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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 bracket2026 NBA Playoffs matchups and resultsFirst 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 – Tied 1-1
Team
To win
Celtics
-600
76ers
+450
(3) New York Knicks vs (6) Atlanta Hawks – Tied 1-1
Team
To win
Knicks
-190
Hawks
+160
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (5) Toronto Raptors – Cavaliers lead 2-0
Team
To win
Cavaliers
-2200
Raptors
+1100
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 – Tied 1-1
Team
To win
Spurs
-500
Trail Blazers
+375
(3) Denver Nuggets vs (6) Minnesota Timberwolves – Tied 1-1
Team
To win
Nuggets
-220
Timberwolves
+180
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs (5) Houston Rockets – Lakers lead 2-0
Team
To win
Lakers
-130
Rockets
+110
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.
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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.