postseason
After regular games
Postseason refers to the period of competitive play that follows the regular season in sports leagues.
Teams that qualify based on their regular-season performance compete in playoff rounds leading to a championship: The team's postseason hopes ended with last night's loss.
As an adjective, it modifies related terms: postseason roster, postseason stats.
Championship elimination series
- bracketSupport or category
- eliminationAct of removing entirely
- seriesOrdered set of related items
- wildcardUnpredictable factor in play
divisional · conference · semifinals · finals · matchup · seed · bye · underdog
Award for winning
- titleFormal honorific or name
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- ringClosed curve shape
banner · parade · clinch · sweep · repeat · three-peat · legacy · coronation
State of awaiting something
- thrillSurge of intense excitement
- buzzContinuous low drone
- hypeExaggerated promotional fanfare
- euphoriaIntense emotional high
fervor · electricity · fever · frenzy · atmosphere · intensity · drama · heartbreak
playoffs
Championship elimination series
- bracketSupport or category
- eliminationAct of removing entirely
- seriesOrdered set of related items
wildcard · divisional · conference · semifinals · finals · matchup · seed · bye · underdog · favorite
trophy
Award for winning
- titleFormal honorific or name
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- championTop competitor, or advocate
ring · banner · parade · clinch · sweep · repeat · three-peat · legacy · coronation · hoisting
anticipation
State of awaiting something
euphoria · fervor · electricity · fever · frenzy · atmosphere · intensity · drama · heartbreak · magic
clutch
Mechanism linking engine to gearbox
stress · high-stakes · do-or-die · momentum · comeback · rally · adversity · collapse · meltdown · spotlight
- Basketball EventsNBA Finals, playoffs, championship, finals, draft day
- sports calendarplayoffs, championship game, finals, semifinals, quarterfinals
- tournament roundsfirst round, second round, third round, final round, opening round
- tournamentstournament, tournaments, bracket, brackets, tournament brackets
- Pennant Racemagic number, games back, stretch run, clinch, clinching
- Pro Sportsteam, teams, league, players, roster
postseasonregular season
Standard competitive period before playoffs
preseason · offseason · spring training · training camp · midseason
- postseason gameCompetition after regular season ends