Original: In the second round , or Conference Semifinals , the top remaining conference seed plays against the lowest remaining seed , and the other two remaining conference teams pair off ( unlike the NBA , for example , where the 1 -- 8 winner always plays the 4 -- 5 winner , regardless of who wins ) .
Simplified: In the second round , or Conference Semifinals , the top ten conferences that are still in the playoffs seed plays against the lowest remaining seed , and the other two conference teams play .