2026 NBA playoffs

Play-in tournament

• The Miami Heat took part in the play-in tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
• The Golden State Warriors took part in the play-in tournament for the third consecutive season.
• The Orlando Magic took part in the play-in tournament for the second consecutive season.
• The Philadelphia 76ers took part in the play-in tournament for the first time since 2024.
• The Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Hornets took part in the play-in tournament for the first time since 2022.
• The Portland Trail Blazers took part in the play-in tournament for the first time since 2020.
• The Phoenix Suns took part in the play-in tournament for the first time in franchise history.

First round

• With a Game 2 win against the Orlando Magic, the Detroit Pistons ended their 11-game postseason losing streak at home, the longest in NBA history, which began in 2008.^[2]
• With a Game 2 win against the Toronto Raptors, the Cleveland Cavaliers tied the record for the most consecutive playoff wins against a single opponent, with 12. The record is also held by the Cavaliers against both the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers against the Seattle SuperSonics. The streak ended in Game 3.^[3]
• In Game 3, LeBron James lobbed an alley-oop to his son Bronny James for a reverse layup, which was the first father–son assist in NBA playoff history.^[4]
• The Rockets were the second team since the play-by-play era (29 years) to blow a 6-plus point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation in the playoffs, joining the 2024 New York Knicks.^[5]
• In their Game 4 win against Portland, San Antonio Spurs became the first team to win a playoff game by 15 or more points after trailing by 15 or more points.^[6]
• With the Thunder sweeping the Suns in the first round, this was the 50th straight playoffs with a series sweep. The last playoffs without a sweep was in 1976.^[7]
• Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero became the second set of players on opposing teams to score 45-plus points in the same game in the playoffs, joining Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray in 2020.^[8]
• Prior to their Game 5 loss to the Rockets, the Lakers held an all-time franchise record of 40–1 when leading a playoff series 3–1. Their only previous loss in that situation came back in 2006 against the Phoenix Suns.^[9]
• The New York Knicks set an NBA playoff record with a 47-point halftime lead over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6. The previous record of 41 points was held by the 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2025 Indiana Pacers.^[10] With their win against the Hawks, they became the first NBA Cup champion to reach the Conference Semifinals in the playoffs.
• With the Celtics–76ers series going the full seven games, this was the 27th straight playoffs to have a series go to a Game 7. 1999 was the last time no series went to a Game 7.^[11]
• The Minnesota Timberwolves became the first team to advance to the conference semifinals as the 6th seed in consecutive seasons.^[12]
  • As such, this also marks the fourth straight playoffs where a 6th seed advances to the second round.
• In Game 6 against Atlanta, Karl-Anthony Towns made 1 field goal while achieving a triple-double, tying the NBA record and setting the postseason record.^[13]
• The Pistons set a record for the largest playoff comeback by a team facing elimination on the road, trailing 24 points against the Magic in Game 6. The Magic only scored 19 points in the second half of that game, which is the fewest points scored in a half in playoff history.^[14]
• The first round featured three game sevens, the most since 2014, with five.^[15][16]
• The Philadelphia 76ers became the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit.^[b] They were also the first team since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals to do so while winning Game 7 on the road.^[c]
• The seventh-seeded 76ers defeated the second-seeded Celtics in seven games, marking the eighth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2010, 2023, and 2025. Additionally, this was only the fourth time and the third time in four seasons that such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, as well as the second time it occurred in a full seven game series.^[17]
• The Detroit Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit.^[d] They were also the first team to do so against the same team (Orlando Magic) twice, having done so in 2003, and the first 1-seeded team since the 2016 Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals to overcome a 3–1 deficit and win Game 7 at home.
  • With this feat, this was the second time two teams overcame a 3–1 series deficit in the same postseason, after 2016. This was also the first time this happened in a single round.
• In the Cavaliers–Raptors series, the home team won all seven games in the series; this was the first time this happened since the Cavaliers–Magic first-round series in 2024,^[18] and the 17th time this has been recorded in a 2–2–1–1–1 format.^[19]

Conference semifinals

• In Game 1, Victor Wembanyama set the playoff record for blocks in a game with 12. The previous record of 10 was held by Mark Eaton, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Andrew Bynum.^[20]
• The New York Knicks became the first team to win three consecutive playoff games by 25 points with a 137–98 win in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers.^[21]
• In Game 1, the Pistons ended their 12-game postseason losing streak to the Cavaliers, which dated back to the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.^[22]
• Game 2 of the Knicks–76ers series had 25 lead changes, the most in a playoff game since Game 7 of the Los Angeles Clippers–San Antonio Spurs in the first round in 2015 (31).^[23]
• In Game 4, the Knicks tied the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a playoff game with 25.^[24]
  • The Knicks won their seventh consecutive playoff game for the first time in franchise history, surpassing a six-game streak in 1999.
• The Knicks outscored the 76ers by 89 points across a four game sweep, making it the third most lopsided non-first-round series in NBA history.^[25]
• Donovan Mitchell tied Sleepy Floyd for most points in a second half of a playoff game with 39 points in Game 4 against the Pistons.^[26]
• With a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Thunder were the 11th team to start the NBA playoffs 8–0.^[27] This marked the fourth time LeBron James was swept in a postseason series.^[28]
• A moment of silence was held before Game 5 of the Spurs–Timberwolves series on May 12 in memory of Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke and former player Jason Collins. Clarke died of a drug overdose on May 11, and Collins died of glioblastoma on May 12.^[29] Similar tributes were also done before Game 5 of the Cavaliers–Pistons series on May 13.^[30]
• With the Cavaliers–Pistons going seven games, this marked the first time since 2016 that two teams who played a game 7 in the first round will play such game in the Semifinals against each other.^[31] The last two teams that accomplished this feat was the Heat–Raptors, in which the Raptors prevailed.
• The Pistons lost their first Game 7 at home, as they had been 5–0 previously. Prior, they accumulated their undefeated record across three different home venues (The Pontiac Silverdome, Palace of Auburn Hills, and Little Caesars Arena).^[32]
• The Cavaliers overcame a 2–0 series deficit for the fourth time in franchise history, after:
  • 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, against the Detroit Pistons
  • 2016 NBA Finals, against the Golden State Warriors (also a 3–1 comeback)
  • 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, against the Boston Celtics^[33]

