<P> In September 2015, the NBA announced changes to the formula used to determine the format of the 2016 NBA Playoffs . The top eight teams in each conference (East and West), ranked in order by win - loss records, qualify for the playoffs . The tie - break criteria for playoff seeding and home - court advantage have also changed; head - to - head results between the tied teams is the first tie - breaker, and whether a team won its division championship is the second tie - breaker . </P> <P> These seedings are used to create a bracket that determines the match - ups throughout the series . Once the playoffs start, the bracket is fixed; teams are never "reseeded", unlike in the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) where the strongest remaining teams face the weakest teams in subsequent rounds . The first round of the NBA playoffs, or conference quarterfinals, consists of four match - ups in each conference based on the seedings (1--8, 2--7, 3--6, and 4--5). The four winners advance to the second round, or conference semifinals, with a match - up between the 1--8 and 4--5 winners and a match - up between the 2--7 and 3--6 winners . The two winners advance to the third round, or conference finals . The winner from each conference will advance to the final round, or the NBA Finals . </P> <P> All rounds are best - of - seven series . Series are played in a 2--2--1--1--1 format, meaning the team with home - court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while their opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6, with games 5--7 being played if needed . This format has been used since 2014, after NBA team owners unanimously voted to the change away from a 2--3--2 format on October 23, 2013 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> First Round </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference Semifinals </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference Finals </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> NBA Finals </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E1 </Td> <Td> Indiana * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E8 </Td> <Td> Boston </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E1 </Td> <Td> Indiana * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E4 </Td> <Td> Miami </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E4 </Td> <Td> Miami </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E5 </Td> <Td> New Orleans </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E1 </Td> <Td> Indiana * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="8"> Eastern Conference </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E3 </Td> <Td> Detroit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E3 </Td> <Td> Detroit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E6 </Td> <Td> Milwaukee </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E3 </Td> <Td> Detroit </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E2 </Td> <Td> New Jersey * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E2 </Td> <Td> New Jersey * </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E7 </Td> <Td> New York </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="10"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> E3 </Td> <Td> Detroit </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="12"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W2 </Td> <Td> LA Lakers * </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W1 </Td> <Td> Minnesota * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W8 </Td> <Td> Denver </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W1 </Td> <Td> Minnesota * </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W4 </Td> <Td> Sacramento </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W4 </Td> <Td> Sacramento </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W5 </Td> <Td> Dallas </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W1 </Td> <Td> Minnesota * </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="8"> Western Conference </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W2 </Td> <Td> LA Lakers * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W3 </Td> <Td> San Antonio </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W6 </Td> <Td> Memphis </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W3 </Td> <Td> San Antonio </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> W2 </Td> <Td> LA Lakers * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W2 </Td> <Td> LA Lakers * </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W7 </Td> <Td> Houston </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When did nba change to best of 7