The 2026 NBA postseason arrives Tuesday evening with the primary two video games within the Play-In Tournament. In the East, the Hornets and Heat will battle for an opportunity to play for the No. 8 seed. The winner will face both the Magic or 76ers on Friday, whereas the loser is eradicated and heads to the NBA Draft Lottery. In the West, the No. 7 seed is on the road Tuesday because the Suns host the Trail Blazers.
The winner of Suns-Blazers strikes on to face Victor Wembanyama and the second-seeded Spurs within the first spherical. The loser will play both the Clippers or Warriors for the No. 8 seed on Friday evening.
Here’s a full have a look at the Play-In Tournament schedule.
Play-In Tournament schedule
All play-in video games are streaming on Prime
Tuesday, April 14
- No. 9 Hornets vs. No. 10 Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET — Loser is eradicated from postseason
- No. 7 Suns vs. No. 8 Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET — Winner will get West No. 7 seed
Wednesday, April 15
- No. 7 76ers vs. No. 8 Magic, 7:30 p.m. ET — Winner will get East No. 7 seed
- No. 9 Clippers vs. No. 10 Warriors, 10 p.m. ET — Loser is eradicated from postseason
Friday, April 17
- 76ers/Magic vs. Hornets/Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET — Winner will get East No. 8 seed, loser is eradicated from postseason
- Suns/Trail Blazers vs. Clippers/Warriors, 10 p.m. ET — Winner will get West No. 8 seed, loser is eradicated from postseason
And listed below are our workers picks for all six of the play-in video games.
Play-In Tournament predictions
Odds through FanDuel
Hornets vs. Heat
Odds: Hornets -6, O/U: 229.5
Botkin: Throw out the primary couple months of the season, and Charlotte has been one of many higher groups within the league. The Miami Heat… haven’t. It’s one-and-done, so something can occur, however the Hornets are only a higher staff. It could be devastating if the Heat received, to be trustworthy. We want this Charlotte staff within the playoffs
Gonzalez: One staff is taking part in fairly nicely proper now, and the opposite staff is Miami. The Heat misplaced 10 of their final 15 video games to shut the common season. Meanwhile, the Hornets have been one of many hotter groups within the league because the All-Star Break. Over that interval, Charlotte is second in offensive ranking and seventh in defensive ranking.
Herbert: It’s form of loopy that Charlotte is within the play-in, on condition that it performed at an elite degree for a lot of the season. Crazy stuff can occur in a win-or-go-home state of affairs, however I belief the Hornets right here.
Maloney: Since Jan. 1, the Hornets have the fifth-best report within the league (33-16), one of the best offensive ranking (120.7) and one of the best internet ranking (plus-10.5). The Heat, in the meantime, have misplaced 10 of their final 15 video games.
Quinn: The Hornets began the season 4-14 and have been among the many greatest groups within the NBA ever since. The Heat did not precisely shut the season on a excessive observe. Their legendary organizational stability and tradition can solely take you up to now when probably the most enjoyable offense within the NBA begins raining 3s.
Wimbish: If you simply take the previous couple of months of the common season, the Hornets have been probably the greatest groups within the league. We’ve heard so much about their high-powered offense due to the trio of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Suns vs. Trail Blazers
Odds: Suns -3, O/U: 217.5
Botkin: Portland completed the season successful 10 of its final 14 video games. Shaedon Sharpe is again, and everyone seems to be wholesome. This is a coin flip, however I’m going with the Blazers if solely as a result of I feel it is more necessary that they expertise the playoffs with this younger core and I’m keen it to occur.
Gonzalez: Two groups that exceeded expectations this season. Aside from Mat Ishbia, there weren’t many individuals hyping up this Suns staff after they received simply 36 video games a 12 months in the past and then shipped out Kevin Durant. The Blazers are additionally taking part in with home cash. Replacing their coach attributable to a playing investigation ought to have sunk them. Instead, they’ve an opportunity to succeed in the playoffs for the primary time since 2021.
Herbert: Tough one. Portland’s protection is superior, and this could possibly be an actual rock combat. When doubtful, go together with the house staff.
Maloney: The Blazers received 10 of their final 15 video games and closed the season in significantly better type than the Suns, however this sport is in Phoenix and the Suns have one of the best participant in Devin Booker. Perhaps I’m leaning an excessive amount of on home-court benefit right here, however the Suns had been 25-16 at residence and the Blazers had been 18-23 on the street.
Quinn: Portland lastly rediscovered its protection within the second half of the season. This is the model of the staff we have been ready for all season: a number of ball-handlers, a number of velocity, suffocating protection. They’re not excellent, and their taking pictures will come again to chew them in an precise sequence, however proper now, they’re simply taking part in higher than the Suns are.
Wimbish: Who would’ve thought Dillon Brooks could be a non-All-Star All-Star this season? Portland’s protection is hard, and I really feel like it is going to be an in depth one, however I’ve more religion in Devin Booker than anybody on the Trail Blazers to ship within the clutch.
76ers vs. Magic
Odds: 76ers -1.5, O/U: 221.5
Botkin: The Magic are a method higher staff than this place signifies. If Franz Wagner was fully wholesome I might have little question about this, however he is not totally again. Still, in a one-game setting, I’ll take the Magic with everybody within the lineup over the Sixers with out Joel Embiid.
