Who is in 2026 NBA Playoffs? Brackets, seedings, schedule officially set

The NBA Playoffs are officially set, following 82 regular-season games for each team. Now the chase for the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy begins.

The top six seeds in both the Eastern and Western Conferences are lying in wait, preparing for what is sure to be a hard-fought postseason, while four other teams from each conference do battle in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the right to claim the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.

Considering that play-in teams like the 2023 Miami Heat and 2023 Los Angeles Lakers reached the NBA Finals and Western Conference Finals, respectively, perhaps this long wait between games can be seen as a detriment. Alas, there’s a reason the teams at the top get to rest before all the chaos. They’ve earned it.

Here are the brackets for both the NBA Playoffs and NBA Play-In Tournament, the final standings for all postseason teams, the schedule of games:

When do the NBA Playoffs begin?

The NBA Playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 18. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Wednesday, June 3.

NBA Playoffs bracket — first-round matchups

Eastern Conference

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
• (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
• (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner

Western Conference

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
• (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner

NBA Playoffs Game 1 schedules

(All times Eastern)

Saturday April 18

• Raptors at Cavaliers, 1 p.m. | Prime
• Timberwolves at Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. | Prime
• Hawks at Knicks, 6 p.m. | Prime
• Rockets at Lakers, 8:30 p.m. | ABC

Sunday, April 19

• East No. 7 seed at Celtics, 1 p.m. | ABC
• West No. 8 seed at Thunder, 3:30 p.m. | ABC
• East No. 8 at Pistons, 6:30 p.m. | NBC and Peacock
• West No. 7 at Spurs, 9 p.m. | NBC and Peacock

When does the NBA Play-In Tournament begin?

The annual Play-In Tournament begins in just two days, on Tuesday, April 14. The tournament will run through Friday, April 17. All games will be broadcast exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

NBA Play-In Tournament schedule, matchups

The losers of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups will be eliminated from the postseason. The winners of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 games will solidify the No. 7 seeds in the NBA playoffs. The losers of those games will play the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups to claim the No. 8 seeds in the playoffs.

Tuesday, April 14

• East: No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET
• West: No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. ET

Wednesday, April 15

• East: No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET
• West: No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 L.A. Clippers, 10 p.m.

Friday, April 17

• East: No. 9/10 winner at No. 7/8 loser, 7:30 p.m. ET
• West: No. 9/10 winner at No. 7/8 loser, 10 p.m. ET

NBA final standings for playoff teams

Eastern Conference

(Toronto holds the tiebreaker over Atlanta)

1. Detroit Pistons: 60-22
2. Boston Celtics: 56-25
3. New York Knicks: 53-29
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: 52-30
5. Toronto Raptors: 46-36
6. Atlanta Hawks: 46-36

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: 64-18
2. San Antonio Spurs: 62-20
3. Denver Nuggets: 54-28
4. Los Angeles Lakers: 53-29
5. Houston Rockets: 53-30
6. Minnesota Timberwolves: 49-33

NBA final standings for Play-In Tournament teams

Eastern Conference

(76ers hold tiebreaker over Magic)

• 7. Philadelphia 76ers: 45-37
• 8. Orlando Magic: 45-37
• 9. Charlotte Hornets: 44-38
• 10. Miami Heat: 43-39

Western Conference

(Trail Blazers hold tiebreaker over Clippers)

• 7. Phoenix Suns: 45-37
• 8. Portland Trail Blazers: 42-40
• 9. Los Angeles Clippers: 42-40
• 10. Golden State Warriors: 37-45