The 2025-26 NBA regular season concluded on Sunday; however, the season is not yet over for 20 teams vying for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. 

The 2026 postseason begins tonight, and depending on the outcomes in both conferences, the endgame is to come out on top and reach the Finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18) enter as the favorites and defending champions, but they will face a stern test if they want to be the first team to win consecutive NBA championships in seven years. 

In the West, they will face strong competition from teams like the San Antonio Spurs (62-20), who finished with the second-best record in the NBA and one of three teams to get 60 wins. The 2023 NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, are also a strong contender for a deep run, however, the playoff bracket pits them against the Spurs if both teams progress to the next round. Other teams in the playoffs are the Los Angeles Lakers (53-29), Houston Rockets (52-30), and Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33).

In the play-in tournament, the Golden State Warriors (37-45) are the biggest headliners, finishing as the No. 10 seed. They will have to play and win two games before having a shot at a playoff series.

Over in the East, the Detroit Pistons (60-22) finished as the overall top seed and completed the trio of teams with 60 wins this season. They will face more playoff-experienced teams in the Boston Celtics (56-26) and the New York Knicks (53-29) if they want to go through the East and reach the Finals. 

However, both the Celtics and the Knicks are on the same side of the bracket. Other teams in the playoffs are the Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30), Atlanta Hawks (46-36), and Toronto Raptors (46-36).

In the play-in tournament, the Miami Heat (43-39) will play their fourth consecutive play-in game, this time as the No. 10 seed. The drama will kickstart from the NBA play-in tournament and enter into the brutal playoff stretch up until the deciding series in June.

2026 NBA playoff picture:

West Play-In Tournament (April 14-17)

• No. 7 Phoenix Suns (45-37) vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers (42-40): winner becomes No. 7 seed.
• No. 9 LA Clippers (42-40) vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors: winner advances to face loser of Suns-Blazers for No. 8 seed.
• The loser of the 9/10 game is eliminated outright.

Projected First-Round Matchups (Best-of-7):

• (1) Thunder vs. (8) play-in winner No. 8 seed
• (2) Spurs vs. (7) play-in winner No. 7 seed
• (3) Nuggets vs. (6) Timberwolves
• (4) Lakers vs. (5) Rockets

East Play-In Tournament (April 14-17)

• No. 9 Charlotte Hornets (44-38) vs. No. 10 Miami Heat: winner advances to face the loser of 7/8 game for the No. 8 seed.
• No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers (45-37) vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic (45-37): winner becomes No. 7 seed.
• The loser of the 9/10 game is eliminated outright.

Projected First-Round Matchups (Best-of-7):

• (1) Pistons vs. (8) play-in winner No. 8 seed
• (2) Celtics vs. (7) play-in winner No. 7 seed
• (3) Knicks vs. (6) Hawks
• (4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Raptors

West Play-in 1: Phoenix (7) vs. Portland (8)

The SoFi play-in tournament for the West tips off Tuesday night in Phoenix as the Suns battle the Blazers for the No. 7 seed. The winner punches a direct ticket to the first round against the No. 2 Spurs. The loser will still be in contention for the No. 8 seed on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors game.

These are two different franchises riding in different eras. Phoenix is clinging to a veteran-savvy team and star power. Portland is in a youth movement. Both teams missed the playoffs entirely last year and would hope for rejuvenation and a chance this year. The Blazers are yet to make the playoffs since 2022 while Phoenix will be partaking in their first-ever play-in tournament.

The Suns went 2-1 against the Blazers in the regular season but that Blazers’ sole win came in Phoenix. Both teams have a clean injury slate heading into the tie except for Grayson Allen who is listed as day-to-day by the Suns.

West Play-in 2: LA Clippers (9) vs. Golden State (10)

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and the No. 10 Warriors travel to face the No. 9 Clippers on Wednesday night. The winner of this tie will earn a second chance on Friday against the Suns-Blazers loser. This is the Warriors’ third straight play-in appearance as they are still chasing one last realistic shot at contention with Curry. Steve Kerr’s squad has the experience edge, but they are fighting health issues and better depth from the Clippers.

