Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers took their first step toward a repeat bid Wednesday by advancing to the second round. They'll face the Toronto Maple Leafs, who beat the Ottawa Senators on Thursday to win a playoff series for the second time since 2004.

The New York Knicks closed out their first-round series against the Detroit Pistons in dramatic fashion. In Game 6, New York withstood a furious Detroit comeback and pulled out a 116-113 series-clinching victory thanks to a clutch 3-pointer from Jalen Brunson in the final seconds of regulation.