The first round of the NBA Playoffs produced quite a bit of chaos and a few unexpected results. In fact, one of the top perceived NBA Finals contenders was eliminated when the Boston Celtics were sent packing by the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the opening round officially in the books, it’s time to shift the focus towards the conference semifinals, which feature some very tantalizing matchups.
Below, find our NBA Playoffs predictions for each series during the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals. Make your NBA Playoff predictions on PrizePicks. From game winners to series and NBA Finals champs, you can earn money if you’re right.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Western Conference Semifinals Predictions
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers
A season removed from winning the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder racked up the most wins (64) in the NBA during the regular season. In the opening round of the playoffs, Oklahoma City dominated the Phoenix Suns in a four-game sweep.
According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Thunder have recorded the league’s top offensive rating (126.9) this postseason. This is a group that has been among the most dangerous offenses all year.
Health may be the biggest storyline, with SF Jalen Williams currently sidelined with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. Williams suffered the injury in Game 2 of the team’s opening-round series and has been out ever since.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers were also affected by the injury bug against the Houston Rockets. Los Angeles was without PG Luka Doncic (hamstring) for the entire series, while SG Austin Reaves missed the first four games with an oblique issue. Doncic could miss the first few games of this series at the very least.
The Thunder dominated the regular-season set with a 4-0 record against the Lakers, and Williams missed two of those contests. While the Lakers may keep things interesting, the Thunder shouldn’t have too much trouble.
Prediction: Thunder win in six games
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
The San Antonio Spurs have looked like an absolute juggernaut throughout the 2025-26 season. Despite splitting their opening two games against the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio was still able to come away with a 4-1 series win.
C Victor Wembanyama missed two games while in concussion protocol. However, it was clear that Wembanyama wasn’t fazed by the bright lights in his first postseason action, averaging 21.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks in three outings.
The difference could come down to what kind of production the Minnesota Timberwolves can muster from their backcourt. SG Donte DiVincenzo tore his Achilles in the first round against the Denver Nuggets, and SG Anthony Edwards is dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee.
If Edwards can return early in the series, it'd give a feisty Timberwolves team a fighting chance.
It’s admirable what the Timberwolves were able to accomplish against the Nuggets, but that is where the Cinderella story ends. The Spurs are dominant on both ends of the floor and were able to get some rest before the Western Conference semifinals. San Antonio projects to utilize its depth and take care of business.
Prediction: Spurs win in six games
Eastern Conference Semifinals Predictions
No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers
The top-seeded Detroit Pistons were taken to the limit by the Orlando Magic and even looked like they were going to be sent home early. However, the Pistons showcased the tenacity that earned them the East’s top seed this postseason.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers were also given quite a fight against the Toronto Raptors in a seven-game classic. Cleveland ultimately produced a dominant second-half performance in Game 7 to advance.
It’s no secret that the Pistons are stingy on the defensive end, allowing a playoff-best 98.3 PPG. However, Detroit looked to be going through the motions at times offensively and is going to need more production out of star C Jalen Duren (9.8 PPG in round one).
The Cavaliers can be an offensive powerhouse with their dynamic backcourt of PG James Harden and SG Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland owns the fourth-best effective field goal percentage (55.3%) throughout the postseason thus far.
The Pistons trailed their opening-round series 3-1 and looked downright underwhelming at times. With that in mind, the Cavaliers have the depth to take what could be a long series.
Prediction: Cavaliers win in seven games
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
In the most shocking result of the first round, the 76ers were able to topple the No. 2 seed Celtics despite the Celtics jumping out to a 3-1 series lead. For the first time since C Joel Embiid landed in Philadelphia, the 76ers were able to defeat the Celtics in the NBA Playoffs.
Embiid missed the opening three games due to an appendectomy, and his presence was sorely missed. Upon returning to the court, he averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists and put together a performance for the ages in Game 7.
On the other hand, the New York Knicks found themselves trailing the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 but rallied to win three consecutive games to close out the opening-round series. New York flexed its offensive muscles, racking up 117.8 PPG (second among playoff teams).
If Embiid can remain healthy, the 76ers have all the makings of a team that can take down the Knicks. The true X-factor could be SG VJ Edgecombe, who locked up Celtics SG Derrick White in Saturday’s Game 7 and has thrived offensively.
While the Knicks are strong defensively, the 76ers also take excellent care of the basketball with a playoff-low 9.7 turnovers per contest. The turnover battle could be the difference in what figures to be a heavyweight battle, but the 76ers might have what it takes to pull out the series victory.
Prediction: 76ers win in seven games
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make NBA Playoff Predictions on PrizePicks
The NBA Playoff field has been cut in half. Will the Western Conference’s top two seeds be victorious in the semifinal round? Which Eastern Conference teams will keep their postseason journeys alive?
Get the full 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket here, and make your own predictions throughout the postseason. 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.