Conference finals

• This was the sixth straight season where all four teams competing in the conference finals were different seed numbers (1, 2, 3, 4).
• The Knicks became the first NBA Cup champion to advance to the conference finals.^[34]
• The Thunder became the first defending champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors to advance to the conference finals.^[35]
• For the first time in NBA playoffs history, both NBA Cup finalists reached the conference finals in the same postseason.^[36]
• The Spurs–Thunder series was the first playoff match-up to feature 62 or more win teams since the 1998 NBA Finals.^[37]
• Game 1 of the Spurs and Thunder series went to double overtime, which was the first such game in the NBA playoffs since 2021. Additionally, a Western Conference Finals game had not gone to double overtime in 50 years, since Game 4 of the Suns and Warriors from 1976.^[38]
• For the first time in NBA playoff history, Game 1 of both Conference Finals series went to overtime.^[39]
• The Cavaliers blew a 22-point lead with 7:52 left in Game 1. This was the second largest blown fourth quarter lead in NBA playoff history (behind the Grizzlies' 24-point blown lead against the Clippers in 2012) and the biggest comeback win in New York Knicks' playoff history.^[40][41]
• The Thunder's 76 bench points against the Spurs in Game 3 was the fifth most in an NBA playoff game by a collective bench and the most in the Thunder's franchise history.^[42]
• With a Game 3 win over the Cavaliers, the Knicks were the tenth team to win ten straight games in a single playoff. The last team to achieve this feat was the 2024 Boston Celtics.^[43]
• The Knicks completed the sweep against the Cavaliers, thus winning 11 straight games in the process. They were just the fourth team to win 11 consecutive postseason games, joining the:
  • 2017 Golden State Warriors (won 15 straight)
  • 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (won 11 straight)
  • 1999 San Antonio Spurs (won 12 straight)
  • 1989 Los Angeles Lakers (won 11 straight and the only team not to win the Finals)^[44]
• For the first time since 2018, the Western Conference Finals went to a seventh game.
  • This is the fifth Game 7 of the 2026 playoffs, tying the record for most in a single postseason (1994, 2014, 2016).^[45]
  • In addition, it was the first Game 7 to feature teams with 62 regular season wins or more since the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals between the 76ers and Celtics, and the first with the two teams with the best record since the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Lakers.^[46]
• With the Thunder's series loss, it guaranteed a new champion for the eighth straight season, extending an NBA record.^[47]
• The Spurs were the fifth team to overcome a 3–2 series deficit versus a reigning champion.^[48]

NBA finals

• The Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. They were also the first team to win the NBA Cup and make an NBA Finals in the same season.^[49]
• The Knicks' plus-271 point differential across 14 playoff games is the highest scoring margin by any team entering the Finals in NBA history.^[50]
• For the first time since the inception of the NBA Cup, both teams playing in the NBA Cup championship would face again in the NBA Finals.^[51]
• The Spurs are the second-youngest team to ever reach the NBA Finals (25.15 years old), trailing only the 1976–77 Trail Blazers (25.02) and surpassing the Thunder's mark (25.71) they set last Finals.^[52]
• Victor Wembanyama joined LeBron James and Max Zaslofsky as the only players to make an All-NBA First Team and NBA Finals by age 22.^[53]
• For the eighth time in NBA Finals history, one team has won its Conference Finals 4–0, while the other has won 4–3. This happened with the Eastern Conference team doing the sweep twice (1996 and 2026), while the Western Conference team did it six times (1982, 1987, 1998, 2001, 2013, 2023).
• By winning Game 1, the Knicks were just the third team in NBA history to have a 12-game winning streak in a single-postseason, joining the 1999 Spurs and 2017 Warriors.^[54]
• Jalen Brunson's 31 shots were the most shots in a Finals debut since Allen Iverson 41-shot performance in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals.^[55]

Eastern Conference

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Western Conference

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

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

Coming off their play-in victory against the Charlotte Hornets, the Magic won in a Game 1 upset at Little Caesars Arena, building up an early 13-point lead and never trailing throughout the game. All 5 starters for Orlando scored in double figures, with the Magic holding off every comeback attempt. For Detroit, Cade Cunningham finished with 39 points, but the All-Star point guard was held to four assists and three turnovers; Tobias Harris added 17 points. No other Pistons player reached double figures as Detroit's postseason losing streak at home extended to 11 games.^[89]

