NBA Playoffs bracket 2026: Updated schedule, TV channels, scores for every round of postseason games originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Playoffs are officially here. After 82 games of grinding through the regular season, the marathon has finally turned into a sprint, as the 2025-26 postseason field is set to narrow through the high-stakes crucible of the Play-In Tournament.
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons completed a historic resurgence to claim the top seed but had to rally from a 3-1 deficit to reach the second round alongside the knicks">New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers.
In the West, the defending NBA champions thunder">Oklahoma City Thunder locked up the No. 1 seed and had a far easier time in the opening round, moving on with the spurs">San Antonio Spurs right behind them and the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves also still alive.
The margin for error has vanished, and the quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is finally underway.
Here’s everything you need to know for the 2026 NBA playoffs, from schedule to streaming information.
NBA playoffs bracket 2026
Click here for the 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket from The Sporting News and see below for series schedules and scores.
SN
Where to watch NBA Playoffs 2026: TV channels, live streams
- TV channels: ABC | ESPN | NBC
- Live streams: DIRECTV | ESPN app | Prime Video
NBA Playoff action is spread across ABC, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video, though the NBA Finals remain the exclusive domain of ABC. Fans have a wide range of streaming options to catch the postseason, including Prime, the ESPN app, and Peacock, with each service carrying specific games depending on their broadcast rights.
All games airing on ABC, ESPN and NBC are also available via DIRECTV Stream.
Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.
Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.
NBA Playoffs 2026: Updated schedule, scores for every round
NBA Finals
(2) Spurs vs. (3) Knicks – New York leads 1-0
DateGameTime (ET)WatchJune 3Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95——June 5Game 2 at San Antonio8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTVJune 8Game 3 at New York8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTVJune 10Game 4 at New York8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTVJune 13Game 5 at San Antonio*8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTVJune 16Game 6 at New York*8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTVJune 19Game 7 at San Antonio*8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTV
* If necessary
Eastern Conference Finals
(3) Knicks vs. (4) Cavs – New York wins 4-0
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 19Game 1: Knicks 115, Cavs 104 (OT)——May 21Game 2: Knicks 109, Cavs 93——May 23Game 3: Knicks 121, Cavs 108——May 25Game 4: Knicks 130, Cavs 93——
Western Conference Finals
(1) Thunder vs. (2) Spurs – San Antonio wins 4-3
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 18Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2 OT)——May 20Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113——May 22Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108——May 24Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82——May 26Game 5: Thunder 127, Spurs 114——May 28Game 6: Spurs 118, Thunder 91——May 30Game 7: Spurs 111, Thunder 103——
Eastern Conference second round
(1) Pistons vs. (4) Cavs – Cleveland wins 4-3
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 5Game 1: Pistons 111, Cavs 101——May 7Game 2: Pistons 107, Cavs 97——May 9Game 3: Cavs 116, Pistons 109——May 11Game 4: Cavs 112, Pistons 103——May 13Game 5: Cavs 117, Pistons 113 (OT)——May 15Game 6: Pistons 115, Cavs 94——May 17Game 7: Cavs 125, Pistons 94——
(3) Knicks vs. (7) 76ers – New York wins 4-0
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 4Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98——May 6Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102——May 8Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94——May 10Game 4: Knicks 144, 76ers 114——
Western Conference second round
(1) Thunder vs. (4) Lakers – Oklahoma City wins 4-0
