2026 NBA playoffs: Schedule, scores, news and highlights
The 2026 NBA playoffs are set to start Saturday, rolling all the way in which till the center of June. It’s positive to be an thrilling run towards the NBA Finals, which start June 3 and can be broadcast by ABC.
Can the Oklahoma City Thunderwho locked of their third straight 1-seed within the Western Conference, repeat as champions? Which staff will emerge from a crowded East area? Could there be upsets all through the sector?
But the playoff bracket is not set simply but. The play-in event started Tuesday, with the Nos. 7 by means of 10 seeds enjoying to find out which groups get to face the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in every convention. The Portland Trail Blazers clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday with a win over the Phoenix Suns and will face the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers earned the No. 7 seed on Wednesday and will play the No. 2 Boston Celtics after defeating the Orlando Magic.
Still within the play-in combating for the No. 8 seed, the Orlando Magic will face the Charlotte Hornets within the East, whereas the Golden State Warriors will battle the Phoenix Suns within the West.
After the play-in event concludes Friday, the playoffs start with 4 video games Saturday. Eight groups from every convention attain the primary spherical and face off in a best-of-seven sequence to advance. All 4 rounds of the playoffs are better of seven, and groups usually are not reseeded after every spherical. The staff with the perfect regular-season file in every sequence can have home-court benefit for that sequence. All sequence are performed in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the staff with the perfect file internet hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Here’s what we all know concerning the Eastern and Western Conference playoff brackets:
Full NBA playoff bracket
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Philadelphia 76ers
3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Atlanta Hawks
4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. Toronto Raptors
Eastern Conference play-in
7. Philadelphia 76ers defeat 8. Orlando Magic, 109-97 (Philadelphia within the playoffs, will play 2. Boston Celtics; Orlando to play 9. Charlotte)
9. Charlotte Hornets defeat 10. Miami Heat, 127-126 (OT) (Charlotte strikes on, Miami eradicated)
Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte Hornets
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Portland Trail Blazers
3. Denver Nuggets vs. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 5. Houston Rockets
Western Conference play-in
8. Portland Trail Blazers defeat 7. Phoenix Suns, 114-110 (Portland within the playoffs, will play 2. San Antonio Spurs; Phoenix to face Golden State)
10. Golden State Warriors defeat 9. LA Clippers, 126-121 (Golden State strikes on, LA eradicated)
Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors
Play-in event schedule
Eastern Conference
(7) Philadelphia 76ers 109, (8) Orlando Magic 97
Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
(9)Charlotte Hornets 127, (10) Miami Heat 126 (OT)
Tuesday, 7:30 pm ET
Charlotte Hornets at Orlando Magic
Friday, 7:30 pm ET
Western Conference
(8) Portland Trail Blazers 114, (7) Phoenix Suns 110
Tuesday, 10 pm ET
(10) Golden State Warriors 126, (9) LA Clippers 121
Wednesday, 10 pm ET
Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns
Friday, 10 pm ET
How the video games will work:
Game 1s: Each convention’s No. 7 staff within the standings will host the No. 8 staff, with the winner incomes the No. 7 seed within the playoffs. The shedding groups get one other likelihood of their respective convention’s Game 3.
Game 2s: Each convention’s No. 9 staff will host the No. 10 staff, with the winner transferring on to Game 3. The losers are eradicated and enter the NBA draft lottery.
Game 3s: The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchups will host the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups, with the victors grabbing every convention’s No. 8 seed within the postseason. The losers of Game 3 enter the NBA draft lottery.
Eastern Conference first spherical
Game 1: at Detroit on Sunday, April 19, 6:30 pm ET
Game 2: at Detroit on Wednesday, April 22, 7 pm ET
Game 3: at Play-in winner on Saturday, April 25, 1 pm ET
Game 4: at Play-in winner on Monday, April 27, TBD
Game 5 (if vital): at Detroit on Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Play-in winner on Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Detroit on Sunday, May 3, TBD
Game 1: at Boston on Sunday, April 19, 1 pm ET
Game 2: at Boston on Tuesday, April 21, 7 pm ET
Game 3: at Philadelphia on Friday, April 24, 7 pm ET
Game 4: at Philadelphia on Sunday, April 26, 7 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at Boston on Tuesday, April 28, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Philadelphia on Thursday, April 30, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Boston on Saturday, May 2, TBD
Game 1: at New York on Saturday, April 18, 6 pm ET
Game 2: at New York on Monday, April 20, 8 pm ET
Game 3: at Atlanta on Thursday, April 23, 7 pm ET
Game 4: at Atlanta on Saturday, April 25, 6 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at New York on Tuesday, April 28, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Atlanta on Thursday, April 30, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at New York on Saturday, May 2, TBD
Game 1: at Cleveland on Saturday, April 18, 1 pm ET
Game 2: at Cleveland on Monday, April 20, 7 pm ET
Game 3: at Toronto on Thursday, April 23, 8 pm ET
Game 4: at Toronto on Sunday, April 26, 1 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at Cleveland on Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Toronto on Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Cleveland on Sunday, May 3, TBD
Western Conference first spherical
Game 1: at Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 3:30 pm ET
Game 2: at Oklahoma City on Wednesday, April 22, 9:30 pm ET
Game 3: at Play-in winner on Saturday, April 25, 3:30 pm ET
Game 4: at Play-in winner on Monday, April 27, TBD
Game 5 (if vital): at Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Play-in winner on Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Oklahoma City on Sunday, May 3, TBD
Game 1: at San Antonio on Sunday, April 19, 9 pm ET
Game 2: at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 21, 8 pm ET
Game 3: at Portland on Friday, April 24, 10:30 pm ET
Game 4: at Portland on Sunday, April 26, 3:30 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Portland on Thursday, April 30, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at San Antonio on Saturday, May 2, TBD
Game 1: at Denver on Saturday, April 18, 3:30 pm ET
Game 2: at Denver on Monday, April 20, 10:30 pm ET
Game 3: at Minnesota on Thursday, April 23, 9:30 pm ET
Game 4: at Minnesota on Saturday, April 25, 8:30 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at Denver on Monday, April 27, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Minnesota on Thursday, April 30, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Denver on Saturday, May 2, TBD
Game 1: at Los Angeles on Saturday, April 18, 8:30 pm ET
Game 2: at Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 21, 10:30 pm ET
Game 3: at Houston on Friday, April 24, 8 pm ET
Game 4: at Houston on Sunday, April 26, 9:30 pm ET
Game 5 (if vital): at Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6 (if vital): at Houston on Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7 (if vital): at Los Angeles on Sunday, May 3, TBD
NBA Finals schedule
The 2026 NBA Finals will start Wednesday, June 3, with every sport tipping off at 8:30 pm ET. ABC will broadcast every sport.
Game 1: Wednesday, June 3
Game 2: Friday, June 5
Game 3: Monday, June 8
Game 4: Wednesday, June 10
Game 5 (if vital): Saturday, June 13
Game 6 (if vital): Tuesday, June 16
Game 7 (if vital): Friday, June 19
