeated Cleveland 115-108 to secure seventh place; Atlanta defeated Charlotte 132-103 in 9-10 play; Atlanta defeated Cleveland 107-101 to earn eighth place.

Western Conference: Minnesota defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 to secure seventh place; New Orleans defeated San Antonio 113-103 in 9-10 play; New Orleans defeated the Clippers 105-101 to secure eighth place.

2023

Eastern Conference: Atlanta defeated Miami 116-105 to secure seventh place; Chicago defeated Toronto 109-105 in 9-10 play; Miami defeated Chicago 102-91 to earn eighth place.

Western Conference: The Lakers beat Minnesota 108-102 to earn the No. 7 seed; Oklahoma City defeated New Orleans 123-118 in a 9-10 game; Minnesota defeated Oklahoma City 120-95 to earn eighth place.

MATCHUPS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NO. 8 MIAMI (46-36) NO. 7 PHILADELPHIA (47-35)

Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN

Season series: Split, 2-2

Play-in appearances: 2nd for Miami (2023), 1st for Philadelphia.

At stake: The winner plays New York in Game 1 on Saturday; The loser plays the elimination game on Friday.

Outlook: The teams met on Christmas in Miami (Heat won 119-113) and three times since then, although it should be noted that Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Miami's Jimmy Butler each played in only one of the four games between the clubs this season. … When Kyle Lowry plays, his teams are 3-0 in the series this season – 2-0 with him in a Philly jersey, 1-0 when he was in a Miami jersey.

NO. 10 ATLANTA (36-46) NO. 9CHICAGO (39-43)

Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Season series: Chicago, 2-1

Play-in appearances: 3rd for Atlanta (2022, 2023); 2nd for Chicago (2023).

At stake: The winner will play the elimination game on Friday; The loser is eliminated.

Outlook: The Hawks want to be the first team to win four play-in games. They were 3-0 in their last appearances in the tournament. … DeMar DeRozan averaged 28.3 points for Chicago in the season series. … Bogdan Bogdanovic averaged 23.3 points for Atlanta on 46% shooting from 3-point range against the Bulls. … Trae Young appeared in two games in the series and the Bulls held him to 29% shooting.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

NO. 8 LA LAKERS (47-35) NO. 7NEW ORLEANS (49-33)

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., TNT

Season series: Lakers, 3-1

Play-in appearances: 3rd for Lakers (2021, 2023); 3rd for New Orleans (2022, 2023).

At stake: The winner plays Denver in Game 1 on Sunday; The loser plays the elimination game on Friday.

Outlook: A rematch of Sunday's regular-season finale for both clubs, where the Lakers made sure a 49-win season wasn't enough to secure a playoff spot for the Pelicans. … The four highest-scoring players in the season series were all Lakers (LeBron James 28.3, Anthony Davis 21.5, Austin Reaves 21.0, D'Angelo Russell 21.0). … Zion Williamson shot 58% in four games against the Lakers.

NO. 10 GOLDEN STATE (46-36) NO. 9SACRAMENTO (46-36)

Tuesday, 10 p.m., TNT

Season series: Split, 2-2

Play-in appearances: 2nd place for Golden State (2021), 1st place for Sacramento.

At stake: The winner will play the elimination game on Friday; The loser is eliminated.

Outlook: The series was incredibly close – both of Sacramento's wins were exactly one point apart, and Golden State's two wins over the Kings were by one and eight points, respectively. … De'Aaron Fox averaged 32.3 points in the series for the Kings and Domantas Sabonis averaged nearly a triple-double (17.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 9.5 assists). … Stephen Curry averaged 31 points for the Warriors in the series. … The Kings reached the foul line 113 times in the four games, Golden State 82 times.

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