2022 NBA play-in tournament matchups, schedule, start times: Nets vs. Cavaliers tips off action Tuesday

The 2022 NBA postseason is upon us, and for the second straight year, we’ll be treated to a play-in tournament in each conference with the Nos. 7 and 8 seed up for grabs. Below are the eight teams that will have to win their way into the field. 

• Western Conference: Minnesota Timberwolves (7), Los Angeles Clippers (8), New Orleans Pelicans (9), San Antonio Spurs (10)
  
  
• Eastern Conference: Brooklyn Nets (7), Cleveland Cavaliers (8), Atlanta Hawks (9), Charlotte Hornets (10)
  
  

The format goes like this: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 game for the  No. 8 seed. 

Put another way, the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds get two shots to win one play-in game, while the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds have no margin for error, having to win two straight to get in. One loss, and they’re out. 

Below is the schedule for each play-in game. 

Tuesday, April 12

• East: No. 8 Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 7 Brooklyn Nets, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
  
  
• West: No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers at No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
  
  

Wednesday, April 13

• East: No. 10 Charlotte Hornets at No. 9 Atlanta Hawks, 7 ET p.m. (ESPN)
  
  
• West: No. 10 San Antonio Spurs at No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  
  

Friday, April 15

• East: Winner of Charlotte/Atlanta vs. loser of Cleveland/Brooklyn, TBD (ESPN)
  
  
• West: Winner of San Antonio/New Orleans vs. loser of Los Angeles/Minnesota, TBD (TNT)