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 5Game 1: Thunder 108, Lakers 90——May 7Game 2: Thunder 125, Lakers 107——May 9Game 3: Thunder 131, Lakers 108——May 11Game 4: Thunder 115, Lakers 110——
(2) Spurs vs. Timberwolves – San Antonio wins 4-2
DateGameTime (ET)WatchMay 4Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102——May 6Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95——May 8Game 3: Spurs 115, Timberwolves 108——May 10Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109——May 12Game 5: Spurs 126, Timberwolves 97——May 15Game 6: Spurs 139, Timberwolves 109——
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Pistons vs. (8) Magic – Detroit wins 4-3
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSun., April 19Game 1: Magic 112, Pistons 101——Wed., April 22Game 2: Pistons 98, Magic 83——Sat., April 25Game 3: Magic 113, Pistons 105——Mon., April 27Game 4: Magic 94, Pistons 88——Wed., April 29Game 5: Pistons 116, Magic 109——Fri., May 1Game 6: Pistons 93, Magic 79——Sun., May 3Game 7: Pistons 116, Magic 94——
(2) Celtics vs. (7) Sixers – Philadelphia wins 4-3
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSun., April 19Game 1: Celtics 123, Sixers 91——Tue., April 21Game 2: Sixers 111, Celtics 97——Fri., April 24Game 3: Celtics 108, Sixers 100——Sun., April 26Game 4: Celtics 128, Sixers 96——Tue., April 28Game 5: Sixers 113, Celtics 97——Thu., April 30Game 6: Sixers 106, Celtics 93——Sat., May 2Game 7: Sixers 109, Celtics 100——
(3) Knicks vs. (6) Hawks – New York wins 4-2
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSat., April 18Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102——Mon., April 20Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106——Thu., April 23Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108——Sat., April 25Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98——Tue., April 28Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97——Thu., April 30Game 6: Knicks 140, Hawks 89——
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Raptors – Cleveland wins 4-3
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSat., April 18Game 1: Cavs 126, Raptors 113——Mon., April 20Game 2: Cavs 115, Raptors 105——Thu., April 23Game 3: Raptors 126, Cavs 104——Sun., April 26Game 4: Raptors 93, Cavs 89——Wed., April 29Game 5: Cavs 125, Raptors 120——Fri., May 1Game 6: Raptors 112, Cavs 110 (OT)——Sun., May 3Game 7: Cavs 114, Raptors 102——
Western Conference first round
(1) Thunder vs. (8) Suns – Oklahoma City wins 4-0
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSun., April 19Game 1: Thunder 119, Suns 84——Wed., April 22Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107——Sat., April 25Game 3: Thunder 121, Suns 109——Mon., April 27Game 4: Thunder 131, Suns 122——
(2) Spurs vs. (7) Trail Blazers – San Antonio wins 4-1
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSun., April 19Game 1: Spurs 111, Blazers 98——Tue., April 21Game 2: Blazers 106, Spurs 103——Fri., April 24Game 3: Spurs 120, Blazers 108——Sun., April 26Game 4: Spurs 114, Blazers 93——Tue., April 28Game 5: Spurs 114, Blazers 95——
(3) Nuggets vs. (6) Timberwolves – Minnesota wins 4-2
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSat., April 18Game 1: Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105——Mon., April 20Game 2: Timberwolves 119, Nuggets 114——Thu., April 23Game 3: Timberwolves 113, Nuggets 96——Sat., April 25Game 4: Timberwolves 112, Nuggets 96——Mon., April 27Game 5: Nuggets 125, Timberwolves 113——Thu., April 30Game 6: Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98——
(4) Lakers vs. (5) Rockets – Los Angeles wins 4-2
DateGameTime (ET)WatchSat., April 18Game 1: Lakers 107, Rockets 98——Tue., April 21Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94——Fri., April 24Game 3: Lakers 112, Rockets 108 (OT)——Sun., April 26Game 4: Rockets 115, Lakers 96——Wed., April 29Game 5: Rockets 99, Lakers 93——Fri., May 1Game 6: Lakers 98, Rockets 78——
Play-In Tournament
DateGameTue., April 14Hornets 127, Heat 126 (OT)Trail Blazers 114, Suns 110Wed., April 15Sixers 109, Magic 97Warriors 126, Clippers 121Fri., April 17Magic 121, Hornets 90Suns 111, Warriors 96
NBA Playoffs round-by-round schedule 2026
- Play-In Tournament: April 14-17
- First round: April 18
- Conference semifinals: May 4-5 (possible move up to May 2-3)
- Conference finals: May 19-20 (possible move up to May 17-18)
- NBA Finals: June 3-June 19
