The first round of the NBA Playoffs is in the books, with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets having already fallen. Before the postseason started, three NBA experts at Playbook cooked up a 2026 NBA Playoff bracket to help you fill out your own NBA Playoffs bracket.
Below you’ll find our updated 2026 NBA Playoff bracket predictions for every playoff series. Stay locked in on Playbook for more NBA picks and predictions in every playoff game.
Download or print your 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket here to follow along with the action. Make your NBA Playoff predictions on PrizePicks — from game or series winners to NBA Finals champs, you can earn money if you’re right during the NBA Playoffs.
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Eastern Conference Semifinals
The top-seeded Detroit Pistons, 3-seed New York Knicks, 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers, and 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers all needed at least six games in the first round but advanced to fight for the Eastern Conference title.
Here are the current payout projections to win the Eastern Conference, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
NBA futures payouts are live as of writing and are subject to change.
Eastern Conference Champion
- New York Knicks: 1.53x No | 2.38x Yes
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 1.28x No | 3.44x Yes
- Detroit Pistons: 1.28x No | 3.44x Yes
- Philadelphia 76ers: 1.11x No | 5.88x Yes
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 1 Detroit Pistons
Cavaliers Series Winner Payout: 1.61x No | 1.88x Yes
Pistons Series Winner Payout: 1.88x No | 1.61x Yes
Both the Pistons and Cavaliers needed seven games to survive round one and now meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The teams split their four-game season series, with all but one contest being decided by 4 points or less.
Detroit struggled on offense all series vs. the Orlando Magic. Will it be able to find a rhythm against a Cleveland defense that was eighth in opponent field goal percentage (46.4%) during the regular season?
Cleveland held Pistons top scorer PG Cade Cunningham to an average of 18.5 points on 34.2% shooting earlier this season. Detroit didn’t generate much offense vs. Orlando outside Cunningham, so if he's held in check, the Cavaliers very well could move on.
No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 3 New York Knicks
Knicks Series Winner Payout: 3.03x No | 1.35x Yes
76ers Series Winner Payout: 1.35x No | 3.03x Yes
These squads split the season series two games apiece, but no home team won. The 76ers won the first two games at MSG by 11 and 9 points, while the Knicks returned the favor in Philly, winning by 3 and 49.
Can the Knicks stop 76ers C Joel Embiid? The MVP-winning big man returned for the final four games of the series vs. Boston, averaging 28 PPG and helping lead Philly to three wins in a row. In two games vs. the Knicks this season, Embiid averaged 32 PPG and 10.5 rebounds per game.
On the other side, PG Jalen Brunson is the matchup issue for Philly, as he's gone for 22, 31, and 31 in the three non-blowout matchups this season. If the 76ers don’t slow the Knicks' offense down, New York perhaps moves on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.
Western Conference Semifinals
The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and second-seeded San Antonio Spurs advanced out of the first round, just like many expected.
The sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves also upset the third-seeded Nuggets, while the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers topped the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets even though they were the series underdog.
Here are the payout projections to win the Western Conference, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Western Conference Champion
- Oklahoma City Thunder: 2.7x No | 1.42x Yes
- San Antonio Spurs: 1.35x No | 3.03x Yes
- Los Angeles Lakers: 1.02x No | 14.28x Yes
- Minnesota Timberwolves: N/A No | 22.22x Yes
No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder
Thunder Series Winner Payout: 8.33x No | 1.05x Yes
Lakers Series Winner Payout: 1.05x No | 8.33x Yes
The defending champion Thunder are big favorites to advance over the Lakers, and for good reason. Not only did they win all four games against the Lakers this season, but they won by an average of 29.3 points.
Only one matchup was competitive, a Thunder 9-point triumph in which reigning MVP PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 27.7 PPG vs. the Lakers this season and may not have a problem vs. a defense that was 20th in rating and 24th in opponent field goal percentage during the regular season.
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 2 San Antonio Spurs
Spurs Series Winner Payout: 5.55x No | 1.12x Yes
Timberwolves Series Winner Payout: 1.12x No | 5.55x Yes
The Timberwolves took two of three from the Spurs during the regular season, winning both home games, while the Spurs defended homecourt with a 3-point win in January.
The key to this series will be if Minnesota can slow down Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, who scored 29 and 39 in two games vs. Minnesota.
Through the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Spurs have the second-best offensive rating and third-best defensive rating. Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards’ status will also be a factor in which team advances to the Western Conference Finals, with the Spurs holding an edge.
Eastern Conference Finals
The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals here, with the Knicks looking for their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999 and the Cavs looking for their first trip without LeBron James.
Knicks Eastern Conference Champions Payout: 2.38x No | 1.53x Yes
Cavaliers Eastern Conference Champions Payout: 1.28x No | 3.44x Yes
The Knicks took two of three from the Cavs in the regular season and will have homecourt by virtue of finishing one game ahead of Cleveland in the regular season.
New York would need to find a solution to stopping Cavs SG Donovan Mitchell, who scored 31, 34, and 23 in the three matchups this season and averages nearly 26 PPG on 47% shooting in his career against them.
It’s a matchup of two of the top six offenses in the league, but the Knicks have the better defense. If they don’t let anyone but Mitchell beat them, they advance to the NBA Finals to represent the East.
Western Conference Finals
The two teams with the best records this season advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Thunder Western Conference Champions Payout: 2.7x No | 1.42x Yes
Spurs Western Conference Champions Payout: 1.35x No | 3.03x Yes
Not many teams have been able to solve the Thunder over the last two seasons, as they have a 132-32 regular-season record since the 2024-25 campaign began. However, the Spurs won four of five matchups this season and have won five of eight over the last two years.
The Spurs' defense, which was third in the regular season in rating, held the Thunder to 109.2 PPG over the five games — 13.6 points below their average. This included three wins in December with Wembanyama playing limited minutes.
If the Thunder are to get back to their second straight NBA Finals, they'll have to go through one of the best defenses in the league and defeat a Spurs team that has had their number.
The Spurs advanced to the NBA Cup Finals by knocking off the Thunder. Can they do the same in the NBA Playoffs?
NBA Finals
Spurs NBA Champion Payout: 1.21x No | 4x Yes
Knicks NBA Champion Payout: 1.02x No | 8.33x Yes
We get a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, which the Spurs won in five games. It was the first of their five titles, while the Knicks are back in the Finals for the first time since the loss.
It’s also a rematch of this year’s NBA Cup Finals, which the Knicks won 124-113. The teams split the two scheduled matchups, with each club winning at home.
While the Knicks defense excelled overall, it was only 21st against opposing centers this season, allowing 22.7 PPG.
And as good as the Knicks' defense has been to get to the Finals here, the Spurs' defense is better. It ranked third this season in rating, second in rebounds, fourth in field goal percentage, and eighth in scoring.
With that in mind, San Antonio rides its defense to its sixth NBA title.
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Make NBA Playoff Predictions on PrizePicks
One round in, there are only eight teams left to decide who's the NBA Finals champion. Who will come out of the East to face the best the West has to offer?
Get the full 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket here, and make your own predictions. Once you’ve got your bracket on lock, you can make your NBA Playoffs predictions on PrizePicks and earn money if you’re right — from games to series to the NBA Finals champion
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily NBA Playoffs predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through the 2026 NBA Finals.
