Basic Game Rules
NBA playoff games follow the same fundamental rules as regular season games. The court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. Games consist of four quarters with 12 minutes each, totaling 48 minutes of play. Teams score 2 points for field goals inside the three-point line, 3 points for shots beyond the line, and 1 point for free throws. The team with the most points after 48 minutes wins the game.
Playoff Series Structure
NBA playoffs use a best-of-seven series format, meaning the first team to win four games advances to the next round. If one team wins four games before the seventh game is played, the series ends immediately. The higher-seeded team (better regular season record) gets home court advantage, meaning they play four games at home if the series goes the full seven games, while the lower seed plays three games at home. This structure continues through all four playoff rounds.
Bracket and Seeding
Sixteen teams make the NBA playoffs, with eight teams from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. Teams are ranked by their regular season record, creating a seeding system from 1 through 8 in each conference. The number 1 seed plays the number 8 seed, the 2 seed plays the 7 seed, the 3 seed plays the 6 seed, and the 4 seed plays the 5 seed in the first round. Winners advance and are matched up based on their seeding in subsequent rounds.
Fouls and Penalties
Playoff games use the same foul rules as regular season games. Each player can commit up to six personal fouls before fouling out and being removed from the game. Team fouls are tracked per quarter, and when a team reaches a certain number of fouls, the opposing team shoots free throws. Technical fouls can be called for unsportsmanlike conduct, and flagrant fouls are called for excessive or dangerous contact. These rules are strictly enforced to maintain competitive integrity.
Overtime and Ties
If a playoff game is tied after 48 minutes of regulation play, teams play overtime periods that are 5 minutes long each. The game continues with additional overtime periods until one team scores more points than the other. Overtime follows the same rules as regulation play, including timeouts and fouls. Each overtime period counts as a separate period for foul accumulation purposes.
Playoff Conduct Standards
The NBA strictly enforces conduct rules during the playoffs to maintain professionalism and player safety. Unsportsmanlike behavior, excessive celebration, and confrontations can result in technical fouls or fines. Players who accumulate too many technical fouls during the playoffs face automatic suspensions. Playoff games are officiated by the most experienced referees, and the NBA closely monitors game quality and rule enforcement to ensure fair competition. 
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