The advantage the Warriors have is that Curry made a return before the end of the regular season and will be key if Golden State is to advance. They are shorthanded with Jimmy Butler ruled out of the season since January and no timeline yet for Moses Moody to return. Green is listed as day-to-day. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard is also listed as day-to-day but he will be in contention to play.

The Clippers have the head-to-head edge in the regular season going 3-1 against the Warriors including the final game of the regular season.

East Play-in 1: Philadelphia (7) vs. Orlando (8)

Wells Fargo Center will play host to the battle for direct entry into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The Sixers are entering strong even though they have missed the last two playoffs. The Magic meanwhile have tasted the playoffs in the last two years even though both ended in the first round.

In the regular season, the Sixers took the edge 2-1 against the Magic, however, that will do little to matter with a playoff spot on the line. On team news, the Sixers are nearly at full strength with Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and rookie VJ Edgecombe all present. However, their biggest miss will be Joel Embiid who underwent emergency appendicitis surgery late last week. For the Magic, they are racing with Franz Wagner who isn’t at full fitness after suffering an ankle sprain. He struggled to stay on the court in their final regular-season game on Sunday and was removed early in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers will come in as strong favorites if not for anything, for their excellent home form. Their only three losses at home dating back to early March were against the three 60-win teams: Thunder, Spurs, and Pistons.

East Play-in 2: Charlotte (9) vs. Miami (10)

The Hornets enter Tuesday’s play-in holding home court advantage over the Heat. Miami is not new to this scene, having been here four years running.

The Heat own the head-to-head this season 3-1 but the Hornets come into the tie in fine form. They have only lost five games since mid-March and except for the Sixers, four of those losses were against teams ranked in the top four in the NBA.

The Hornets have a clean bill of health entering the play-in. No major reported absences for key contributors like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, or rookie standout Kon Knueppel. The young core enters with continuity and freshness, which could prove decisive in a single-game sprint. The duo of Knueppel and Ball finished first and second respectively in 3-pointers this season, the first teammates to do so since Curry and Klay Thompson.

Minor nagging issues may exist for Miami but nothing is expected to sideline starters like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. However, Pelle Larsson is questionable with a lower leg contusion. Nikola Jovic is out.

West Playoff 1: Los Angeles (4) vs. Houston (5)

This matchup is the one everyone circled the moment the seeds locked in. The Lakers earned home-court advantage, with Game 1 set for Saturday at Crypto.com Arena. But the Lakers will be walking in without two of their best offensive creators. Luka Doncic (Grade 2 hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 oblique strain) are both sidelined indefinitely. Doncic is potentially out 3-4 weeks or the entire first round, and Reaves is out 4-6 weeks. Although the Slovenian has sought medical procedures overseas to move up that timeline which may have him return in the middle of the first round.

If that doesn’t happen, it leaves 41-year-old LeBron James to shoulder the load alongside a thin supporting cast that includes DeAndre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Smart. James is also day-to-day, which means having him play heavy minutes across the series will be a huge risk.

The Lakers won 2-1 in the regular season with those two wins coming last month on the back of Doncic’s 76 points across both ties. The Lakers will certainly miss his scoring in this tie against a stingy Houston side who are second-best in the West in opposition points allowed this season.

Houston, meanwhile, boasts a physical, switch-heavy defense anchored by young legs and Kevin Durant’s veteran scoring. Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. give them the needed size and athleticism that match up brutally against a short-handed LA frontcourt. The winner of this series will advance to play the Thunder in the second round.

West Playoff 2: Denver (3) vs. Minnesota (6)

The Nuggets will enter the NBA playoffs in fine form having won their last 12 games and will have home court advantage against the Timberwolves in a matchup that feels common in the West. This will be their third postseason meeting in four years and it will be a case of offense versus defense. Denver boasts the NBA’s best offensive rating this season while Minnesota is in the top 10 in defensive rating.

The Nuggets are 3-1 against the Timberwolves this season and will go in with the leadership of Nikola Jokic and the support of Jamal Murray. They will be strong favorites but Minnesota has shown in the past that they are not to be written off during this stage.

Anthony Edwards has elevated Minnesota into a true contender and they have made the Conference Finals in the last two years. However, his health has been questionable throughout the season. Not just him, the franchise is dealing with some nagging issues and rested nearly their entire starting lineup for their final regular season game.