After a tightly contested first half that ended in a 46–46 tie, Detroit went on a 30–3 run to start the third quarter to pull ahead and even the series at 1–1. Cade Cunningham once again led the scoring for the Pistons, finishing with 27 points and 11 assists; Tobias Harris also recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. None of Orlando's players scored more than 20: Jalen Suggs had 19 points and 6 rebounds, while Paolo Banchero logged 18 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Both teams struggled on the offensive end this game, going a combined 65 of 165 on field goals, 14 of 58 on 3-pointers, and 37 of 56 on free throws. However, the Pistons held a significant advantage in paint points, outscoring the Magic 54–34, contributing to their victory. The win ended their home playoff losing streak at 11, which was the longest in NBA history.^[90]

The Magic wrestled back control of the series to defeat the Pistons, 113–105, at the Kia Center in a matinee tip. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 25 points; Banchero also added 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Orlando's three other starters (Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr.) all scored in double figures, with Carter Jr. having a playoff career-best 17 rebounds. Cade Cunningham scored 27 for Detroit. The Pistons trailed 96–79 with 8:34 left, then outscored the Magic 26–8 over the next six minutes to grab a short-lived one point lead. But they could not hang on in the last 2:30 of the game, as they only scored one point during that span. Tobias Harris added 23 points, while All-Star center Jalen Duren continued to struggle with just 8 points on 3-for-10 shooting. The Magic are just the 13th eighth-seed to hold a 2–1 series lead over a first-seed in NBA history.^[91]

The Magic put the top-seeded Pistons on the edge of elimination with a 94–88 win at the Kia Center in Game 5. The two teams were locked in a defensive battle in the final quarter, when Desmond Bane launched a successful 3-point shot from 29-feet away with 1:33 remaining to put Orlando up six points. Bane led the team with 22 points on 5 for 10 from 3-point range. Reserve Jamal Cain had the highlight of the game with his poster dunk on Pistons center Jalen Duren, which was nicknamed the "Raising Cain" dunk after the food chain with the same name.^[92][93] Cade Cunningham had a near triple-double with 25–9–6, but continued to struggle with turning the ball over, as he had eight turnovers in total (his 24 turnovers in a three-game span was an NBA playoff record and is now averaging 6.8 per game so far in the series). In the final minutes of the game, Duren was benched for Isaiah Stewart, who had a career-high eight blocks in just 17 minutes. The Pistons look to join the 2002–03 Pistons as the only teams in franchise history to comeback from a 3–1 deficit, which coincidentally, also came against Orlando.^[94]

Cade Cunningham, 45 points on 13-of-23 shooting, out-dueled Paolo Banchero, 45 points on 17-of-31 shooting, as the Pistons never trailed and won Game 5 to stay alive in the series. Cunningham and Banchero became just the second set of players with dueling 45-point performances in NBA playoff history. The former also shot 5-of-8 from three, added 4 rebounds and 5 assists, but still struggled with turnovers with 6. The latter had 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and also finished with 6 turnovers. Cunningham's 45 points was a Pistons playoff record. Orlando was without Franz Wagner, who strained his left calf in Game 4. The Magic fell to 0–10 in franchise history on the road in a Game 5.^[95]

As with 2003, the Pistons forced a Game 7 after trailing 3–1 against the Magic. After a tightly contested first quarter, Orlando dominated the second quarter, outscoring Detroit 35–12 and taking a 22-point halftime lead, with their lead growing to as much as 24 early in the third quarter. However, the Pistons would cut the lead to 9 by the end of the third, and ultimately took over the game entirely in the fourth quarter, as the Magic scored a total of 19 points in the second half, with just 8 in the fourth quarter. In addition, Orlando missed an NBA playoff record 23 consecutive field goals and went 1 of 20 from the field in the fourth quarter, with their only basket being an open dunk from Paolo Banchero with Detroit already having seized the lead. This comeback by the Pistons marked the greatest comeback for a team facing elimination on the road in the playoffs, where they would force a Game 7 back at Little Caesars Arena. It marked a 38-point turnaround as they won the game 93–79, with fans in the Kia Center booing the team's abysmal offense and ultimate collapse. The Magic's blown 24-point lead was the second most for a team with a chance to close out the series, only under the Utah Jazz in the 2018 NBA playoffs, where they blew a 25-point lead in a Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Cade Cunningham lead the team with 32 points, whereas Duncan Robinson made four of the team's nine 3-pointers, and Ausar Thompson contributed 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks despite scoring just 4 points, with his interior paint presence anchoring Detroit's defense in the second half.^[96]

As with 2003, the Pistons won Game 7 to overcome a 3–1 series deficit against the Magic in the first round, becoming the 15th team to overcome a 3–1 series deficit. Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists with a team high plus-29 and Tobias Harris added 30 points on 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Paolo Banchero continued to excel in the series, as he scored 38 of Orlando's 94 points on 14-of-25 shooting, as well as leading the team in points, assist and rebounds, but the team around him struggled and did not have Franz Wagner available for a third straight game. The Pistons improved to 5–0 lifetime in Game 7s, with none of their opponents breaking the 100-point barrier. This was their first playoff series win since 2008, which also came against the Magic.^[97] Orlando scored just 113 points in the final six quarters of the series. A day after the loss, the Magic fired head coach Jamahl Mosley.^[98]

