2024 NBA SoFi Play-In Tournament: Television Schedule and Announcers

Caption: The logo for the 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament. | Photo credit: NBA.com.

- The Play-in Tournament returns for the fourth consecutive season on a full-time basis (fifth season overall)

- Once again, eight teams are battling for the final four remaining postseason berths (four teams in the East fighting for seeds No. 7 and No. 8 & four teams in the West fighting for seeds No. 7 and No. 8); in short, four teams will qualify beyond the play-in tournament and four teams will be eliminated (and thus, their season comes to a premature end just shy of the actual main postseason draw)

- The 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT as LeBron James and the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Lakers face off with Zion Williamson and the No. 7 seed New Orleans Pelicans with the #7 seed in the West on the line (Winner of LAL/NO earns the #7 seed and faces #2 seed Denver - the reigning NBA champions - in the Conference Finals; Loser of LAL/NO will play on Friday night in the 8th place game vs. the winner of the Golden State-Sacramento game, which will take place later on that night)

- Western Conference #7 vs. #8 and #9 vs. #10 games to take place on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET, TNT); Eastern Conference #7 vs. #8 and #9 vs. #10 games to take place on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET and 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

- Friday night sees a doubleheader with the Eastern Conference 8th Place Game followed by the Western Conference 8th Place Game

- For the fourth straight year, TNT and ESPN split coverage of the Play-in Tournament -- this season, ESPN will get the Eastern Conference Play-in Tournament games (the two play-in games on Wednesday & 8th Place Game on Friday) TNT will get the Western Conference Play-in Tournament games (the two play-in games on Tuesday & 8th Place Game on Friday)

The 2023-24 NBA regular season has officially concluded. That means the postseason is starting to inch closer by the day. The 2024 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel will officially kick off on Saturday, April 20 (this weekend). A separate article that is completely dedicated to the first round can be found here.

In the meanwhile, we are now getting ready for the fourth annual Play-in Tournament (a mini-tournament held before the actual postseason begins). The 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament will take place from Tuesday, April 16 through Friday, April 19 (with a Thursday, April 18 off-day in the mix). ESPN and TNT will team up to televise all six Play-in Tournament games, with ESPN getting the Eastern Conference matchups and TNT grabbing Western Conference matchups. The reasoning for a network holding rights to a particular conference for the Play-in Tournament is because ESPN/ABC have exclusive rights to the Eastern Conference Finals this year while TNT gets the Western Conference Finals.

The #7 and #8 seeds in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference are up for grabs this week for the teams competing in the Play-in Tournament. Furthermore, the #1 and #2 seeds in each conference are paying special close attention to this particular play-in tournament because their first round opponent will be determined through the Play-in Tournament. The #2 seed in the East & West will find out their opponent by Wednesday night, with those series beginning on Saturday. The #1 seed in the East & West will get their first round challenger on Friday night, for a seven-game series beginning Sunday.

The 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament begins on Tuesday, April 16, with a doubleheader on TNT. Tuesday's play-in schedule features Western Conference play-in games exclusively. 

To start Tuesday's schedule, LeBron James and the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Lakers face off with Zion Williamson and No. 7 seed New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. The Lakers were able to win the season series against New Orleans this year by defeating them in three of the four matchups (with one of these wins being by 44 points in the inaugural In-Season Tournament). James is coming off a strong game to close out his 21st regular season vs. this same New Orleans team on Sunday afternoon -- 28 points, 11 rebounds & 17 assists (yes, 17 assists!). The winner of this game will get the #7 seed in the West and advance on to match up with the #2 seed Denver Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, in a first round series beginning Saturday in Denver. The loser of this game, however, still has another shot to qualify for the playoffs by serving as the host team for Friday's night 8th place game vs. the winner of the Warriors vs. Kings play-in game. 🎤 TNT's lead commentator team of Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) will have the game, alongside Allie LaForce (reporter).

Tuesday's doubleheader concludes in Sacramento, where two Northern California rivals butt heads once again in a postseason situation. Stephen Curry and the #10 seed Golden State Warriors battle De'Aaron Fox and the #9 Sacramento Kings at 10:00 PM ET on TNT. The teams split four regular season meetings this season. Obviously, these teams were involved in an enthralling seven-game series in the Conference Quarterfinals last season. Golden State ultimately got the upper hand in seven games, thanks to Curry's iconic 50-point performance in Game 7 while facing a hostile crowd and environment. For the second straight year, these teams run into each other. Unlike last year, where they could play up to seven games, this play-in game between the two teams serves as a "Game 7", with win or go home ramifications. Of course, Sacramento is looking for atonement and revenge for last season's saddening conclusion vs. the Warriors. The winner will participate in the 8th place game on Friday night against the Lakers vs. Pelicans play-in loser. The loser will see their season come to a sudden and abrupt end. 🎙 Play-by-play commentator Brian Anderson, analyst Stan Van Gundy and reporter Chris Haynes will be on-site in Sacramento for the call.

The 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament then continues on Wednesday, April 17, with a doubleheader on ESPN featuring the Eastern Conference #7 vs. #8 and #9 vs. #10 play-in games.

Wednesday's doubleheader tips off in Philadelphia at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN as first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey and the #7 seed Philadelphia 76ers welcome six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and the #8 seed Miami Heat to town for a showdown to determine the Eastern Conference's #7 seed and to find out which team will face off with Jalen Brunson and the #2 seed New York Knicks in the first round. The clubs played four times during the regular season, with each team winning twice. The Heat & 76ers are playing in the postseason for the second time in three years, with the previous playoff encounter being the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals (where Butler's Heat eliminated the 76ers in six games). The loser of this contest will host the Hawks vs. Bulls winner for a Friday game to decide the East's #8 seed. 🎤 The new NBA Finals commentary crew of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Mike Breen (play-by-play) and Doris Burke (analyst), analyst JJ Redick and reporter Lisa Salters handle the game commentary from Philadelphia.

