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The chase for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is officially on! Every night of the 2026 NBA Playoffs brings fresh drama, from superstar takeovers to bracket-busting upsets that can flip the postseason picture in a heartbeat.
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Whether you’re tracking every first-round matchup, checking the latest results, or looking ahead to what’s next, our NBA bracket hub has you covered.
Follow along for live scores, updated schedules, and playoff format details to help guide your NBA picks.
2026 NBA playoffs bracket
2026 NBA Playoffs matchups and results
First Round – East
(1) Detroit Pistons vs (8) Orlando Magic – Tied 1-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Pistons |
-270 |
|
Magic |
+220 |
(2) Boston Celtics vs (7) Philadelphia 76ers – Celtics lead 2-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Celtics |
-2000 |
|
76ers |
+1000 |
(3) New York Knicks vs (6) Atlanta Hawks – Hawks lead 2-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Knicks |
+100 |
|
Hawks |
-120 |
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (5) Toronto Raptors – Cavaliers lead 2-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Cavaliers |
-1200 |
|
Raptors |
+750 |
First Round – West
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (8) Phoenix Suns – Thunder lead 2-0
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Thunder |
-100000 |
|
Suns |
+5000 |
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (7) Portland Trail Blazers – Spurs lead 2-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Spurs |
-2800 |
|
Trail Blazers |
+1300 |
(3) Denver Nuggets vs (6) Minnesota Timberwolves – Timberwolves lead 2-1
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Nuggets |
-105 |
|
Timberwolves |
-115 |
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs (5) Houston Rockets – Lakers lead 3-0
|
Team |
To win |
|---|---|
|
Lakers |
-1400 |
|
Rockets |
+850 |
2026 NBA Playoffs schedule
|
Event |
Date |
|---|---|
|
NBA Play-In Tournament |
April 14-17 |
|
NBA Playoffs begin |
April 18 |
|
NBA Conference Semifinals |
TBD |
|
NBA Conference Finals |
TBD |
|
NBA Finals Game 1 |
June 3 |
|
NBA Finals Game 2 |
June 5 |
|
NBA Finals Game 3 |
June 8 |
|
NBA Finals Game 4 |
June 10 |
|
NBA Finals Game 5 (if necessary) |
June 13 |
|
NBA Finals Game 6 (if necessary) |
June 16 |
|
NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) |
June 19 |
NBA playoff format
The NBA playoffs adopt a format designed to favor successful teams while giving underdogs a shot at the championship. Here’s a brief look at the structure:
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-
The postseason begins with a Play-In Tournament featuring the 7th through 10th-ranked teams in each conference. This extends from April 14 to 17.
-
The NBA Playoffs kick off with the first round on April 18, where the top one to six teams in each conference join the winners of the Play-In.
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The matchups are set as No. 1 vs. No. 8 seed, No. 2 vs. No. 7 seed, No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed.
-
Each playoff round, including the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals, features a seven-game series.
-
In these series, the higher-seeded team hosts Games 1, 2, 5 (if necessary), and 7 (if necessary) following a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
-
The NBA Finals start on June 3.
Looking for more intel? Our NBA Championship odds breaks down the clubs with the best odds of winning the NBA Finals. And be sure to check out our NBA Finals MVP odds page to see which player is most likely to hoist the Bill Russell Trophy when the dust settles.
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