Six Homegating Ideas For The NBA Playoffs

With the NBA playoffs in full court, it’s a great time to host a homegate. Homegates are a fun way to get together to watch all the games without having to travel around the country for the action. There’s a ton of things you can do for your friends and family to have an awesome time. Here are 6 ideas that will be nothing but net.

1. Run The Bracket

It can be hard for everyone to get the time to watch every game of the playoffs. A great way to catch them up is to host a bracket. A bracket tracks the winners and the losers of each match, showing who is progressing forward. You can make a bracket very easily, you just need a poster board and a marker.

You can find the up to date bracket on the NBA website here. This will make sure that you are accurately tracking the playoffs. Once you’ve built out your bracket, hang it somewhere prominent where people can gather around and discuss the games, their theories, and engage in a little team rivalry. 

2. Set Up Courtside Seats

Next you’ll want to make sure that you set up a viewing area. You want a place where all your guests can sit comfortably during the game. That may require doing a little rearranging of your furniture or adding extra seating. Another idea is to make sure that there are places to view the game anywhere people gather.

So if you have the food spread out in your dining room and a bar set up in your kitchen, make sure to have some way to view the games. There’s nothing worse than getting up to grab another beer and missing a game changing play. Having multiple viewing stations will prevent this from happening to your guests. 

3. Take It To The Back Court

When you homegate, your backyard is another room of your home. There’s a ton of things you can do in the backyard that will make you feel more like you are all tailgating at the game. You can set up an area to watch the game, a place to make and serve food, and an area with fun games.

We love doing our full tailgating setup in the backyard. It’s a perfect way to use all our favorite gear. There’s also a ton of great outdoor games you can play together. Here are some ideas:

• Cornhole: We love these boards from All Cornhole because they are made to professional regulation standards.

• Basketball: If you have a basketball hoop, you can play a game of HORSE or have a free throw competition with your guests.

• Basketball Arcade Games: Basketball arcade games are perfect when you don’t have the space for a basketball hoop.

• Ball Spin Competition: If you love the Globetrotters, this is a great option. You simply see who can spin a basketball on their finger for the longest.

• Table Basketball: If you have limited space, you can also play a tabletop basketball game.

4. Layout A Baller Spread

What is a homegate without an incredible food spread. There’s a ton of great recipes for homegating, but we picked out some of our favorites for tailgating the NBA playoffs. Check out some of these great recipes:

Basketball Bean Dip

Similar to the classic seven layer dip, this recipe looks just like a basketball.

Basketball Cheese Ball

This classic cheese ball decorated to look like a basketball is an easy hit.

Basketball Pizza Snacks

5. Make A Shot Clock

When you are setting up your bar, make sure to have all the favorites: Soda, beer, liquor, and mixers. However, if you’d like to go a little crazy, you can set up a “shot clock.” Similar to beer pong, you will compete to get a ball in a hoop.

If you miss, you take a shot. There’s a couple of great options to set this up. This tabletop basketball shot game is set up for one-on-one competitions. So you can run your own playoffs to see who makes it to the final. There’s also this option that has multiple shots for group play. If shots are not your thing, you can use beer instead. If kids are playing, you can use soda or juice.

6. Decorate Your Zone

Finally, you’ll want to decorate your home for the game. There are so many great decorations available for basketball homegating. Here is a list of some of our favorite products that can help you create a basketball-themed homegate:

• Fitted Basketball Table Cover: Fits over a round table to transform it into a basketball or this rectangular cover. This is perfect for dining or setting up your spread.

• Basketball Tableware: Everything you need to serve your guests with less clean up at the end of the night.

• Basketball Decorating Kit: Everything you need to dress up your buffet table including banners and signage.

• Basketball Paper Lanterns: Hanging lanterns that look just like basketballs are great to hang around your home.

• Indoor Basketball Hoop: Simply mount and practice your jump shots!

All of these ideas will help you set up the perfect basketball tailgate party for the NBA playoffs. Also share your tailgating and homegating ideas in the comments below or tag us on social media!