We’re just weeks away from the start of the NBA Playoffs (including key NBA on NBC matchups), and while the full lineup of teams isn’t in focus yet, the picture’s getting a lot clearer.

How to Watch

Watch NBA on NBC on NBC and streaming on Peacock. 

Several teams from around the league have already been eliminated from playoff contention, while still more have clinched playoff berths and the rest are in the hunt for a spot in either the NBA Playoffs proper or the Play-In Tournament that leads off the postseason. So, with the Playoffs fast approaching, let’s take a closer look at which teams have made it, and which teams will try again next season. (We’ll be updating this list as more teams lock in their playoff berths, so be sure to bookmark this page.)

RELATED: How Do the NBA Playoffs and Play-In Tournament Work in 2026?

Which NBA teams have clinched playoff berths so far?

A total of 20 NBA teams will make the Playoffs in one form or another, with eight competing in the Play-In Tournament to determine the final 16 teams for the 2026 NBA Playoffs proper. So far, only three of those 16 playoff spots have been filled, with exactly the teams you’d expect.

Here’s who’s in:

Oklahoma City Thunder: The defending NBA champs hit the ground running in the 2025-2026 season and basically never slowed down. They’ve got the best record in basketball, and they’re eyeing a repeat.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs are second only to the Thunder in overall wins and losses, and they’ve managed to beat Oklahoma City more often than not so far this season. They’ve got a lot of young talent, led by MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama, and if any team can upset OKC in the Western Conference Playoffs, it’s San Antonio.

Detroit Pistons: The only team in the East to clinch a playoff berth so far, the Pistons have led their conference for much of the season, putting up numbers so good that it’s always been a battle for second place in the Eastern Conference. 

RELATED: The Full 2025-2026 Schedule of NBA Games on NBC and Peacock

Which NBA teams have been eliminated from playoff contention so far?

So far, we’ve got seven teams who definitely won’t reach the NBA Playoffs in 2026, leaving just three teams left in total elimination territory. The most shocking of these eliminations: the Indiana Pacers, who fell from winning the Eastern Conference last season to possibly finishing last in the entire East this season, thanks in no small part to losing superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton to injury for the entire year.

Here’s the full list of the teams eliminated from the 2026 NBA Playoffs so far:

Indiana PacersWashington WizardBrooklyn NetsNew Orleans PelicansUtah JazzDallas MavericksSacramento Kings

Which teams will clinch playoff berths next? Who will be eliminated? Keep watching the NBA on NBC and checking back here to find out!