Editing Playoffs (section)

==Basketball==

===National Basketball Association===
{{main|NBA playoffs}} {{see also|NBA conference finals}}

The present organization known as the [[National Basketball Association]], then called the BAA (Basketball Association of America), had its inaugural season in 1946–47. Teams had always have different [[strength of schedule]] from each other; currently, a team plays a team outside its conference twice, a team within its conference but outside its division three or four times, and a team from its own division four times.

In the current system, eight clubs from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs, with separate playoff brackets for each conference. In the 2002–03 season, the first-round series were expanded from best-of-5 to best-of-7; all other series have always been best-of-7. In all series, home games alternate between the two teams in a 2-2-1-1-1 format.

The 2-3-2 finals format was adopted from the [[1985 NBA Finals|1985 Finals]] to [[2013 NBA Finals|2013]], copying the format that was then in effect in the National Hockey League. Prior to 1985, almost all finals were played in the 2-2-1-1-1 format (although the [[1971 NBA Finals|1971 Finals]] between Milwaukee and Baltimore were on an alternate-home basis, some 1950s finals used the 2-3-2 format, and the [[1975 NBA Finals|1975 Golden State-Washington]] and [[1978 NBA Finals|1978]] and [[1979 NBA Finals|1979]] Seattle-Washington Finals were on a 1-2-2-1-1 basis). Also, prior to the 1980s, [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern]] and [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western]] playoffs were on an alternate-home basis except for series when distance made the 2-2-1-1-1 format more practical. Since [[2014 NBA Finals|2014]], the [[NBA Finals]] restored the original format.

Teams are seeded according to their regular-season record. Through the 2014–15 season, the three division champions and best division runner-up received the top four seeds, with their ranking based on regular-season record. The remaining teams were seeded strictly by regular-season record. However, if the best division runner-up had a better record than other division champs, it could be seeded as high as second. Beginning in 2015–16, the NBA became the first major American league to eliminate automatic playoff berths for division champions; the top eight teams overall in each conference now qualify for the playoffs, regardless of divisional alignment.

Since the 2019–20 season, only the top six teams qualify directly to the playoffs. The remaining two teams in each conference are determined through what is officially considered a separate postseason tournament, consisting of the seventh through tenth-placed teams. Known as a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]], it consists of three, one-game series:

* Seventh placed team '''vs.''' eighth placed team
* Ninth placed team '''vs.''' tenth placed team
* Loser of 7–8 game '''vs.''' winner of 9–10 game.

The winner of the 7–8 game advances to the playoffs as the 7th seed, while the loser faces the winner of the 9–10 game (the loser of it is eliminated from playoff contention). The winner of this third game advances to the playoffs as the 8th seed, while the loser is also eliminated from playoff contention. From there, the playoffs continue as normal.

===Elsewhere===
Top flight basketball leagues elsewhere also employ a playoff system mimicking the NBA's. However, most leagues are not divided into divisions and conferences, and employ a double round robin format akin to league association football, unlike the NBA where teams are divided into divisions and conferences, which leads to different strengths of schedule per team. Teams are seeded on regular season record. The playoff structure can be single-elimination or a best-of series, with the higher seed, if held the playoffs are not held at a predetermined venue, having the home court advantage.

Aside from the playoffs, some leagues also have a knockout tournament akin to the [[FA Cup]] running in parallel to the regular season. These are not considered playoffs.

In the [[EuroLeague]], after the regular season plays a best-of-5 playoffs in a 2–2–1 format. However, from the semifinals on, it is a single elimination tournament held at a predetermined venue. Still others also have a relegation playoff.

In [[NCAA Division I]] basketball conferences, a playoff or "postseason tournament" is held after the regular season. Most conferences, including all of the "major" basketball conferences ([[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]], [[American Athletic Conference|American]], [[Big East Conference|Big East]], [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]], [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]], [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]], [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]]), hold their tournaments at a predetermined venue, with all conference teams participating (unless barred due to NCAA sanctions). A few conferences hold early rounds at campus sites and later rounds at a predetermined site. For example, the [[Mid-American Conference]] holds its first-round games at campus sites, but the rest of the tournament in [[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse|Cleveland]]. The [[Big South Conference]] holds its first round at campus sites, gives hosting rights for its quarterfinals and semifinals to the regular-season champion, and plays its final at the home court of the top remaining seed. The [[America East Conference]], [[ASUN Conference]], and [[Patriot League]] hold all tournament games at campus sites. A small number of conferences do not invite all of their teams to the conference tournament, with one example being the [[Ivy League]], in which only four of the eight members advance to the tournament (which is at a predetermined site). In many such tournaments, higher seeds are afforded byes. The winners, and some losers which are selected as "at-large bids", play in [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|the NCAA tournament]], which is also single-elimination and held at predetermined venues.

In the [[WNBA Playoffs]], the league's best 8 teams, regardless of conference alignment, compete, and are seeded based on their regular-season records. The top two seeds are reserved for the conference leaders plus the next six teams with the next-best records. Since 2022, the league quarterfinals are best-of-three on an 2-1 basis, and the league semifinals and finals are best-of-5 on a 2-2-1 basis.