NBA Playoffs bracket 2026: Updated schedule, TV channels, scores for every round of postseason games

NBA Playoffs bracket 2026: Updated schedule, TV channels, scores for every round of postseason games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NBA Playoffs are officially here. After 82 games of grinding through the regular season, the marathon has finally turned into a sprint, as the 2025-26 postseason field is set to narrow through the high-stakes crucible of the Play-In Tournament.

In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons completed a historic resurgence to claim the top seed but had to rally from a 3-1 deficit to reach the second round alongside the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers.

In the West, the defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder locked up the No. 1 seed and had a far easier time in the opening round, moving on with the San Antonio Spurs right behind them and the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves also still alive.

The margin for error has vanished, and the quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is finally underway.

Here’s everything you need to know for the 2026 NBA playoffs, from schedule to streaming information.

NBA playoffs bracket 2026

Click here for the 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket from The Sporting News and see below for series schedules and scores.

NBA bracket

Where to watch NBA Playoffs 2026: TV channels, live streams

TV channels: ABC | ESPN | NBC

NBA Playoff action is spread across ABC, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video, though the NBA Finals remain the exclusive domain of ABC. Fans have a wide range of streaming options to catch the postseason, including Prime, the ESPN app, and Peacock, with each service carrying specific games depending on their broadcast rights.

All games airing on ABC, ESPN and NBC are also available via DIRECTV Stream.

Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.

Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.

NBA Playoffs 2026: Updated schedule, scores for every roundEastern Conference Finals

(1) Pistons/(4)Cavs vs. (3) Knicks

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 19

Game 1

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 21

Game 2

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 23

Game 3

8:30 p.m.

ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 25

Game 4

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 27

Game 5*

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 29

Game 6*

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

May 31

Game 7*

8 p.m.

ESPN, ESPN app, DIRECTV

* If necessary

Western Conference Finals

(1) Thunder vs. (2) Spurs

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 18

Game 1 at Oklahoma City

8:30 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 20

Game 2 at Oklahoma City

8:30 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 22

Game 3 at San Antonio

8:30 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 24

Game 4 at San Antonio

8 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 26

Game 5 at Oklahoma City*

8:30 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 28

Game 6 at San Antonio*

8:30 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

May 30

Game 7 at Oklahoma City*

8 p.m.

NBC, Peacock, DIRECTV

* If necessary

Eastern Conference second round

(1) Pistons vs. (4) Cavs – Tied 3-3

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 5

Game 1: Pistons 111, Cavs 101

—

May 7

Game 2: Pistons 107, Cavs 97

—

May 9

Game 3: Cavs 116, Pistons 109

—

May 11

Game 4: Cavs 112, Pistons 103

—

May 13

Game 5: Cavs 117, Pistons 113 (OT)

—

May 15

Game 6: Pistons 115, Cavs 94

—

May 17

Game 7 at Detroit

8 p.m.

Prime Video

(3) Knicks vs. (7) 76ers – New York wins 4-0

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 4

Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98

—

May 6

Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102

—

May 8

Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94

—

May 10

Game 4: Knicks 144, 76ers 114

—

Western Conference second round

(1) Thunder vs. (4) Lakers – Oklahoma City wins 4-0

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 5

Game 1: Thunder 108, Lakers 90

—

May 7

Game 2: Thunder 125, Lakers 107

—

May 9

Game 3: Thunder 131, Lakers 108

—

May 11

Game 4: Thunder 115, Lakers 110

—

(2) Spurs vs. Timberwolves – San Antonio wins 4-2

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

May 4

Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102

—

May 6

Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95

—

May 8

Game 3: Spurs 115, Timberwolves 108

—

May 10

Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109

—

May 12

Game 5: Spurs 126, Timberwolves 97

—

May 15

Game 6: Spurs 139, Timberwolves 109

—

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Pistons vs. (8) Magic – Detroit wins 4-3

