New 2026 NBA Playoff Bracket Predictions
We're in for a wild month-and-a-half in the NBA, as nearly every playoff seed has yet to be locked in.
The Detroit Pistons look comfortable as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, although the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers are locked in a close battle for No. 2.
Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs are closer than they appear in the Oklahoma City Thunder's mirror out West, while seeds Nos. 3 through 5 are separated by just one game.
Based on current records, players missing/returning due to injury, remaining strength of schedule and other factors, here's a best guess at how the 2026 NBA playoff bracket will look.
East: (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
1 of 8
Cleveland Cavaliers
Current Record/Seed: 39-24, 4th in East
This isn't where the Cavs wanted to be after 64 wins and a No. 1 seed in the East last year, although a second-round meeting with the Detroit Pistons while skipping the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics wouldn't be the worst postseason path to navigate.
Cleveland has the easiest remaining schedule of any East team, yet Donovan Mitchell is currently sidelined with a right groin strain while James Harden is trying to play through a fractured thumb.
The Cavs are just 5-3 since the All-Star break as they navigate injuries to key players.
Toronto Raptors
Current Record/Seed: 35-27, 5th in East
A strong defense should punch the Raptors' postseason ticket for the first time in four years, as there's no one behind them in the East standings playing great basketball right now.
All-Stars Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes will be a formidable duo to go up against, especially for a Cavs team that's especially short on wing size after trading De'Andre Hunter.
Cleveland has more postseason experience recently, however, and would get home-court advantage in this potential matchup.
East: (3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers
2 of 8
Boston Celtics
Current Record/Seed: 41-21, 2nd in East
News of Jayson Tatum's return from a ruptured Achilles after roughly 10 months could throw a grenade in the East playoff picture, although it won't stop Boston from falling to the No. 3 seed now.
Tatum isn't going to look great in his return, and the Celtics will bring him along slowly as they keep the bigger picture in mind. Boston also has the hardest remaining schedule of any Eastern Conference team, including a pair of contests against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Getting Tatum back will tremendously improve the Celtics' title chances, even if it means taking a step back during the regular season.
Philadelphia 76ers
Current Record/Seed: 34-28, 6th in East
The 76ers may limp into the playoffs, but Tyrese Maxey will make sure they get there.
Paul George is out serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program. Joel Embiid (oblique) and VJ Edgecombe (back) are banged up and the Sixers have taken some substantial losses lately.
Philly does have a favorable schedule moving forward, however, and teams below them like the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat have struggled lately as well. The 76ers hold on to the final guaranteed playoff spot, but not by much.
East: (2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Charlotte Hornets
3 of 8
New York Knicks
Current Record/Seed: 40-23, 3rd in East
A number of factors will contribute to the Knicks finishing as the No. 2 team in the East.
Only the Cleveland Cavaliers have an easier remaining schedule in the East than New York, as the Knicks don't have any more games against the Detroit Pistons or Cavs while facing the Boston Celtics just once (April 9).
The Celtics will be re-working Jayson Tatum back into the lineup, which won't look pretty to start. There will be a real adjustment period, leading to some bumpy play during the regular season. Boston also has the toughest remaining schedule of any East team.
New York will leapfrog their East rivals, setting up a second-round clash.
Charlotte Hornets
Current Record/Seed: 32-31, 9th in East
Had the Charlotte Hornets begun their season with a starting five of LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté, they might be a top-4 team in the East.
This lineup has an other-worldly net rating of plus-31.2 in 609 total possessions, the highest of any five-man unit in the NBA (min. 200 possessions per Cleaning the Glass).
Since 2026 began, the Hornets are tied for the league's best record (21-9) and have the highest net rating (plus-11.9). They'll climb a few spots from the No. 9 seed, winning their first play-in game and returning to the postseason for the first time in a decade.
East: (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
4 of 8
Detroit Pistons
Current Record/Seed: 45-16, 1st in East
The Pistons can finish with the best overall record in the NBA, as they've done a complete 180 from two years ago.
Some recent losses to good teams (Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs twice) don't have Detroit in any danger of giving up the No. 1 seed in the East, as they still have a 4.5 game lead over the second-place Boston Celtics. Young, hungry and eager to prove they belong, the Pistons will take the rest of the regular season very seriously.
With the third-easiest remaining schedule of any East team and no games left against the Celtics, New York Knicks or Cavs, Detroit will remain in cruise control.
Atlanta Hawks
Current Record/Seed: 32-31, 10th in East
The Hawks are 15-10 overall with the eighth-best defense in the NBA since trading Trae Young and are riding a five-game win streak.
This is a really fun team, fueled by All-Star Jalen Johnson's overall play, CJ McCollum's scoring and leadership, Dyson Daniels' lockdown defense and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the second-most underrated player in the league.