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning three of the first four meetings.^[99]

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

Coming off his first playoff game following an Achilles tendon rupture, Jayson Tatum finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, while Jaylen Brown led the team in scoring with 26 points as the Celtics took a comfortable 123–91 victory over the short-handed 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid following appendicitis surgery with an indefinite timeline for return. Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points, a team high for Philadelphia, and dished out 8 assists. Boston's defense held strong against the 76ers, limiting them to just 18 points in the first quarter, and an abysmal 17 percent shooting from 3-point range, with Philadelphia going just 4–23 from beyond the arc. This would mark the 24th playoff series between the two teams, the most in NBA history.^[100]

Midway through the second quarter, the 76ers took the lead and never relinquished it for the remainder of the game, as they tied the series with a 111–97 win. Rookie V. J. Edgecombe made six of Philadelphia's 19 3-pointers and scored 30 points overall on 12-for-20 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds. Starting backcourt teammate, Tyrese Maxey, added 29 points, and Paul George chipped in with 19. The Celtics got within two points in the fourth quarter before an 11–0 run put the 76ers back in front by 13 with just over four minutes to play. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 36 points. Jayson Tatum had 19 points on 19 shot attempts, 14 rebounds and nine assists. The Celtics shot just 26 percent from three.^[101]

Following a late surge by Philadelphia, Jayson Tatum hit two massive 3-pointers to silence the home crowd, including the dagger with 25 seconds remaining to officially seal the win for Boston. Jaylen Brown continued his strong form, scoring 25 points which matched a team high with Tatum. The 76ers were missing Joel Embiid for the 3rd straight game due to appendicitis. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 31 points, while Paul George added 18. Coming off his outstanding performance in Game 2, rookie V. J. Edgecombe finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but shot 5 of 17 from the field and 0 of 7 from 3-point range.^[102]

The return of Joel Embiid provided futile for Philadelphia, as the Celtics blew out the 76ers 128–96 to take a 3–1 series lead. Payton Pritchard shined off the bench, scoring 32 points on 12-for-21 shooting and 6 of 12 from 3-point range, including a first quarter buzzer-beater to put Boston up 34–18. Jayson Tatum continued his strong showing in the series, scoring 30 points, along with 7 rebounds and 11 assists to lead all starters. Tatum, Jaylen Brown who finished with 20 points, and Pritchard scored all of the Celtics' 39 points in the third quarter to push their lead to 31 entering the fourth. Embiid finished with 26 points in his first game back, and Tyrese Maxey had 22. Boston dominated Philadelphia on the boards 51–30, while shooting 45% from 3-point range on 53 attempts, whereas the 76ers went just 9–30.^[103]

The 76ers kept their season alive behind a 33-point, 8-assist effort from Joel Embiid. Helping Embiid out was Tyrese Maxey, who added 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting. The Celtics led by 11 in the second quarter and held a 13-point lead early in the third, but the 76ers rallied with a 15–3 run in the middle of the period to get back in the game. From there, Philadelphia outscored Boston 28–11 in the fourth quarter, with the Celtics shooting 3 of 22 in the quarter.^[104]

With momentum still on their side, the 76ers defeated the Celtics at Xfinity Mobile Arena to even the series at 3 apiece. Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points and Paul George had 23 points for the 76ers. Jayson Tatum, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds, suffered a left calf injury in the game and did not return. Game 7 will be the ninth such game in the 76ers–Celtics history.^[105]

The 76ers picked up their first playoff series win over the Celtics since 1982 (which was also a Game 7 in Boston) and their first Game 7 win since 2001, with a 109–100 road victory. The duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the way for Philadelphia, as they held off a fourth quarter rally by Jaylen Brown and Boston. Embiid, in his first Game 7 win of his career after going 0–3 previously, had 34 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Maxey took over in the final minutes of a close game, scoring 8 of his 30 points in the last two minutes, and turning a one-point lead into an eventual nine-point win. Also in the final few minutes, the Celtics had six possessions where they trailed by one-point, but could not score to take the lead. Brown led the team with 33 points and had 9 rebounds. They struggled once again from 3-point range, shooting 27 percent as a team. They were also without Jayson Tatum due to a calf and knee injury he sustained in Game 6.^[106]

This was the first 3–1 series comeback in 76ers' playoff history, after it being done to them twice, coincidentally by the Celtics in 1968 and 1981, and the first in the NBA since the Denver Nuggets accomplished this feat twice in the 2020 NBA bubble. This was also the first time the Celtics lost a series after being up 3–1.^[107]

This was the 24th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 16th since the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 15 of the first 23 meetings.^[108]

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

Jalen Brunson made his mark early in the game, scoring 19 points in the 1st quarter alone and finishing with 28 points on the night. A two point game at halftime, the Knicks' lead grew to as much as 19 in the fourth quarter. Despite a late 11–0 run by Atlanta late in the 4th to cut the lead to 8, New York quickly responded and manage to take a comfortable 113–102 victory, leading for the majority of the game. Karl-Anthony Towns added an all-around performance of 25 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, as all 5 Knicks starters finished in double figures. For the Hawks, CJ McCollum led the team in scoring with 26 points, whereas Jalen Johnson added 23.^[109]

CJ McCollum became the latest Madison Square Garden villain, as he jawed former teammate Jose Alvarado and Knicks fans while leading a late fourth quarter surge to even the series at 1 apiece. The Hawks had trailed the whole second half and were down 12 after three quarters but outscored the Knicks 28–15 in the final quarter. McCollum scored 32 points on 12-for-22 shooting. Off the bench, Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting. For New York, Jalen Brunson had 29 points on 10-for-26 shooting and 7 assists.

