The NBA first round of the playoffs consists of a best-of-seven series. This means that teams compete to be the first to win four games in the series to advance to the next round. This format has been in place since the 2003 season; prior to that, the first round was a best-of-five series
. In summary:
- The first round is a best-of-seven series.
- A team must win 4 games to advance.
- The maximum number of games in the first round series is 7.
This format applies to both the Eastern and Western Conference first-round matchups in the NBA playoffs
