Following the conclusion of the regular season, the top teams in the National Basketball Association participate in the NBA Playoffs to determine which team will be crowned the national champion. The 2010 NBA Playoffs began after the end of the 2009-10 regular season, with the first games tipping-off on April 17, 2010. The playoffs concluded on June 17, 2010, as the Los Angeles Lakers repeated as NBA Champions, defeating the Boston Celtics in seven games in the NBA Finals.

After the regular season was completed, the top eight teams in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences qualified for the playoffs, based on their regular-season record. These teams were seeded into a bracket for their conference and compete in a four-round tournament. Each round is played in the best-of-seven games, with a team needing four wins to continue on. The higher-seeded team receives home-court advantage. After the first two rounds, the two remaining teams in each conference compete in the conference championship game, with the winners from the East and West going on to compete for the title.http://www.nba.com/analysis/00423850.html

After games ended on April 14, 2010, the 2010 NBA Playoff spots were filled and teams seeded into the brackets. The teams competing in the Western Conference include the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference bracket include the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats and Chicago Bulls.http://espn.go.com/nba/standings

Each game is televised in the United States on various television stations, including ABC, ESPN and TNT. Many opening-round games are also be televised on local markets, which are subject to blackout. The Cleveland Cavaliers secured the best record in the league for the regular season, guaranteeing them home-court advantage throughout the post-season.http://espn.go.com/nba/standings

2010 NBA Eastern Conference Bracket

2010 NBA Western Conference Bracket

The NBA Playoffs were first held in 1947, the first season the league operated. Originally the top three teams from each of the two divisions played in the post-season, however as the league expanded, the playoff field grew as well. The Boston Celtics lead all other teams for championship wins, getting their 17th in the 2008 season. The Los Angeles Lakers are just behind, with a total of 15 titles, including in 2009, when their records in Los Angeles and Minneapolis are combined.http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/global/footer/2009-10-NBAGuide.pdf