McCollum had missed two free throws, as the Hawks led by one with 5.6 seconds remaining, but Mikal Bridges missed a contested jump shot that would have given the Knicks the win. During this period, NBC's broadcast erroneously displayed New York having one timeout remaining, despite it already being used with 10.2 seconds remaining.^[110]

In their first home playoff game since 2023, the Hawks took control early in the first quarter, building a 33–21 lead which later expanded to as much as 18 points. However, the Knicks were able to cut the lead to just 8 points at halftime and managed to retake the lead with just over a minute remaining in the 4th quarter following Jalen Brunson's 3-point play. However, Atlanta was able to score on their next possession, while forcing Brunson into a shot clock turnover on the other end of the floor. CJ McCollum, who earned villain chants back in Madison Square Garden, drilled the go-ahead mid-range jumper with 12 seconds remaining to give the Hawks the eventual win. The Knicks still had a chance to win the game, but Brunson had his pass pickpocketed by Jonathan Kuminga, allowing Atlanta to stave off what would be a furious comeback for New York as they took a 2–1 series lead. OG Anunoby led New York with a game-high 29 points, while Brunson had 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns collected a double-double of 21 points and 17 rebounds. However, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges both struggled, going a combined 1 of 12 from the field alongside 6 turnovers. Jalen Johnson scored a team-high 24 for Atlanta, whereas McCollum added 23.^[111]

Facing a potential 3–1 series deficit on the road, the Knicks took the lead in the first quarter and never relinquished it, with a comfortable 14-point lead at halftime en route to a 114–98 victory to even the series at 2 apiece. Karl-Anthony Towns became the third Knicks player to record a playoff triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, joining Walt Frazier and Josh Hart as the only players to do so. OG Anunoby once again led New York in scoring with 22 points, and Jalen Brunson added 19 despite committing 6 turnovers. CJ McCollum led Atlanta in scoring with 17 points, whereas the newly named Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 15. The Hawks' offense struggled greatly throughout the night, committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 10 of 41 (24%) from 3-point range.^[112]

Jalen Brunson (39 points) just missed extending his franchise record for 40-point playoff games, as the Knicks routed the Hawks, 126–97, to take a 3–2 series lead. OG Anunoby added 17 points and 10 rebounds for New York, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. CJ McCollum had his worst game of the series with just 6 points. Atlanta had a balanced effort with Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu all scoring within 16–18 points, but the Knicks dominated the glass, outrebounding the Hawks, 48–27.^[113]

New York easily dispatched Atlanta and clinched their first-round series win on the road for the third straight postseason. They led by as many as 61 points before winning the game by a 51-point margin. Their 47-point lead at halftime also broke a record previously set by both the 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers (Game 2, East Finals) and the 2025 Indiana Pacers (Game 4, East Semifinals). OG Anunoby led his team with 29 points as the Knicks had the largest playoff victory in franchise history. They almost never trailed the entire game, as the Hawks led 11–9 in the first quarter before they were outscored by 49 points entering halftime, only scoring 36 points in the first half and committing 14 turnovers. The Knicks also became the first NBA Cup champion to win a playoff series.^[114]

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning two of the first three meetings.^[115]

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

The Raptors were without starting point guard Immanuel Quickley due to a mild hamstring strain that occurred on the last day of the regular season.^[116]

In their first playoff game together, the star duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers to a 126–113 win over the Raptors in Game 1. Harden, Cleveland's mid-season trade acquisition, had 22 points on 8-for-18 shooting and 10 assists and Mitchell scored 32 points on 11-for-20 shooting. Evan Mobley added 17 points and 7 rebounds, center Jarrett Allen scored 10 points with 7 rebounds, and Max Strus scored 24 points off the bench on 8-for-10 shooting (4 of 6 from three). At halftime the score was 61–54 in favor of the Cavs, but the Raptors' poor third quarter saw them outscored in the quarter 36–22, as Cleveland's lead grew to as much as 24. Mitchell scored at least 30 points in an NBA-record nine straight series openers. Toronto fell to 2–12 lifetime in Game 1s.^[117]

The trio of Donovan Mitchell (30 points on 13-for-23 shooting and 7 rebounds), James Harden (29 points on 9-for-14 shooting and 5 steals) and Evan Mobley (25 points on 11-for-13 shooting and 8 rebounds) led the Cavaliers to a 10-point Game 2 win over the Raptors. This was Cleveland's 12th straight postseason win over Toronto. Raptors forwards Scottie Barnes (26 points on 11-of-19 shooting) and RJ Barrett (22 points on 11-for-13 shooting and 9 rebounds) led the team in scoring. Toronto's other starting forward, Brandon Ingram, struggled mightily, scoring just 7 points on 3-for-15 shooting. Mitchell has now scored 30 points or more in 33 of 65 playoff games in his career.^[118]