Gonzalez: As a veteran observer of numerous Sixers campaigns, you’ll be able to virtually at all times depend on the dumbest/most painful final result. The Sixers owe a top-four protected choose to OKC. Instead of throwing themselves on the mercy of the lottery gods and hoping to get fortunate for a second straight draft, they’re going to little question win this sport with out Joel Embiid — then get embarrassed by the Celtics within the playoffs. Again.
Herbert: This matchup bums me out for a bunch of apparent causes. I believed Orlando was going to be superior this season, and I used to be so, so mistaken. It’s exhausting for me to justify choosing the Magic to win this one after what they did towards the Celtics’ backups of their regular-season finale.
Maloney: Neither staff has been taking part in inspiring basketball recently and each have well being considerations. Joel Embiid’s absence attributable to a current emergency appendectomy (he really has the worst luck of any star participant within the league) ought to swing the sport within the Magic’s favor.
Quinn: The Magic misplaced an actual sport by 52 factors like two weeks in the past. They simply misplaced a sport with actual stakes to Boston’s C-Team. They broke Indiana’s 16-game dropping streak. I do not care if Joel Embiid is out. The 76ers have gutted via absences all 12 months. It’s felt just like the Magic have been sleepwalking via the final month or so. I simply do not belief them to rise the postseason event.
Wimbish: Even with out Joel Embiid I’m nonetheless choosing the Sixers. Orlando has been maybe probably the most disappointing staff this season and the Sixers produce other gamers who can choose up the slack with out Embiid.
Clippers vs. Warriors
Odds: Clippers -5, O/U: 220.5
Botkin: Stephen Curry is on a minutes restriction in a do-or-die sport. That tells me all I must know. The Warriors do not care about successful this sport and I feel secretly they need to lose it. Which is sensible. Get the lottey choose.
Gonzalez: This is a put-them-out-of-their-misery sport for the Warriors. Their season ended when Jimmy Butler blew out his ACL.
Herbert: If Stephen Curry had been totally again within the swing of issues and able to play 40-plus minutes, I would really feel in another way about this one. As it stands, although, the Clippers are the higher and a lot more balanced staff.
Maloney: Everyone is choosing the Clippers right here, and for good purpose. The Warriors are each actually and figuratively limping into this sport. They misplaced seven of eight to shut the season, and Stephen Curry goes to be on a minutes restriction.
Quinn: Any time a coach goes out of his method to speak about what number of minutes his greatest participant will not play, it is exhausting to really feel too optimistic about their probabilities. The Warriors have been prepared for this depressing season to finish for months now. They’ll regroup over the summer season and strive once more from there.
Wimbish: Without Stephen Curry totally wholesome, I simply do not belief this Warriors staff. The Clippers have additionally quietly been one of many higher groups the previous couple of months after a disastrous begin to the season
East No. 8 seed
Botkin: This is a simple choose for me, so it most likely will not occur. But this is the deal: the Hornets should not simply one of the best staff within the East play-in, they’re the fifth-best staff within the convention. Detroit must be rooting wildly for an upset so the Pistons can keep away from a first-round battle. I do not assume they will get one.
Gonzalez: Someone lately stated to me that LaMelo Ball performs basketball like he is sporting slides. I am unable to unhear it. He does 4 or 5 issues every sport that make me need to smash one thing out of frustration. (Like this.) But no matter you consider him and the Hornets, not less than they don’t seem to be boring.
Herbert: I feel Charlotte is nearer to the third-best staff within the East than the eighth-best staff. So yeah, I’ll take the Hornets over the seemingly depressing Magic.
Maloney: Again, the Hornets have been probably the greatest groups within the league for the final 4 months, whereas the Sixers might be with out their greatest participant. Even although the Hornets should go on the street for this one, they may have an excessive amount of for the shorthanded Sixers.
Quinn: Charlotte has the NBA’s greatest internet ranking because the starting of January. By all means, choose towards them as soon as they’ve reached Detroit within the first spherical, however completely nobody on this play-in subject has performed at their degree for a lot of the season. They’re a reduce above these mediocrities, and they will show it.
Wimbish: The Hornets are probably the greatest 3-point taking pictures groups within the league. Meanwhile, regardless of giving up far too many first-round picks for Desmond Bane the Magic nonetheless wrestle to maintain up in that regard. This loss stands out as the cherry on high that ends Jamahl Mosley’s time in Orlando.
West No. 8 seed
Botkin: The Suns play exhausting, sure, however the Clippers have Kawhi Leonard. In a one-game setting, that is sufficient for me.
Gonzalez: If I’m going with my head, I’ll take the Blazers. But I’ve a buddy who lives in Portland who would favor they crash out of the play-in and maintain their top-14 protected choose in a loaded draft somewhat than ship it to Chicago. Hoping to manifest that for the Pacific Northwest.
Herbert: I simply need to see Kawhi Leonard play within the playoffs. Is {that a} passable rationalization?
Maloney: This choose has every little thing to do with Kawhi Leonard. He’s taking part in a few of the greatest basketball of his profession this season, and it is exhausting to think about him letting the Clippers lose this sport.
Quinn: I’m not choosing towards Kawhi Leonard in a single-elimination setting. It’s been a enjoyable season, Phoenix, however you bought very unfortunate with the draw right here.
Wimbish: The Blazers match up fairly nicely towards L.A., however I’m going with the veteran management with the Clippers — and the idea in Kawhi Leonard — to drag this one out.
