📅 NBA playoffs: Schedule, scores and more

15.04.2026, 02:17 espn.com

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:

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Atlanta Hawks4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. Toronto Raptors

Eastern Conference play-in

7. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 8. Orlando Magic9. Charlotte Hornets vs. 10. Miami HeatLoser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD3. Denver Nuggets vs. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 5. Houston Rockets

Western Conference play-in

7. Phoenix Suns vs. 8. Portland Trail Blazers9. LA Clippers vs. 10. Golden State WarriorsLoser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10

Eastern Conference

(8) Orlando Magic at (7) Philadelphia 76ersWednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

(10) Miami Heat at (9) Charlotte HornetsTuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Winner 9/10 at Loser 7/8Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Western Conference

(8) Portland Trail Blazers at (7) Phoenix SunsTuesday, 10 p.m. ET

(10) Golden State Warriors at (9) LA Clippers Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET

Winner 9/10 at 7/8 LoserFriday, 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.

Game 1: at Detroit on Sunday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. ETGame 2: at DetroitGame 3: at Play-in winnerGame 4: at Play-in winnerGame 5 (if necessary): at DetroitGame 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winnerGame 7 (if necessary): at Detroit

Pistons' Cunningham returns after 11-game absence

Goodwill: How Isaiah Stewart became Detroit's enforcer

Game 1: at Boston on Sunday, April 19, 1 p.m. ETGame 2: at BostonGame 3: at Play-in winnerGame 4: at Play-in winnerGame 5 (if necessary): at BostonGame 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winnerGame 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

Game 1: at New York on Saturday, 6 p.m. ETGame 2: at New YorkGame 3: at AtlantaGame 4: at AtlantaGame 5 (if necessary): at New YorkGame 6 (if necessary): at AtlantaGame 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

Game 1: at Cleveland on Saturday, 1 p.m. ETGame 2: at ClevelandGame 3: at TorontoGame 4: at TorontoGame 5 (if necessary): at ClevelandGame 6 (if necessary): at TorontoGame 7 (if necessary): at Cleveland

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

Game 1: at Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 3:30 p.m. ETGame 2: at Oklahoma CityGame 3: at Play-in winnerGame 4: at Play-in winnerGame 5 (if necessary): at Oklahoma CityGame 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winnerGame 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

Game 1: at San Antonio on Sunday, April 19, 9 p.m. ETGame 2: at San AntonioGame 3: at Play-in winnerGame 4: at Play-in winnerGame 5 (if necessary): at San AntonioGame 6 (if necessary): at Play-in winnerGame 7 (if necessary): at San Antonio

Wembanyama hits 65 games as he checks another 'box'

Wright: Inside the Spurs' 365-day turnaround

Game 1: at Denver on Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ETGame 2: at DenverGame 3: at MinnesotaGame 4: at MinnesotaGame 5 (if necessary): at DenverGame 6 (if necessary): at MinnesotaGame 7 (if necessary): at Denver

Keown: In search of the real Nikola Jokić

Game 1: at Los Angeles on Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ETGame 2: at Los AngelesGame 3: at HoustonGame 4: at HoustonGame 5 (if necessary): at Los AngelesGame 6 (if necessary): at HoustonGame 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

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 3Game 2: Friday, June 5Game 3: Monday, June 8Game 4: Wednesday, June 10Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, June 13Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 16Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 19