Following a closely contested first three quarters, the Raptors blew the game open in the 4th, outscoring the Cavaliers 43–23 and subsequently preventing themselves from falling into a dreaded 3–0 deficit. Scottie Barnes proved invaluable in the victory, with 33 points, 11 assists and 11-of-17 shooting from the field, whereas his teammate RJ Barrett also scored 33, with the two players shooting a combined 9 of 13 from 3-point range. James Harden led Cleveland with 18 points, as no other Cavalier reached over 15 points. In addition, they shot 14 of 45 from 3-point range, compared to 14 of 23 by the Raptors. With this loss, this also denied the Cavaliers a chance to set an NBA playoff record for most consecutive playoff wins over an opponent, with this mark previously being tied at 12, dating back to LeBron James' second tenure with the team. This would be Toronto's third straight game without Immanuel Quickley due to a hamstring injury.^[119]

The Raptors were able to tie the series against the Cavaliers at two apiece after a tightly contested game, which was notable for poor efficiency on both sides (63 combined field goals were made of 184 attempts). Toronto were 0 of 11 on three-pointers in the first quarter – the worst playoff quarter in team history in this metric – and finished with 4–30. Despite that, Brandon Ingram hit a buzzer-beater from beyond the arc to elevate the Raptors to a 38–36 halftime lead. They closed out with a 17–5 scoring run in the final 5 minutes. Ingram and Scottie Barnes led the score sheet for Toronto by scoring 23 points each, while rookie Collin Murray-Boyles recorded a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. Ja'Kobe Walter, however, notched a career high in minutes played without scoring (27). For Cleveland's starters, only star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden finished in double figures with 20 and 19 points, respectively, but also combined for 11 turnovers, while Jarrett Allen recorded the most rebounds (15) in the entire game.^[120]

Journeyman backup point guard Dennis Schröder scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and Evan Mobley hit a pair of big 3-pointers to give the Cavaliers a narrow 125–120 win back at home. The Raptors led 74–67 at halftime and extended their lead by scoring the first five points in the third quarter; however, Cleveland rallied back to cut Toronto's lead to 103–100 entering the fourth. In the final quarter, the Raptors missed their first 11 shots. James Harden chipped in with 23 points, but his 6 turnovers now gave him 30 for the series. RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 25 points, with Ja'Kobe Walter adding 20 and Jamal Shead scoring 18 off the bench. Brandon Ingram exited the game in the second quarter with right heel inflammation and did not return.^[121]

RJ Barrett's game-winning 3-pointer in overtime gave the Raptors the Game 6 win and tied the series at 3–3. Barrett's three, which was similar to Kawhi Leonard's game and series winning shot against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals, hit the rim, bounced high in the air, and fell in with 1.2 seconds left.^[122] On the Cavaliers' final possession, Evan Mobley, who scored a team-high 26 points, missed a three at the top of the key that would have given the team the walk-off series win. Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 25 points and 14 assists, Barrett chipped in with 24 points, and Ja'Kobe Walter scored 23 in a career-high 43 minutes, as the team was without All-Star Brandon Ingram due to a heel injury. Donovan Mitchell had 24 points for Cleveland but took 26 shots. Game 7 will be the Raptors first such game since the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Celtics. The Cavaliers last played a Game 7 against the Orlando Magic in the first round in 2024.^[123]

Jarrett Allen tied a playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as the Cavaliers advanced to their third consecutive Eastern Conference Semifinals in a 114–102 win in Game 7. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 22 points and James Harden added 18. The Raptors, who were again without starters Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley, led for most of the first half and had a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter before Cleveland began their comeback. Scottie Barnes led Toronto in points (24) and rebounds (9). The home team won every game in the series for the first time since the Magic–Cavs first round series from 2024.^[124]

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Cavaliers winning the first three meetings.^[125]

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

The Thunder began their title defense with a 119–84 rout of the Suns. The Suns had an early first quarter lead at 12–9 in the opening minutes, but the Thunder proceeded to outscore them the rest of the game 110–72. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points but made just 5–18 field goals (he did go 15 of 17 from the free throw line); Jalen Williams scored 22 points and Chet Holmgren added 16, with both having 7 rebounds. Devin Booker scored 23 points for Phoenix, while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green both shot the ball poorly, with both scoring 18 and 17 points, respectively.^[126]

Following a tightly contested first quarter, the Thunder opened up a 26-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, albeit losing Jalen Williams for the night due to a left hamstring injury. However, the Suns would rally back late in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 110–100 late in the game. Even so, Oklahoma City's lead was comfortable enough to hold the Phoenix off, and the latter never got a chance to cut the lead down to single digits. They were led by 30 points from Dillon Brooks on much improved efficiency, whereas Devin Booker contributed 22 points. Oklahoma City was led by the newly awarded Clutch Player of the Year Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 37 points on much improved efficiency from Game 1. Jalen Green had 21 points on the night for the Suns but shot 1 of 8 from 3-point range and had 7 turnovers, as the Thunder took a comfortable 2–0 series lead with the series heading to Phoenix.^[127]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated, scoring 42 points on 15-for-18 shooting, as the Thunder moved to within a game of advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33 points on 11-of-21 shooting while Jalen Green added 26. This was the Suns' ninth straight playoff loss.^[128]

