The NBA Play-In Tournament games for this season are scheduled for April 14–17, 2026.

Quick Scoop

  • The Play-In starts two days after the regular season ends, which is April 12, 2026.
  • Games run on consecutive days from April 14 through April 17, setting the final two playoff seeds in each conference.
  • The main NBA Playoffs then begin on April 18, 2026.

How the Play-In fits in

  • Seeds 7–10 in each conference take part.
  • Those few days become a win-or-go-home stretch for bubble teams, leading straight into the full playoff bracket.

If you’re planning to watch, circle April 14–17, 2026 on your calendar—that’s when the Play-In chaos hits.

TL;DR: If you’re wondering “when are the play in games” , they run April 14–17, 2026 , right after the regular season and just before the playoffs tip off.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.