NBA Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Standings, Schedule and Play-In Tournament
The 2026 NBA postseason is officially underway. The Play-In Tournament tipped off today — Tuesday, April 14 — and the full NBA Playoffs bracket begins Saturday, April 18. Here is everything you need to know about the NBA playoff schedule, standings, and bracket.
When Do the NBA Playoffs Start in 2026
The 2026 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament takes place April 14–17. The first round of the NBA Playoffs starts on April 18. Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be June 3. All Play-In games air exclusively on Prime Video.
NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule (April 14–17 ET)
Tuesday April 14: Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET — Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. ET. Wednesday April 15: Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET — Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET. Friday April 17 features the two final Play-In games to determine the No. 8 seeds in each conference.
2026 NBA Playoff Bracket: Confirmed First-Round Matchups
In the East, the No. 3 Knicks will face the No. 6 Hawks, and the No. 4 Cavaliers will go up against the No. 5 Raptors. In the West, it's the Nuggets against the Timberwolves in the 3-6 matchup, and the Lakers facing the Rockets in the 4-5. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each conference await their opponents from the Play-In.
The No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets marks the first-ever postseason matchup between two players with over 75,000 combined points — LeBron James leading the Lakers against Kevin Durant's Rockets.
Eastern Conference Standings 2026
| Seed | Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Pistons | 60 | 22 |
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 |
| 3 | New York Knicks | 53 | 29 |
| 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 52 | 30 |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 46 | 36 |
| 6 | Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 |
| 7 | Philadelphia 76ers (Play-In) | 45 | 37 |
| 8 | Orlando Magic (Play-In) | 45 | 37 |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets (Play-In) | 44 | 38 |
| 10 | Miami Heat (Play-In) | 43 | 39 |
Western Conference Standings 2026
| Seed | Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 64 | 18 |
| 2 | San Antonio Spurs | 62 | 20 |
| 3 | Denver Nuggets | 54 | 28 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 53 | 29 |
| 5 | Houston Rockets | 52 | 30 |
| 6 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 49 | 33 |
| 7 | Phoenix Suns (Play-In) | 45 | 37 |
| 8 | Portland Trail Blazers (Play-In) | 42 | 40 |
| 9 | LA Clippers (Play-In) | 42 | 40 |
| 10 | Golden State Warriors (Play-In) | 37 | 45 |
Key Storylines Heading Into the 2026 NBA Playoffs
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter as the No. 1 seed in the West and won the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for the best record in the NBA for the second straight year. The Boston Celtics will make the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive season — the longest active streak in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets are in for their eighth straight playoff appearance.
Led by Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets enter the postseason on a 12-game win streak — joining the 2018 Sixers and the 1973 Bucks as the only teams in the last 75 years to enter the postseason on a 12-plus game winning streak.
NBA Finals Date 2026
The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin June 3 on ABC. ABC has exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 24th straight year. The Eastern Conference Finals will air on ESPN/ABC, while the Western Conference Finals will air on NBC/Peacock this season.
