2026 NBA playoffs: Schedule, scores, news and highlights

The 2026 NBA playoffs are set to begin Saturday, rolling all the way until the middle of June. It's sure to be an exciting run toward the NBA Finals, which begin June 3 and will be broadcast by ABC.

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder, who locked in their third straight 1-seed in the Western Conference, repeat as champions? Which team will emerge from a crowded East field? Could there be upsets throughout the field?

But the playoff bracket isn't set just yet. The play-in tournament begins Tuesday, with the Nos. 7 through 10 seeds playing to determine which teams get to face the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each conference.

After the play-in tournament concludes Friday, the playoffs begin with four games Saturday. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and face off in a best-of-seven series to advance. All four rounds of the playoffs are best of seven, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have home-court advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.

Here's what we know about 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. Play-in winner TBD

3. New York Knicks vs. 6.Atlanta Hawks

4.Cleveland Cavaliersvs. 5.Toronto Raptors

Eastern Conference play-in

7.Philadelphia 76ersvs. 8.Orlando Magic

9.Charlotte Hornetsvs. 10.Miami Heat

Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD

2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD

3.Denver Nuggetsvs. 6.Minnesota Timberwolves

4.Los Angeles Lakersvs. 5.Houston Rockets

Western Conference play-in

7.Phoenix Sunsvs. 8. Portland Trail Blazers

9. LA Clippersvs. 10. Golden State Warriors

Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10

Play-in tournament schedule

Eastern Conference

(8) Orlando Magicat (7)Philadelphia 76ers

Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

(10)Miami Heatat (9)Charlotte Hornets

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Winner 9/10 at Loser 7/8

Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Western Conference

(8)Portland Trail Blazersat (7)Phoenix Suns

Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET

(10)Golden State Warriorsat (9)LA Clippers

Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET

Winner 9/10 at 7/8 Loser

Friday, 10 p.m. ET

How the games will work:

Game 1s: Each conference's No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing teams get another chance in their respective conference's Game 3.

Game 2s: Each conference's No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The losers are eliminated 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 each conference's No. 8 seed in the postseason. The losers of Game 3 enter the NBA draft lottery.

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-in winner

Game 1: at Detroit on Sunday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Detroit

Game 3: at Play-in winner

Game 4: at Play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): at Detroit

Game 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): at Detroit

• Pistons' Cunningham returns after 11-game absence


• Goodwill: How Isaiah Stewart became Detroit's enforcer

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-in winner

Game 1: at Boston on Sunday, April 19, 1 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Boston

Game 3: at Play-in winner

Game 4: at Play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): at Boston

Game 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): at Boston

• Celtics tie NBA record with 29 3s, clinch No. 2 seed


• Shelburne:How Jaylen Brown turbocharged the Celtics back to title contention


• Bontemps: What NBA insiders are saying about Jayson Tatum's return

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: at New York on Saturday, 6 p.m. ET

Game 2: at New York

Game 3: at Atlanta

Game 4: at Atlanta

Game 5 (if necessary): at New York

Game 6 (if necessary): at Atlanta

Game 7 (if necessary): at New York

• Bridges extends games played streak after 23-second stint


• Goodwill:Five issues facing the Knicks ahead of the playoffs

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

Game 1: at Cleveland on Saturday, 1 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Cleveland

Game 3: at Toronto

Game 4: at Toronto

Game 5 (if necessary): at Cleveland

Game 6 (if necessary): at Toronto

Game 7 (if necessary): at Cleveland

• Spears:Cavaliers guard James Harden is 'here for a reason'

Western Conference first round

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-in winner

Game 1: at Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 3:30 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Oklahoma City

Game 3: at Play-in winner

Game 4: at Play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): at Oklahoma City

Game 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): at Oklahoma City

• Kram: The wildest facts of SGA's scoring streak


• Slater:Chet Holmgren is ready to show the NBA why his best is yet to come


• MacMahon: The young Thunder are building a dynasty

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-in winner

Game 1: at San Antonio on Sunday, April 19, 9 p.m. ET

Game 2: at San Antonio

Game 3: at Play-in winner

Game 4: at Play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): at San Antonio

Game 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): at San Antonio

• Wembanyama hits 65 games as he checks another 'box'


• Wright:Inside the Spurs' 365-day turnaround

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: at Denver on Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Denver

Game 3: at Minnesota

Game 4: at Minnesota

Game 5 (if necessary): at Denver

Game 6 (if necessary): at Minnesota

Game 7 (if necessary): at Denver

• Keown:In search of the real Nikola Joki

(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Game 1: at Los Angeles on Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 2: at Los Angeles

Game 3: at Houston

Game 4: at Houston

Game 5 (if necessary): at Los Angeles

Game 6 (if necessary): at Houston

Game 7 (if necessary): at Los Angeles

• Redick on short-handed Lakers: 'Everybody wants to play us'


• McMenamin:Inside Marcus Smart's incredible return from The Punch


• Wright:How the Rockets bullied their way to one of the NBA's best offenses

NBA Finals schedule

The 2026 NBA Finals will begin Wednesday, June 3, with each game tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET. ABC will broadcast each game.

Game 1: Wednesday, June 3

Game 2: Friday, June 5

Game 3: Monday, June 8

Game 4: Wednesday, June 10

Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, June 13

Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 16

Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 19

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