The Thunder capped off their third consecutive first round sweep in as many years with a 131–122 score in Phoenix. Oklahoma City, who was in control for the whole game, received another big performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as he scored 31 points on 10–17 shooting and had 8 assists. The front court duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein scored 24 and 18 points, respectively, with both hauling down 12 rebounds. Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green each had 20 or more points in the Suns' best offensive effort of the series, but they could not stop the Thunder on the other end, who shot 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. The defeat marked Phoenix's tenth straight playoff loss.^[129]

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with both teams winning two of the first four meetings. All four prior meetings took place when the Thunder played as the Seattle SuperSonics.^[130]

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

In the playoff debut of Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio easily dispatched Portland, with Wembanyama setting a franchise record with 35 points in Game 1.^[131] Guards De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each added 17 points for the Spurs, while posting a combined 15 assists. Deni Avdija led the way for the Trail Blazers, with 30 points and 10 rebounds. The San Antonio defense held Portland in check, with the Blazers shooting just 10-for-38 from three-point range while being out-rebounded 45 to 38.^[132]

Scoot Henderson scored 31 points and the Trail Blazers took advantage after an injury to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama forced him out early in the game to win a pivotal Game 2, thus tying the series at 1 apiece. Even without Wembanyama, the Spurs built up a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Portland defense stepped up, holding San Antonio without a field goal the final 3:37 of the game. Guards Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Devin Vassell, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, missed a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining that would have tied the game and sent it to overtime. After the game, it was revealed Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion.^[133]

Entering Game 3 on the road without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs faced a 15-point deficit in the second half before rallying to win 120–108 behind big time performances from sophomore Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper off the bench, as the two guards combined for 60 points. Castle finished with 33 points, whereas Harper scored a career-high 27 points off the bench, becoming the second youngest player to score 20-plus points in a playoff game off the bench, only behind an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant. Jrue Holiday led Portland with 29 points and 4 steals, and Scoot Henderson added 21. Most Improved Player finalist and first-time All-Star Deni Avdija went 12 of 16 from the free throw line but made just 3 of his 15 field goal attempts in his playoff home debut. The Spurs outscored the Blazers 61–43 in the second half, which included a 21–7 run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 1 in the fourth quarter, before being able to pull away with the victory.^[134]

San Antonio pulled off a 38-point turnaround, as they took a commanding 3–1 series lead in Game 4 in Portland. Victor Wembayana returned and had 27 points, 7 blocks and 11 rebounds (he was just the second player in the history of the NBA playoffs to accomplish this stat line following Shaquille O'Neal in 2004) in his first playoff road game and De'Aaron Fox scored 28 points on 11–17 shooting. Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26 points on 8-for-14 shooting; Jrue Holiday chipped in with 20 points and Jerami Grant had his best game thus far in the series with 17 points. The Spurs were the first team in NBA playoff history to trail by 15-plus at halftime and win the game by 15-plus.^[135]

Guided by the veteran leadership of De'Aaron Fox, who scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, the Spurs withstood a late Trail Blazers rally to win their first playoff series since 2017. Star center Victor Wembanyama took just seven shots but had 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. Julian Champagnie continued his sharpshooting going 5-for-7 from three-point range, while rookie Dylan Harper added 17 points off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting. Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 22 points but committed four turnovers.^[136]

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning three of the first four meetings.^[137]

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

Game 1 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves was a tale of two halves. The teams were tied at halftime after a competitive first half, but Denver pulled away in the third quarter, leading by as much as 15 points. While Minnesota pulled within two points, the Nuggets did not relinquish their lead. Jamal Murray led his team in scoring with 30 points (16 of which came from the free throw line). Nikola Jokić had a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Aaron Gordon overcame three fouls in the first quarter to add 17 points and 8 rebounds. In the losing effort, Anthony Edwards finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists; Donte DiVincenzo scored 12 points on 4 3-pointers. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, going a combined 21-for-70 (30 percent) on 3-pointers.^[138]

After a 14-point lead after the first quarter, the Timberwolves took a 39–22 run in the second quarter before Jamal Murray launched a half-court buzzer-beater to tie the score at halftime. Despite scoring just 2 points, Rudy Gobert made his presence felt in the fourth quarter, getting key stops on Murray and Nikola Jokić, while Donte DiVincenzo's late 3-pointer sealed the victory for Minnesota, as they tied the series at one apiece. Anthony Edwards led the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds despite a near-costly travel with 35 seconds remaining. Murray finished with 30 points, whereas Jokić finished with 24–15–8, although both stars struggled in the fourth quarter. Aside from Murray, Denver's starters combined to shoot 4 of 20 from 3-point range, contributing to the continuous shooting woes for the Nuggets.^[139]

