2026 NBA playoffs: Predictions for every round of postseason tournament

The NBA play-in tournament is over, and the postseason field is officially set. The 16 best teams in the NBA will compete for the right to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The championship truly is up for grabs. There has never been more depth and star power in the NBA, and polarity is at an all-time high. A different team has won the NBA Finals in each of the past seven seasons. So, who will go all the way during the 2026 NBA playoffs?

Western Conference playoff bracket

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Houston Rockets
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. Phoenix Suns

Eastern Conference playoff bracket

1. Detroit Pistons
2. Boston Celtics
3. New York Knicks
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Philadelphia 76ers
8. Orlando Magic

Western Conference predictions

First round:

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Phoenix Suns (8)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to defend their title as NBA champions. They certainly have the makings of a dynasty, and they are perhaps the most likely team to go back-to-back since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2017-18. They aren’t facing slouches in the first round against the Phoenix Suns, a team that plays with grit and effort. After all, the Western Conference is absolutely loaded with talent. Still, the Thunder should be able to take care of business fairly handily.

Thunder win in five games

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

The Los Angeles Lakers exceeded the expectations of many this year. Unfortunately, injuries caught up to them at the wrong time. Both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will miss the start of their series against the Houston Rockets, if not all of it. LeBron James isn’t capable of willing his teams to victory single-handedly anymore like he was able to in his prime, either. James and first-round opponent Kevin Durant are meeting in a non-NBA Finals playoff matchup for the first time ever, despite the fact that both have been around forever. Durant’s Rockets will play hard-nosed defense and secure the glass against a Lakers team without enough size, and with their injuries, without enough offensive creation, too. It will result in a Houston win.

Rockets win in five games

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

The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves have perhaps the greatest rivalry of any of the first-round matchups. The two teams are 14-14 against each other over the last four seasons, as Nikola Jokic vs. Anthony Edwards clashes are always iconic. The Nuggets are hot right now and in a better position to make a deep postseason run than they’ve been since winning the NBA Finals. They have great depth for the first time in years and are in the midst of a 12-game winning streak. Edwards can win a game for the Timberwolves, but the Nuggets are the better team this year.

Nuggets win in five games

San Antonio Spurs (2) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7)

The San Antonio Spurs fast-tracked their way into contention this year. They won 62 games with a young core headlined by Victor Wembanyama. It shouldn’t be overlooked that the Portland Trail Blazers have also exceeded expectations with a young and still-improving roster, though. Deni Avdija just announced his presence to the world with a 41-point outburst in the NBA play-in tournament that secured Portland’s position in the playoffs. While scoring won’t come nearly as easily against the future Defensive Player of the Year, the Trail Blazers could surprise fans and make this a more competitive series than would meet the eye. Still, San Antonio should advance to round two.

Spurs win in six games

Second round: 

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Houston Rockets (5)

After advancing to the second round, the Rockets are going to have their hands full against the Thunder. Oklahoma City’s depth is simply unmatched, and they can throw so many different looks at teams. If someone has a bad night, it tends not to matter because any role player can step up at any given time. Obviously, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren are the stars, but Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe provide big scoring nights from time to time. Plus, Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, and Cason Wallace always lock things down defensively. Injuries to Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams don’t help Houston’s cause going up against such a deep team.

Thunder win in five games

San Antonio Spurs (2) vs. Denver Nuggets (3)

The Spurs are the higher seed in this second-round matchup against the Nuggets, but it often takes experiencing a postseason heartbreak before young teams become true contenders. That could be the case for the Spurs this year. Regardless, this has the makings of a fun series. Wembanyama is known for his shot-blocking prowess, but three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has historically put up big numbers against the Frenchman. The Joker has used his masterful touch to average 37.3 points per game against Wembanyama.

Nuggets win in six games

Western Conference Finals: 

Last year, the Nuggets were able to take the Thunder to seven games despite the fact that Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. were hobbled. They may have been Oklahoma City’s biggest threats, even more so than the Indiana Pacers team they faced in the NBA Finals. Now, the Nuggets are much deeper, and the hope is that injuries and fatigue won’t hurt them as badly as they have in the last two postseasons. Of course, this matchup will likely feature five total MVP trophies, as Gilgeous-Alexander is likely to take home that award for the second straight time. Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are the two best players in the NBA, so this series may come down to who else steps up. Jamal Murray is not only in the midst of a career year, but he also historically takes his game to greater heights in the playoffs.