Swapping Kristaps Porziņģis' part-time availability for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield was a tremendous move, as Kuminga is already averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and shooting 67.7 percent overall as a Hawk.
Atlanta will work their way through the play-in tournament and into the postseason.
West: (4) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (5) Houston Rockets
5 of 8
Minnesota Timberwolves
Current Record/Seed: 40-23, 3rd in West
The Wolves have been playing some good basketball lately, rattling off five straight wins and climbing up to the No. 3 spot in a loaded West.
Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota's big trade deadline acquisition, has been heating up recently as he becomes more acclimated. The 26-year-old is averaging 11.2 points on 54.0 percent shooting overall and 45.5 percent from three over his last six games, giving the Wolves a reliable guard off the bench.
Unfortunately, Minnesota has the fourth-toughest record in the NBA moving forward and have the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets nipping at their heels. They'll eventually settle into the four seed with home-court advantage in the first round.
Houston Rockets
Current Record/Seed: 38-23, 4th in West
Guard play is ultimately going to prevent the Rockets from winning the title and finishing any higher than the No. 5 seed in the West.
There's a lot to like about this team, although choosing to do nothing at the trade deadline with a 37-year-old Kevin Durant was a baffling decision. Houston doesn't shoot nearly enough threes and have the third-highest turnover percentage in the NBA.
With a schedule that still includes the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Timberwolves (twice), Houston will have to open up the playoffs on the road.
West: (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Los Angeles Lakers
6 of 8
Denver Nuggets
Current Record/Seed: 39-24, 5th in West
Expect a late season surge by the Nuggets, as Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson are nearing returns from hamstring injuries.
Denver is 17-6 with Gordon in the lineup this season and Watson is having the best year of his career with 14.9 points on 41.7 percent shooting from three.
The Nuggets are too far behind to catch the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs, although they will come away with the No. 3 seed now with a healthy squad.
Los Angeles Lakers
Current Record/Seed: 37-25, 6th in West
Following a 15-4 start to the year the Lakers are just 22-21 overall, essentially playing .500 basketball since Dec. 1.
That's a concerning sample size, and one that doesn't suggest that LA is going to climb any higher than the No. 6 seed they currently find themselves in. Luka Dončić may lead the NBA in scoring this season, yet the lineups with him and LeBron James carry a net rating of minus-1.8 overall in 1,773 total possessions.
The Lakers are headed towards another early playoff exit and will need to do some major remodeling this summer around their new franchise star.
West: (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Phoenix Suns
7 of 8
Oklahoma City Thunder
Current Record/Seed: 49-15, 1st in West
The Thunder's reign in the West finally comes to an end, if only for the regular season.
OKC has a three-game lead over the Spurs, although the Thunder are staring down the NBA's second-toughest remaining schedule. They still have to play teams like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics (twice), New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets (twice). Only four of their remaining 18 games are against teams out of the playoff or play-in picture.
Following a 24-1 start to the year, the Thunder are 25-14, tying them with the Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves for the sixth-best record in the NBA since Dec. 11.
Phoenix Suns
Current Record/Seed: 35-27, 2nd in West
The Suns have overcome injuries all season, yet are now without Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams. A healthy Jalen Green hasn't contributed much to winning yet, as he's averaging just 13.8 points on 29.7 percent shooting overall and 16.3 percent from three over his last six games.
Still, no one in the middle of the West is playing great basketball right now and both Brooks and Williams should be back in time for the play-in tournament.
The Suns stay afloat for now and win their first play-in game, giving them the No. 7 seed in the West where they'll be less than thrilled to meet the defending champs.
West: (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
8 of 8
San Antonio Spurs
Current Record/Seed: 45-17, 2nd in West
Could the Spurs really go from the third-worst record in the West a year ago to the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA's toughest conference now? With Victor Wembanyama, anything is possible.
Ever since their shocking upset win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup, the Spurs have posted the best record in the league (28-10) and have lost just a single game since January.
Don't let the youth on this team fool you. There's a good mixture of veterans, some elite young talent and the NBA's biggest cheat code roaming the paint. The Spurs will finish with the No. 1 seed in the West.
Los Angeles Clippers
Current Record/Seed: 30-31, 9th in West
The Clippers aced the trade deadline and will still clinch a spot in the West playoffs even after trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac.
Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 19.2 points in his first nine games in Los Angeles. Darius Garland recently returned from a toe injury. Kawhi Leonard still looks like one of the best basketball players on the planet.
Los Angeles has the third-easiest remaining schedule of any Western Conference team and has seven remaining games against the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies, all of whom are in full tank mode.