With an all-out defensive effort, the Timberwolves never trailed and led by as many as 27 points, as they won Game 3 by a score of 113–96. The first quarter saw the Nuggets record their third-fewest point total in a playoff quarter in team history: 11 points.^[140] They would be without Aaron Gordon, who was ruled out prior to the game due to a calf strain. Until the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, both teams shot a combined 2 of 21 (9.52 percent) on 3-pointers and finished a combined 17 of 66 at the end of the game. With a hampered Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench and led the charge for Minnesota, scoring 25 points and dishing out 9 assists. Rudy Gobert was spectacular on the defensive end, holding three time MVP Nikola Jokić to a playoff-worst 7 of 26 shooting from the field, despite 27 points and 15 rebounds. Prior to his injury, Edwards finished with 17 points but reached 5 fouls at the point of the third quarter. Even though he went to the locker room initially, he returned but did not play the rest of the game, with the Timberwolves holding a lead that was safe enough to guide them to a 2–1 series lead.^[141]

In the opening minutes of the first quarter, Donte DiVincenzo suffered an Achilles tendon rupture following an awkward landing, ending his season and playoff run. To make matters worse for Minnesota, Anthony Edwards suffered a hyperextended knee late in the second quarter and would not return. Denver took advantage of Edwards' absence, leading 54–50 at halftime. However, in what ABC announcer Mike Breen referred to as the "Ayo Dosunmu Game", Dosunmu came off the bench and scored 43 points, just the fourth time in NBA playoff history that a player ever scored 40-plus off the bench. He finished the night with spectacular efficiency, on 13-of-17 shooting from the field, and a perfect 5 of 5 from 3-point range and 12 of 12 from the free throw line. Including Dosunmu, the Timberwolves' bench outscored the Nuggets' a whopping 76–16, as the former forced 9 of the latter's 10 turnovers in the second half to swing the game in their favor. Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 points, whereas Nikola Jokić finished with 24 points, but shot 8 of 22 from the field and committed 4 turnovers despite a near triple-double. This would mark the Nuggets' third straight loss for just the second time all season.

With 1.2 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels ran down the court and scored a layup, after which Jokić physically attacked him for breaking an unwritten rule that the winning team should not score during the final seconds of a game when the outcome has already been decided. This immediately sparked an altercation between both team's benches, resulting in Jokić and Julius Randle being ejected from the game.^[142][143]

The game, which originally aired on ABC, was moved to ESPN in the second half after live breaking news coverage of the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.^[144]

Nikola Jokić had a triple-double and Spencer Jones provided a key spark, with the Nuggets staving off elimination in a 125–113 win at the Ball Arena. Jokić's full stat line was 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds, good enough for his 23rd career triple-double. The Timberwolves, who are short-handed for the remainder of the series without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, trailed by as much as 27 points before cutting the margin to 10 in the fourth quarter. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points and Ayo Dosunmu had 18. Naz Reid twisted his ankle but returned later in the game.^[145]

The Timberwolves eliminated the Nuggets for the second time in three years with a Game 6 victory at home. With Ayo Dosunmu (calf soreness) joining Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo on the inactive list, Minnesota went big with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid fueling a 64–40 advantage in points in the paint and a 50–33 edge in rebounding. Jaden McDaniels led the Wolves with 32 points and 10 rebounds and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 points in a rare start. Nikola Jokić had 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to lead the Nuggets, but Jamal Murray struggled and finished with just 12 points on 4-for-17 shooting. Cameron Johnson scored 27 points for Denver.^[146]

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning two of the first three meetings.^[147]

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

In a game with stars Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves all sidelined due to injury, the Lakers were able to win the short-handed duel 107–98, which marked their first Game 1 victory in the playoffs since the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals. Los Angeles never trailed since early in the 1st quarter, where LeBron James dished out eight assists in the quarter alone and ten in a half (both career highs), finishing with 13 on the night. Luke Kennard led the Lakers in scoring with 27 points, whereas Deandre Ayton notched a double-double. For Houston, Alperen Şengün led the team with 19 points but shot just 6 of 19 from the field. The entire Rockets team struggled shooting as a whole, on just 38 percent (35 of 93) from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range, while the Lakers' offense flourished, shooting 61 percent from the field and a remarkable 53 percent from three despite 18 turnovers.^[148]

Kevin Durant's return from injury proved inconsequential for the Rockets as they once again experienced defeat. LeBron James led the way for the victorious Lakers with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard added 25 and 23 points, respectively. For Houston, Durant scored 23 points, while teammate Alperen Şengün logged a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, along with 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. As a team, the Lakers were 13-for-28 on 3-pointers overall, while the Rockets went 7-for-29.^[149]

Prior to the game, it was announced that Kevin Durant would sit out his second game of the series after an ankle sprain suffered in Game 2. Even without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves for the third straight game, the Lakers started hot with an 11-point lead at halftime, and at one point a 15-point lead in the 2nd half. Even so, the Rockets managed to claw their way back to take the lead, holding a 6-point advantage with 31 seconds remaining. However, after a costly foul on a 3-point shot by Jae'Sean Tate on Marcus Smart and a turnover which led to a game-tying 3-pointer by LeBron James near the end of regulation, the game went into overtime following a missed shot by Alperen Şengün and a 3-pointer by James that rimmed out. Los Angeles took control in overtime, becoming the first team in the playoffs to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, while Houston lost their 3rd consecutive game for just the 2nd time all season long. Despite eight turnovers, James led the Lakers with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Smart added 21 points and 10 assists. For the Rockets, Şengün scored a game-high 33 points and had 16 rebounds, whereas Amen Thompson had 26 points and 11 rebounds. However, the bench output was the difference maker between both teams, with Los Angeles' bench outscoring Houston's 24–3.^[150]