Nuggets win in seven games

Eastern Conference predictions

First round:

Detroit Pistons (1) vs. Orlando Magic (8)

The Detroit Pistons burst onto the scene to earn the Eastern Conference’s top seed. With Cade Cunningham back, they are in good shape to make a deep playoff run. However, the Orlando Magic are hot right now and showed their fullest potential during their Play-in Tournament win over the Charlotte Hornets. These are two defensive-minded teams that don’t shoot as well as most elite teams do, so it could be more of a dog fight than the average eight vs. one matchup is.

Pistons win in seven games

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 19-7 in games that James Harden plays in since they traded for the former MVP, proving that the idea that Harden could help take them to the next level was accurate. The all-time great shooting guard who is now playing point will need to show that he can step up in the postseason, though. Harden has had his fair share of playoff struggles, but this may be the year he finally figures them out. The Toronto Raptors are long, versatile, and they play hard. They even swept the regular season 3-0. Cleveland has plenty of size and flexibility to match, though.

Cavaliers win in six games

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

The New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks rivalry has been iconic in recent years, but that was largely because of Trae Young, who is now with the Washington Wizards. However, Atlanta’s roster has looked pretty good since they moved on from the point guard. During one of the final games of the regular season, CJ McCollum hit a half-court shot that would have sent a game against the Knicks to overtime. It was released just after the buzzer and didn’t count, but it proved that the Hawks will be able to compete against New York. Even so, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges’ defensive intensity, combined with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ offensive prowess, will be too much to overcome.

Knicks win in five games

Boston Celtics (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7)

This was supposed to be a gap year for a Boston Celtics team that was enduring a would-be season without Jayson Tatum, but the Celtics performed better than anybody would have guessed without their star, and Tatum returned to the fold quicker than anybody could have guessed. The team may have moved off from a number of players from their previous championship run, but they are still contenders. With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Celtics should best the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics win in five games

Second round: 

Detroit Pistons (1) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (4)

If the Pistons have a weakness, it is 3-point shooting. The Cavaliers take and make a lot of shots from beyond the arc, and they might be able to outshoot the number one seed and secure the biggest upset of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and crew have more postseason experience than Cade Cunningham’s squad, which will help.

Pistons win in seven games

Boston Celtics (2) vs. New York Knicks (3)

Even though Tatum is back and playing, he doesn’t quite look fully like himself yet. A postseason game in Boston against the Knicks in the second round might be tough on his mental state, too, as that is where he got hurt last year. The Celtics as a whole have been consistent this year, but without their best player performing at his greatest, there could be a repeat of last year’s second-round matchup when the Knicks bested Boston.

Knicks win in seven games

Eastern Conference Finals: 

New York Knicks (3) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (4)

The Eastern Conference Finals could feature a rare three vs. four matchup. Both the Knicks and the Cavaliers have boasted impressive rosters in recent years, yet they’ve fallen just short of making the NBA Finals. That will change this year. The Knicks’ point-of-attack defenders have enough length that they might be able to bother Harden and Mitchell, neither of whom have great positional size. If Harden’s postseason failures continue, the Cavaliers won’t have a chance.

Knicks win in six games

NBA Finals prediction

Denver Nuggets (3) vs. New York Knicks (3)

A Nuggets vs. Knicks NBA Finals would be the battle of both three seeds. The Nuggets won their first and only championship in 2023, whereas the Knicks haven’t been crowned as champions since the ’70s. Another NBA Finals win for Denver would establish Jokic as one of the very best players in NBA history, perhaps even a top 10 player ever. The Knicks, meanwhile, play in the mecca of basketball, so a championship in the city is long overdue.

There are incredible matchups all over the board in this series. Brunson vs. Murray would be entertaining, Jokic vs. Towns would be electric, and even Peyton Watson’s defense deserves recognition at the level of Bridges/Anunoby. Ultimately, it is Denver’s depth that leads to triumph. The offseason additions of Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Cam Johnson will prove to be worth it for the Nuggets, who end up hoisting a banner for the second time in franchise history.

Nuggets win in seven games

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