Predictions for 2026 NBA Playoff Bracket Picture, Play-In Games and Final Seedings

The NBA Playoff picture is taking shape, with the best teams in the league establishing their seeds in the bracket while those clinging to their postseason lives fight for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.

Which teams sit where as the 2025-26 NBA regular season enters its final stretch and which teams will emerge from the Play-In with the final two playoff seeds in their respective conferences?

Find out in this preview.

Current Eastern Conference Standings

Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

1. Detroit Pistons (55-21)

2. Boston Celtics (50-25)

3. New York Knicks (48-28)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (47-29)

5. Atlanta Hawks (43-33)

6. Toronto Raptors (42-33)

7. TBD

8. TBD

Play-In Tournament Match-Ups

7. Philadelphia 76ers (41-34) vs. 8. Orlando Magic (40-35)

9. Miami Heat (40-36) vs. 10. Charlotte Hornets (40-36)

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

11. Milwaukee Bucks (30-45)

12. Chicago Bears (29-46)

13. Brooklyn Nets (18-58)

14. Washington Wizards (17-58)

15. Indiana Pacers (17-58)

Current Western Conference Standings

Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (60-19)

2. San Antonio Spurs (58-17)

3. Los Angeles Lakers (50-26)

4. Denver Nuggets (48-28)

5. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-29)

6. Houston Rockets (46-29)

7. TBD

8. TBD

Play-In Tournament Match-Ups

7. Phoenix Suns (42-34) vs. 8. Los Angeles Clippers (39-37)

9. Portland Trailblazers vs. 10. Golden State Warriors (36-39)

Eliminated From Playoff Contention

11. Memphis Grizzlies (25-50)

12. New Orleans Pelicans (25-51)

13. Dallas Mavericks (24-52)

14. Utah Jazz (21-55)

15. Sacramento Kings (19-57)

Eastern Conference Play-In Predictions

Rich Storry/Getty Images

The Philadelphia 76ers are the best team in the Play-In Tournament. They are healthy, the most talented, and are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

On paper, they can beat any team they run up against.

With that said, the idea that the team remains healthy long enough to make a substantial playoff push is somewhat of a long shot given their history.

The March 29 return of Tyrese Maxey from a finger injury marked the first time since January 29 that he shared the floor with Joel Embiid and Paul George. Before that, the latter had been suspended for violating the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Embiid, the former league MVP, missed 13 games due to an oblique injury.

The only team in the play-in scenario hotter than the Sixers is Charlotte, who has gone 7-3 in their last 10 games.

While they are a fun bunch of young players to watch, they lack experience and physicality. Still, when compared to Miami and Orlando, they are playing the best of the bunch and will have as strong a shot as any to cash their ticket to the postseason.

Do not discount the Heat, though, who have a habit of showing up come playoff time, thanks in large part to the coaching of the great Erik Spoelstra.

Prediction: Sixers, Hornets advance to the playoffs, with Philadelphia as the No. 7 seed and Charlotte as the No. 8

Western Conference Play-In Predictions

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

This is one of the worst Golden State teams we have seen since Steph Curry arrived. While there is something to be said about his big game experience if and when he returns to the court, there is only so much he can do to help elevate a team that definitely does not look like a playoff squad this season.

They should be the first team eliminated.

The Trail Blazers are playing better than the Clippers and Suns at this point, going 7-3 in their last 10, but in a big game setting, those two teams seem more poised to make a push into the postseason than the mostly untested Portland squad.

The Suns have the home court advantage in the play-in and are healthy. They also have Devin Booker, who has advanced deep into the postseason in his career averaging 25.8 points per game.

That should be enough to take them over a Clippers team that has not advanced out of the first round of the postseason since 2021, the same year the Suns lost the NBA Finals. With that said, Los Angeles will beat Portland for the final spot in the playoffs.

Prediction: Phoenix claims the No. 7 seed and Los Angeles secures the No. 8 seed