The NBA Play-In Tournament is in full swing, and the NBA Playoffs will officially get underway on Saturday, April 18. As the postseason begins, teams will start their respective journeys towards the NBA Finals.
Which team will win the Eastern and Western Conferences in the NBA? Let’s dive into our NBA playoff predictions and which teams are the favorites and long shots to win the Eastern and Western Conferences on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Make your picks for the NBA Playoffs on PrizePicks now.
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NBA Playoff Predictions: Favorites, Payouts for Conference Winners
Before we dive into our top NBA playoff predictions, let's look at the favorites to win each conference on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Eastern Conference Winner
The Celtics are the clear favorite to win the Eastern Conference. Keep in mind the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic battle in the Play-In Tournament for the No. 8 seed on Friday, April 17.
- Boston Celtics: Yes 2.38x | No 1.53x
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Yes 4.34x | No 1.19x
- Detroit Pistons: Yes 4.54x | No 1.17x
- New York Knicks: Yes 5.55x | No 1.12x
- Charlotte Hornets: Yes 16.66x | No 1.01x
- Atlanta Hawks: Yes 16.66x | No 1.01x
- Philadelphia 76ers: Yes 22.22x | No N/A
- Orlando Magic: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
- Toronto Raptors: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
Western Conference Winner
In the Western Conference, the Thunder stand out as the favorite to repeat as conference champs, followed by the Spurs and Nuggets. The Warriors and Suns face off for the No. 8 seed in the Play-In Tournament on Friday, April 17.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Yes 1.63x | No 2.17x
- San Antonio Spurs: Yes 4x | No 1.21x
- Denver Nuggets: Yes 5.88x | No 1.11x
- Houston Rockets: Yes 16.66x | No 1.01x
- Los Angeles Lakers: Yes 22.22x | No N/A
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Yes 22.22x | No N/A
- Phoenix Suns: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
- Portland Trail Blazers: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
- Golden State Warriors: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
With all payouts listed, let's jump into our top NBA playoff predictions, including a favorite and long shot for each conference.
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Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Eastern Conference Favorite: Boston Celtics
Eastern Conference Winner: Yes 2.38x | No 1.53x
The Celtics are likely viewed by many as the favorites to emerge from the Eastern Conference. Boston possesses a well-rounded roster that has only gotten stronger as the 2025-26 season has progressed and could be primed for a run at the NBA Finals.
Boston was already a strong team before F Jayson Tatum made his miraculous return to the lineup in early March. Tatum had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during the 2025 postseason but was out of action for just 10 months.
Since returning to the lineup, Tatum has averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 32.9% on 3-pointers. The Celtics have been ramping up Tatum’s minutes recently, with the star forward averaging 36.2 minutes per contest over his last five games.
With Tatum getting closer to full strength, the Celtics become even more dangerous with a one-two punch of SG Jaylen Brown and Tatum. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Boston owns the second-best offensive rating (120.0), behind only the Denver Nuggets (121.2).
The Detroit Pistons may be the No. 1 seed in the East, but the Pistons have yet to make a deep playoff run with their current core of G Cade Cunningham, C Jalen Duren, and company. As a result, the Celtics are viewed as the favorite, considering that the majority of this core won an NBA title in 2024.
Eastern Conference Longshot: Atlanta Hawks
Eastern Conference Winner: Yes 16.66x | No 1.01x
The Eastern Conference has very talented teams at the top, but the Hawks could be a team that makes some noise in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Atlanta has an impressive mix of veterans and young talent, led by PF Jalen Johnson, SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and G CJ McCollum. The team made a bold choice to move on from star PG Trae Young during the 2025-26 season to build around Johnson, but it’s a move that’s paid off.
Johnson continues to establish himself as one of the NBA’s most versatile players as he leads Atlanta in points (22.5), rebounds (10.3), and assists per game (7.9). According to databallr, the 2021 first-round pick averages 18.8 potential assists per 100 possessions, ranking in the 97th percentile.
The Hawks also do a great deal of their damage from beyond the arc. In fact, Atlanta is shooting 37.1% from 3-point range this season, which ranks fifth. Six of Atlanta’s rotation players are knocking down 35.0% or more of their shots from deep.
Their length on defense can also cause problems for opposing teams, as the Hawks force 15.1 turnovers per contest (fifth-most). Atlanta G Dyson Daniels wreaks havoc in the passing lane with a team-high 2.0 steals per game, while five different Hawks average at least 1.0 steal per contest.
At the very least, it won’t be a huge surprise if the Hawks get the best of the New York Knicks in the opening round. This is an extremely athletic group that has the talent to make life difficult for many of the upper-tier teams in the Eastern Conference.
Western Conference Favorite: Oklahoma City Thunder
Western Conference Winner: Yes 1.63x | No 2.17x
The Thunder captured their first NBA title in franchise history in the 2024-25 season and are aiming to be the first back-to-back NBA champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
Oklahoma City posted the NBA’s best record at 64-18, accomplishing that while dealing with a myriad of injuries. G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G Jalen Williams, PF/C Chet Holmgren, and C Isaiah Hartenstein all missed significant periods of time this season.
Williams was limited to just 33 games as he dealt with wrist and hamstring injuries throughout the season. The Thunder star returned late in the regular season and averaged 15.4 PPG in seven games since returning to the lineup.
When healthy, it’s difficult to imagine many teams being able to contend with the Thunder in a seven-game series. After all, according to Advanced NBA Stats, Oklahoma City owns the top defensive rating (106.5) while holding its opponents to just 43.7% shooting from the field (first).
The Thunder's strong group of role players further adds to their case for another title, including G Alex Caruso, G Isaiah Joe, G Jared McCain, and G Cason Wallace.
With Gilgeous-Alexander having another MVP-caliber season, another spectacular postseason could be ahead. Considering the depth of this group, repeating as champs is certainly in the realm of possibilities.
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Western Conference Longshot: Houston Rockets
Western Conference Winner: Yes 16.66x | No 1.01x
There’s no doubt that the Western Conference is absolutely loaded. Despite being a No. 5 seed, the Rockets have the DNA to make a run this postseason.
The Rockets will take on the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round, but the Lakers will likely be without G Luka Doncic and SG Austin Reaves for the majority of that series. Missing two of its top three scorers, that will put Los Angeles at a huge disadvantage and perhaps give Houston a chance at a quick series.
One major advantage that the Rockets have is their defensive acumen. Houston is holding opponents to just 110.0 PPG (fourth-fewest) and 46.0% shooting (sixth). According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Rockets also own the fifth-best defensive rating (112.1) in the league.
From an offensive standpoint, the Rockets have constructed an impressive roster that has taken big strides this season. G Amen Thompson has become a more consistent scorer, raising his scoring average by over +4.0 points per game in 2025-26.
The X-factor for Houston could be G Reed Sheppard, who has enjoyed a spectacular sophomore campaign. After struggling as a rookie, Sheppard averages 13.5 PPG and 3.4 APG while knocking down 39.4% of his shots from beyond the arc.
If the Rockets take down the Lakers, they’d draw the Thunder in the conference semifinals, which would be a tall task. However, it’s an atmosphere that F Kevin Durant is very familiar with, and the Rockets were just an overtime possession away from taking two of the three regular-season meetings against the Thunder in the regular season.
Make NBA Playoff Picks on PrizePicks
The 2026 NBA Playoffs are loaded with several franchises that are capable of capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Which team will represent their respective conferences in the NBA Finals when the dust settles?
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