BBC iPlayer

The BBC will be showing five regular season matches and up to four further matches during the post season.

Select matches will be shown on BBC One, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. There will also be live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app of some selected matches.

Philadelphia 76ers v Cleveland Cavaliers (23 Feb, 00:30 GMT, BBC One)

Phoenix Suns v Los Angeles Lakers (25 Feb, 20:30 GMT, BBC Three)

Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks (1 March, 00:30 GMT, BBC One)

Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors (3 March, 20:30 GMT, BBC Three)

Dallas Mavericks v Denver Nuggets (17 March, 20:30 GMT BBC Three)

BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Who makes the play-offs?

Of the 30 NBA teams, 16 will go into the play-offs.

The top six teams in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, ranked by winning percentage, directly advance to the playoffs.

Teams ranked seventh through tenth compete in the NBA play-in tournament for the seventh and eighth seeds.

There are 82 regular-season games, and teams have between 26 and 29 matches left, so there is plenty to play for.

One side who can be certain of their spot in the play-offs are the Boston Celtics, who have won 41 of their 55 matches so far.

Since the play-in tournament was introduced for the 2020-21 campaign, a regular season of 40 or more wins has guaranteed making the post-season.

Who will win MVP?

The 76ers centre Joel Embiid will not be retaining his crown as the league's Most Valuable Player because of injury, which also saw him miss the All-Star Game.

Embiid had starred this season for the 76ers, but he will fall short of the minimum of 65 regular season matches played in order to be in the running for the award.

The Denver Nuggets' centre Nikola Jokic currently ranks as one of the big favourites, having won the award in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Statistically, he has been the most efficient player in the NBA this season.

The Oklohoma City Thunder's guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also in the running, leading the league in steals per game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' power forward who is also a two-time MVP winner, is a big contender, as is the Dallas Mavericks' point guard Luka Doncic who leads the league for points per game.

The Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis leads in rebounds per game, double-doubles and triple-doubles, while the Milwaukee Bucks' point guard Damian Lillard is also in the frame.

Image source, Getty Images

Get Inspired
#GetInspired

How do I start?

Find your local club by visiting England, external, Scotland,, externalWales, external or Northern Ireland, external Basketball Association websites.

What is basketball?

• A game where two teams compete to score the most points by throwing a ball into their opponents net.
• Players can move freely around the court, except for the player with the ball who can only move when bouncing or 'dribbling' the ball.
• All you need to get started is a ball and a hoop and you don't need any special kit - just comfortable clothes and trainers.

Is it for me?

Basketball can be played by people of any age, size or ability and with thousands of outdoor courts across the country - where you can play for free - there's plenty of places to practice if you don't fancy competing with a team.

What to expect when I start?

• Basketball is a fun, fast and stamina-building sport with players burning up to 600 calories an hour.
• The sport is a mixture of dribbling, passing and shooting which helps improve balance and co-ordination.
• With clubs across the country, it's a great way to meet new people and develop teamwork and communication skills and many clubs offer a variety of social events away from the court.
• Wheelchair Basketball embraces a range of disabilities and is equally as fast paced and exciting as the traditional game. Wheelchair Basketball is a great way of improving upper-body strength and building confidence. British Wheelchair Basketball,, externalprovide opportunities to play across the UK.