In a few short years, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have cemented their status as one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. They’ve each created their own dynasty under the dominating rule of their on-court kings LeBron James and Steph Curry. With playoffs looming, the prospect of a fourth Cavs-Warriors final in as many years is downright tantalizing for each team’s hordes of devoted fans. Even better news for their followers? Preliminary NBA Playoff ticket prices are in their favor.
Ticket Club data shows that Cavs fans coughed up over $300 on average for tickets during their run to the NBA Finals the past three years. However, their wallets are seeing some relief ahead of the 2018 Playoffs. The cost of seeing a Cleveland home game in the post-season sits at an average of $215, nearly $130 cheaper than last year’s average.
Despite being one of the most expensive markets in the NBA, Golden State fans are also facing savings on playoff tickets. Current data indicates that an average ticket price to catch a game in Oakland is roughly $340. This figure hovered around $475 when the Warriors became league champs in 2015 and 2017. Their Finals run in 2016 garnered an average ticket cost of $535, the highest of any NBA team in the past five years.
| Home Team | 2015 Avgerage Playoff Ticket Price | 2016 Avgerage Playoff Ticket Price | 2017 Average Playoff Ticket Price | 2018 Avgerage Playoff Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | $328 | $311 | $345 | $215 |
| Golden State Warriors | $475 | $535 | $473 | $339 |
While the decline in NBA playoff ticket prices is pleasant news for fans’ wallets, it also reflects Cleveland and Golden State’s woes this season. The Cavs felt the absence of Kyrie Irving this season. Irving left for Boston and led the Celtics to second place in the Eastern Conference in the meantime. Their roster faced more shakeups when February’s trade deadline came around. The Cavs dismissed Isaiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose among others as a result. Weeks later, head coach Tyronn Lue announced he’d be taking an extended leave, citing various health concerns.
Golden State is one of the league’s most powerful squads when their starting five is healthy. However, injury has plagued the likes of Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and most notably, Steph Curry. The Warriors will endure the first round without their star guard, who suffered an MCL injury in his knee. Season stats show that with Curry on the floor, the Warriors put up an average of nearly 10 more points per game. Going into the playoffs, it will be interesting to see how this knowledge comes into play with Curry sidelined.
Despite the lowered prices of the Cavs and Warriors games, not every playoff-bound team has followed the decreasing trend. The unparalleled dominance of the Houston Rockets caused their average playoff ticket to spike to $365, a $145 increase from 2017. Houston’s 62-15 record clinched their top seed status in the Western Conference, knocking Curry and the Warriors to No. 2. They’ll have to contend with fellow conference threats Portland, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Utah, Minnesota and New Orleans.
In the Eastern Conference, Toronto and Boston captured the top two seeds, with the Cavs following closely behind at No. 3. The Pacers, 76ers, Wizards, Heat and Bucks are also in the mix.
See the minimum get-in prices for every projected first round playoff game below. Prices reflect that of Ticket Club Premier members, barring all service fees. Search for all NBA tickets here.
NBA Playoff Ticket Prices – Western Conference First Round Game 1 Get-In Prices*
| Home Team | Venue | Seating Information | Ticket Club Premier Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | Toyota Center – Houston, TX | 2x Sec 402 Row 10 | $267 |
| Golden State Warriors | Oracle Arena – Oakland, CA | 2x Sec 209 Row 15 | $238 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Moda Center at the Rose Quarter – Portland, OR | 2x Sec 326 Row P | $112 |
| San Antonio Spurs | AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX | 2x Sec 210 Row 18 | $148 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, OK | 2x Sec 329 Row K | $206 |
| Utah Jazz | Vivint Smart Home Arena – Salt Lake City, UT | 2x Sec 111 Row 15 | $246 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Target Center – Minneapolis, MN | 2x Sec 131 Row Z | $857 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, LA | 2x Sec 309 Row 16 | $102 |
| Denver Nuggets | Pepsi Center – Denver, CO | N/A | N/A |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA | 2x Sec 301 Row 2 | $260 |
NBA Playoff Ticket Prices – Eastern Conference First Round Game 1 Get-In Prices*
| Home Team | Venue | Seating Information | Ticket Club Premier Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Raptors | Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON | 2x Sec 318 Row 17 | $286 |
| Boston Celtics | TD Garden – Boston, MA | 2x Sec 309 Row 8 | $222 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Quicken Loans Arena – Cleveland, OH | 2x Sec 233 Row 12 | $121 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA | 2x Sec 209 Row 11 | $318 |
| Indiana Pacers | Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN | 2x Sec 211 Row 18 | $112 |
| Washington Wizards | Capital One Arena – Washington, DC | 2x Sec 406 Row L | $116 |
| Miami Heat | AmericanAirlines Arena – Miami, FL | 2x Sec 325 Row 17 | $250 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | BMO Harris Bradley Center – Milwaukee, WI | 2x Sec 409 Row T | $78 |
*ticket prices accurate as of April 4