West Playoff 3: San Antonio (2) vs. No. 7

The Spurs are yet to know their opponent but it will become clear with the conclusion of the Suns and Blazers play-in tie. Any of which will be a tough series but it will be hard not to paint San Antonio as the strong favorites. Moving strong under MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama, they have lost just three of their last 22 games with those losses being against the Nuggets who are a likely opponent in the next round.

Wembanyama was rested for their final regular season game but had no concerns over his availability. The supporting cast of Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and De’Aaron Fox is all available, giving them a strong team for the opening round.

West Playoff 4: Oklahoma City (1) vs. No. 8

The defending champions have been the strongest and most consistent team this season. It is hard not to see them progress to the next round or even make it all the way. The Thunder are looking like a team that can see off any series in four or five games and it will take a lot to drag them further than that.

MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander completed another historically efficient regular season and the rest of the team is poised to defend the NBA title they won last year.

East Playoff 1: Cleveland (4) vs. Toronto (5)

These two have won a championship in the last decade but they were very different teams then. Now, they will look to go past the first round. The Cavs earned home court after a strong campaign built around Donovan Mitchell’s scoring, Evan Mobley’s two-way dominance, and a cohesive supporting cast that included James Harden later in the season.

Toronto rode a late surge and tiebreakers to earn the No. 5 seed, showcasing improved defense and young talent like Scottie Barnes. They also took a clean sweep of the regular season head-to-head in three games.

For team news, Mitchell is dealing with a nagging ankle issue but is expected to play. Otherwise, the overall roster is relatively healthy and deep. The Raptors will have their starting lineup, however, Immanuel Quickley is listed as day-to-day over a hamstring problem.

Cleveland will be looking to go one better than two second-round exits in the last two years. The Raptors meanwhile will be playing their first playoff series since 2022.

East Playoff 2: New York (3) vs. Atlanta (6)

The Hawks have been one of the standout and surprising packages of the season. No one pegged them for a top-six finish, especially after they traded Trae Young. But they did, and their reward is a first-round matchup against last year’s conference finalists, the Knicks.

New York will always be a favorite for their playoff experience with the likes of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. But the Hawks’ young core has shown resilience in big matchups this season, with wins over Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, and even New York.

Both teams will come in at full strength with the Knicks resting key starters for their final regular-season game.

East Playoff 3: Boston (2) vs. No. 7

Just like with all top two-seeded teams, Boston will have to wait for the conclusion of the play-in tie between No. 7 and No. 8 before they know their first-round opponents. However, they will also be the favorite against either the Sixers or Magic, and the favorites as well to go through the conference. Last year’s run was ended by the Knicks in the second round in a series that saw Jayson Tatum tear his ACL, which made him miss a huge chunk of the season. However, he returned last month and has already played a good number of games to get ready for the postseason.

In Tatum’s absence, Jaylen Brown has been the main man for Boston, averaging a career-high this season. Brown brings playoff pedigree having been a former NBA Finals MVP and ECF MVP as well when they lifted the title in 2024.

East Playoff 4: Detroit (1) vs. No. 8

The Pistons finished as the first seed for the first time in 20 years and they will be looking to carry that momentum into the playoffs. Anchored by Cade Cunningham, they are a strong pick to make it through the East, however, they will be wary that the No. 1 seed doesn’t guarantee anything. Last year’s East No. 1, the Cavaliers, were eliminated in the second round.

The Pistons will face off against whoever claims the No. 8 seed after the conclusion of the NBA play-in tournament. They will be ready for that and will hope to go one step further than their first-round finish last year. Cunningham will be available after returning for the final few games after being out with a collapsed lung in March.

Postseason takeaways

The NBA playoffs are always full of surprises and this year’s edition won’t be short of that. The favorites will remain favorites but aside from home court advantage, the game is always open for grabs until the end of the buzzer. OKC will be looking to defend its NBA title as only the second team to do so since the Warriors in 2018. However, they will not walk through the West with the likes of Denver and San Antonio lurking.

Injuries can also decide the fate of franchises as it has done in the past. The Lakers are a prime example of this season’s injury factor. One moment in March they were looking like contenders and the next their chances of making it through the first round were halved when Doncic and Reaves were confirmed hurt.

Time will tell which teams will make it through the next round and which will call it a season over from the opening round.