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sun., April 19

Game 1: Magic 112, Pistons 101

—

Wed., April 22

Game 2: Pistons 98, Magic 83

—

Sat., April 25

Game 3: Magic 113, Pistons 105

—

Mon., April 27

Game 4: Magic 94, Pistons 88

—

Wed., April 29

Game 5: Pistons 116, Magic 109

—

Fri., May 1

Game 6: Pistons 93, Magic 79

—

Sun., May 3

Game 7: Pistons 116, Magic 94

—

(2) Celtics vs. (7) Sixers – Philadelphia wins 4-3

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sun., April 19

Game 1: Celtics 123, Sixers 91

—

Tue., April 21

Game 2: Sixers 111, Celtics 97

—

Fri., April 24

Game 3: Celtics 108, Sixers 100

—

Sun., April 26

Game 4: Celtics 128, Sixers 96

—

Tue., April 28

Game 5: Sixers 113, Celtics 97

—

Thu., April 30

Game 6: Sixers 106, Celtics 93

—

Sat., May 2

Game 7: Sixers 109, Celtics 100

—

(3) Knicks vs. (6) Hawks – New York wins 4-2

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sat., April 18

Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102

—

Mon., April 20

Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106

—

Thu., April 23

Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108

—

Sat., April 25

Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98

—

Tue., April 28

Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97

—

Thu., April 30

Game 6: Knicks 140, Hawks 89

—

(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Raptors – Cleveland wins 4-3

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sat., April 18

Game 1: Cavs 126, Raptors 113

—

Mon., April 20

Game 2: Cavs 115, Raptors 105

—

Thu., April 23

Game 3: Raptors 126, Cavs 104

—

Sun., April 26

Game 4: Raptors 93, Cavs 89

—

Wed., April 29

Game 5: Cavs 125, Raptors 120

—

Fri., May 1

Game 6: Raptors 112, Cavs 110 (OT)

—

Sun., May 3

Game 7: Cavs 114, Raptors 102

—

Western Conference first round

(1) Thunder vs. (8) Suns – Oklahoma City wins 4-0

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sun., April 19

Game 1: Thunder 119, Suns 84

—

Wed., April 22

Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107

—

Sat., April 25

Game 3: Thunder 121, Suns 109

—

Mon., April 27

Game 4: Thunder 131, Suns 122

—

(2) Spurs vs. (7) Trail Blazers – San Antonio wins 4-1

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sun., April 19

Game 1: Spurs 111, Blazers 98

—

Tue., April 21

Game 2: Blazers 106, Spurs 103

—

Fri., April 24

Game 3: Spurs 120, Blazers 108

—

Sun., April 26

Game 4: Spurs 114, Blazers 93

—

Tue., April 28

Game 5: Spurs 114, Blazers 95

—

(3) Nuggets vs. (6) Timberwolves – Minnesota wins 4-2

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sat., April 18

Game 1: Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105

—

Mon., April 20

Game 2: Timberwolves 119, Nuggets 114

—

Thu., April 23

Game 3: Timberwolves 113, Nuggets 96

—

Sat., April 25

Game 4: Timberwolves 112, Nuggets 96

—

Mon., April 27

Game 5: Nuggets 125, Timberwolves 113

—

Thu., April 30

Game 6: Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98

—

(4) Lakers vs. (5) Rockets – Los Angeles wins 4-2

Date

Game

Time (ET)

Watch

Sat., April 18

Game 1: Lakers 107, Rockets 98

—

Tue., April 21

Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94

—

Fri., April 24

Game 3: Lakers 112, Rockets 108 (OT)

—

Sun., April 26

Game 4: Rockets 115, Lakers 96

—

Wed., April 29

Game 5: Rockets 99, Lakers 93

—

Fri., May 1

Game 6: Lakers 98, Rockets 78

—

Play-In Tournament

Date

Game

Tue., April 14

Hornets 127, Heat 126 (OT)

Trail Blazers 114, Suns 110

Wed., April 15

Sixers 109, Magic 97

Warriors 126, Clippers 121

Fri., April 17

Magic 121, Hornets 90

Suns 111, Warriors 96

NBA Playoffs round-by-round schedule 2026

Play-In Tournament: April 14-17

Conference semifinals: May 4-5 (possible move up to May 2-3)

Conference finals: May 19-20 (possible move up to May 17-18)

NBA Finals: June 3-June 19

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