The 2026 NBA playoff bracket is ready. All 20 seeds are locked in, and the postseason will get began on Tuesday with Hornets-Heat and Suns-Blazers within the Play-In Tournament. In the East, the Raptors clinched the ultimate top-six seed and a assured playoff berth on Sunday, and the Nuggets closed out the common season by clinching the No. 3 seed within the West over the Lakers.
The Play-In Tournament will run by Friday, and the primary spherical of the playoffs will tip off on Saturday (April 18). The play-in will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in each conferences, however we already know 4 of the eight first-round matchups. In the East, the No. 3 Knicks will face the No. 6 Hawks, and the No. 4 Cavaliers will go up towards the No. 5 Raptors. In the West, it is the Nuggets towards the Timberwolves within the convention’s 3-6 matchup, and the Lakers going through the Rockets within the 4-5.
The Pistons, Celtics, Thunder and Spurs await the winners of the Play-In Tournament. The Celtics, because the East’s No. 2 seed, will face both the 76ers or the Magic within the first spherical; the Spurs will battle both the Suns or Trail Blazers in Victor Wembanyama’s playoff debut.
Here’s a have a look at the now official 2026 NBA playoff bracket.
2026 NBA playoff bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
2026 NBA Playoff Picture
NBA postseason bracket
Play-In Tournament
East first spherical
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors
West first spherical
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets
Play-In Tournament schedule
Tuesday, April 14
- Hornets vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Loser is eradicated from postseason
- Suns vs. Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner will get West No. 7 seed
Wednesday, April 15
- 76ers vs. Magic, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner will get East No. 7 seed
- Clippers vs. Warriors, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Loser is eradicated from postseason
Friday, April 17
- 76ers/Magic vs. Hornets/Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner will get East No. 8 seed, loser is eradicated from postseason
- Suns/Trail Blazers vs. Clippers/Warriors, 10 p.m. ET, Prime — Winner will get West No. 8 seed, loser is eradicated from postseason
2026 NBA playoffs schedule
All instances Eastern. Games on ABC and ESPN are streaming on fubo (Try without cost).
Saturday, April 18
- No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors, 1 p.m., Prime
- No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves, 3:30 p.m., Prime
- No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks, 6 p.m., Prime
- No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Sunday, April 19
- No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
- No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
- No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD, 6:30 p.m., NBC
- No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 TBD, 9 p.m., NBC
