NBA:In-Season
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| Governance | League Structure · GM Responsibilities · Rule Changes |
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This page covers what is required of you once the season starts, and the dates that change how the league runs.
The schedule
A season is 22 matchups, numbered as weeks 1 to 22 in Fantrax.
| Weeks 1–18 | Regular season |
|---|---|
| Weeks 19–22 | Playoffs |
Most matchups run one calendar week. Three run two: NBA All-Star, the NBA In-Season Tournament, and the final matchup of the playoffs.
Two matchups each season are doubles — you play two separate opponents in the same matchup.
Lineups
Lineups are set daily, and every team must field a legitimate one. You cannot rest your better players, the same as in the real NBA.
What counts as a violation
The rule has leeway, and the benefit of the doubt goes to the GM. It exists to stop teams throwing games, not to police every daily lineup.
| Not a violation | Violation |
|---|---|
| Letting it ride — not maximizing your lineup every day | Purposely not playing your best players |
| Benching players when you are safely ahead in categories going into the weekend | Leaving lineup spots open |
| Setting a legitimate lineup of your best players and never subbing | Starting a player who is not on an NBA roster when you have alternatives |
| Missing a day or two |
Tanking itself is not banned. If you want to tank, sign bad players — the rule is about fielding the team you have, not about trying to win every week.
Enforcement
| Step | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1 | Warning |
| 2 | Warning |
| 3 | Loss of a 2nd-round pick |
| 4 | Loss of a 1st-round pick |
Key dates
| End of week 4 | Waiver priority switches from last season's final standings to the current season's |
|---|---|
| End of week 17 | Trade deadline — no trades after week 17 concludes |
| End of week 18 | Regular season ends; the playoffs begin |
Playoffs
Eight teams per conference, over four matchups — weeks 19 to 22. Your seed is your place in your conference's standings. First-round pairings follow the real NBA: 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5.
There are no brackets. After each round the highest remaining seed faces the lowest remaining seed.
A playoff matchup is won by the team that wins more categories, and the winner advances. A tied matchup is broken with regular-season results, in this order:
- Head-to-head — your record against the team you are tied with
- Win %
- Total categories won
- Division record
What binds now
Roster size applies. From opening day you must carry 12–15 active players. Above 15 your most recently acquired player is waived by default; below 12 you are disqualified from the playoffs.
The salary cap applies, as it does year-round.
Bidding at capacity requires a declaration. At 15 active players you must state how you will create the spot for a bid to count — this requirement is in-season only.
A G League player who crosses 164 career games mid-season may finish the season down, but must be active by the start of the next one.
Still running
Free agency, waivers, and G League moves all run through the season, and free agency continues through the playoffs.
See also
- Rosters — starting slots and roster limits
- GM Responsibilities — the obligations that carry consequences
- Waivers — the week 4 priority switch
- Trades — the week 17 deadline
- League Structure — scoring categories and the standings
- Off-Season — what happens once the season ends