Wednesday's doubleheader continues in the Windy City at 9:30 PM ET on ESPN for a win-or-go home play-in game. Dejounte Murray and the #10 seed Atlanta Hawks come marching in to provide the opposition for six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan and the #9 seed as both squads look to extend their season by one more game. DeRozan's Bulls got the best of Atlanta in the regular season play this season, with the Bulls coming away victorious in two of three matchups. The winner plays the Heat vs. 76ers play-in loser on Friday night, and the loser's season is done. 🎤 Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play) describes the action with Richard Jefferson (analyst) and Cassidy Hubbarth (reporter).

The 2024 SoFi Play-in Tournament will conclude on Friday, April 19, with a Eastern Conference 8th place game on ESPN & with a Western Conference 8th place game on TNT. More details about Friday night's games can be found below.

The final Eastern Conference SoFi NBA Play-in Tournament game leads off Friday's coverage down in South Florida, where DeMar DeRozan and the #10 seed Chicago Bulls square off with Bam Adebayo and the #8 seed Miami Heat at 7:00 PM ET, on ESPN. The #8 seed in the East is on the line here, as the winner will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs while the loser will get eliminated (and thus their season ending). 🎤 The broadcast team of Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Richard Jefferson (analyst) & Cassidy Hubbarth (reporter) will call the action from Miami.

The SoFi NBA Play-in Tournament will conclude on Friday night at 9:30 PM ET on TNT with the Western Conference 8th place game. De'Aaron Fox and the #9 seed Sacramento Kings will visit New Orleans to match up with CJ McCollum and the #7 seed New Orleans Pelicans. The winner gets the #8 seed in the West and a first-round matchup with the West's top seed, Oklahoma City Thunder. The loser sees their season come to an end. 🎤 Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst) & Jared Greenberg (reporter) provide commentary from New Orleans.

• 2024 NBA SoFi Play-in Tournament: Breakdown (by Conference)

|| Eastern Conference:

| East Play-in: (8) Miami Heat at (7) Philadelphia 76ers - Philadelphia clinches #7 seed & Miami clinches spot in 8th place game vs. Chicago (The winner captures the #7 seed in the East plus a first-round date with the #2 seed Knicks & The loser plays the winner of the ATL-CHI game on Friday night.)

 at

. East Play-in: Wednesday, April 17 - Heat at 76ers - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Mike Breen, Doris Burke, JJ Redick, Lisa Salters

| East Play-in: (10) Atlanta Hawks at (9) Chicago Bulls - Chicago clinches spot in 8th place game at Miami & Atlanta is eliminated from playoff contention (Win or go home! The winner plays the MIA-PHI loser on Friday & The loser is eliminated.)

 at

. East Play-in: Wednesday, April 17 - Hawks at Bulls - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth

| East 8th Place Game: (9) Chicago Bulls at (8) Miami Heat - Miami clinches #8 seed in East & Chicago is eliminated from playoff contention (Win or go home! The winner captures the #8 seed in the East plus a first-round date with the #1 seed Celtics & The loser is eliminated.)

 at

. East 8th Place Game: Friday, April 19 - Bulls at Heat - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth

|| Western Conference:

| West Play-in: (8) Los Angeles Lakers at (7) New Orleans Pelicans - LA Lakers clinches #7 seed in the West & New Orleans clinches spot in 8th place game vs. Sacramento (The winner gets #7 seed in West and faces #2 seed Nuggets in First Round and The loser plays the winner of GS/SAC on Friday night)

 at

. West Play-in: Tuesday, April 16 - Lakers at Pelicans - TNT, 7:30 PM (ET) - Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Allie LaForce

| West Play-in: (10) Golden State Warriors at (9) Sacramento Kings - Sacramento clinches spot in 8th place game at New Orleans & Golden State is eliminated from playoff contention (Win or go home! The winner plays the LAL/NO loser on Friday night and The loser is eliminated)

 at

. West Play-in: Tuesday, April 16 - Warriors at Kings - TNT, 10:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy, Chris Haynes

| West 8th Place Game: (9) Sacramento Kings at (8) New Orleans Pelicans - New Orleans clinches #8 seed in the West & Sacramento is eliminated from playoff contetion (Win or go home! The winner gets #8 seed in the West and faces #1 seed Thunder in the First Round and The loser is eliminated)

 at

. West 8th Place Game: Friday, April 19 - Kings at Pelicans - TNT, 9:30 PM (ET) - Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, Jared Greenberg 

• 2024 NBA SoFi Play-in Tournament: Daily Television Schedule

* Tuesday, April 16 - Western Conference 7 vs. 8 & 9 vs. 10 games

. West play-in: Lakers at Pelicans - TNT, 7:30 PM (ET) - Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Allie LaForce

. West play-in: Warriors at Kings - TNT, 10:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy, Chris Haynes

* Wednesday, April 17 - Eastern Conference 7 vs. 8 & 9 vs. 10 games

. East play-in: Heat at 76ers - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Mike Breen, Doris Burke, JJ Redick, Lisa Salters

. East play-in: Hawks at Bulls - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth

* Friday, April 19 - 8th Place Games (Eastern Conference & Western Conference)

. East 8th place game: Bulls at Heat - ESPN, 7:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth

. West 8th place game: Kings at Pelicans - TNT, 9:30 PM (ET) - Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, Jared Greenberg

- Sources: NBA, SportsLogos.Net, ESPN Press Room, & Warner Bros. Discovery

Credit to SportsLogos.Net for the NBA team logos and for the conference logos.

--- ### ---