
NBA Playoff Picture 2026, Updated Bracket, Standings After Pistons Clinch No. 1 Seed
The Detroit Pistons dealt with Cade Cunningham's collapsed lung down the stretch of the regular season, but the team will nonetheless enter the playoffs atop the Eastern Conference.
Detroit clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the East on Saturday with a 116-93 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Here are the updated standings in each conference:
Eastern Conference
- Detroit PistonsĀ (57-21) ā Clinched No. 1 seed
- Boston CelticsĀ (52-25) ā Clinched playoff berth
- New York KnicksĀ (50-28) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Cleveland CavaliersĀ (48-29) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Atlanta Hawks (45-33)
- Toronto RaptorsĀ (43-34)Ā
- Philadelphia 76ersĀ (43-35)
- Charlotte HornetsĀ (42-36)
- Orlando MagicĀ (41-36)
- Miami HeatĀ (41-37)
- Milwaukee BucksĀ (30-47) ā Eliminated
- Chicago BullsĀ (29-48) ā Eliminated
- Indiana PacersĀ (18-59)Ā ā Eliminated
- Brooklyn NetsĀ (18-59)Ā ā Eliminated
- Washington WizardsĀ (17-60)Ā ā Eliminated
Western Conference
- Oklahoma City ThunderĀ (61-16)Ā ā Clinched playoff berth
- San Antonio SpursĀ (59-19) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Los Angeles LakersĀ (50-27) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Denver Nuggets (50-28) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Houston RocketsĀ (48-29) ā Clinched playoff berth
- Minnesota Timberwolves (46-31)
- Phoenix SunsĀ (42-35)
- Portland Trail BlazersĀ (40-38)
- Los Angeles ClippersĀ (39-38)
- Golden State WarriorsĀ (36-41)
- Memphis GrizzliesĀ (25-52) ā Eliminated
- New Orleans PelicansĀ (25-53) ā Eliminated
- Dallas MavericksĀ (24-53) ā Eliminated
- Sacramento KingsĀ (21-57)Ā ā Eliminated
- Utah JazzĀ (21-57)Ā ā Eliminated
Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung on March 19 and was scheduled to be reevaluated in two weeks, setting him up to miss at least eight games. While Detroit was just a win away from clinching their playoff berth at the time, it put their chances of holding onto the top overall seed in the Eastern Conference in peril, with the Boston Celtics lurking.
Cunningham is unquestionably the team's most important player, averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists this season. His absence has put major pressure on players like Jalen Duren, Ausar ThompsonĀ and Tobias Harris to carry a heavier load.
The team also missed Isaiah Stewart down the stretch, with the hope that both he and Cunningham would be fully healed before the postseason.
Detroit returned to the playoffs last year, ending a five-season drought. While the young Pistons were eliminated in the first round, they gave the veteran Knicks all they could handle before bowing out in a tightly-contested six games.
This time around, the Pistons will be the favored team in the East, assuming they return to full health.


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