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Predictions for Every Set Round 2 NBA Playoffs Series
At long last, amidst a seemingly endless slew of first-round games, Round 2 of the 2026 NBA playoffs is forming.
Ever the punctual hoops junkies, we, too, are ready for the Conference Semifinals.
Let's celebrate that preparedness with a fresh batch of series predictions.
Everything is on the table. Injuries, individual matchups, first-round developments, longstanding flaws and strengths, slumps, hot streaks, coaching, vibes—they all shape these decisions.
So, which squads are destined to crack the conference finals? To the crystal ball!
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (4) Los Angeles Lakers
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Congratulations to the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers for beating the zombies-in-training Houston Rockets. Their reward for navigating the vast majority of that series without either Austin Reaves or Luka Dončić? The right to get gobsmacked by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Getting Austin Reaves back provides the Lakers with much-needed offensive relief. It won't matter. Not against this Thunder defense. Los Angeles coughed up the ball on over 20 percent of its offensive possessions entering Game 6 of its series versus Houston. Oklahoma City's sprawling, physical, blanking machine is going to eat them alive, just a little more slowly now that LeBron James has a more adequate ball-handling partner in Reaves.
The calculus changes considerably if Dončić returns from his Grade 2 hamstring strain anytime soon. It just doesn't sound like that's happening. Even if it does, that merely gives the Lakers a path to more efficient, controlled offense. It does not help them guard Oklahoma City.
The Thunder can overwhelm the Lakers with size by running Chet Holmgren-Isaiah Hartenstein frontcourt. Or they can attempt to athletic them out of the gym. Or they can just wait for Los Angeles' set defense to wilt under the weight of their options.
Marcus Smart has been fantastic, but giving him the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assignment is just mean. If by some miracle he turns the likely MVP into a regular human, the Lakers don't have the bodies to throw at everyone else. Their job gets a little easier if Jalen Williams remains out with his own left hamstring strain (Grade 1), but Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes aren't derailing Chet or Hartenstein.
The Lakers could even struggle to cobble together an answer for Ajay Mitchell. And any defensive solutions they do uncork will invariably come at the expense of the spacing or offense at large.
Predicting a sweep feels like the right call. But, because the Thunder may not suit up J-Dub—and also because LeBron may have a 40-point triple-double in him—I'll take a more gentlemanly approach.
Prediction: Thunder in 5
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
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This should be the most compelling second-round series on the menu—provided the Minnesota Timberwolves are healthy enough.
Anthony Edwards suffered a left knee injury in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets and hasn't played since. Donte DiVincenzo is done for the postseason with an Achilles injury. Ayo Dosunmu is dealing with a calf strain and didn't play Game 6 versus Denver. Naz Reid is seemingly playing on one shoulder.
The San Antonio Spurs' job gets much easier if Edwards, specifically, isn't ready to rock. No one wants that—including Victor Wembanyama. Or rather, especially Victor Wembanyama.
Minnesota will have a tough enough time scoring in the half-court with Edwards. Life can devolve into hell without him. At the same time, the Wolves are more equipped than years past to find buckets independent of him.
Dosunmu has to be healthy, and they may need Bones Hyland in small batches. Mostly, though, the optimism comes down to Julius Randle's physicality against a not-exactly-girthy Spurs squad, and Jaden McDaniels' year-over-year scoring improvement. The latter development is huge. McDaniels has a better handle and more in-between counters than he did a couple of years ago. He shot 9-of-14 in the half-court from mid-range against the Nuggets.
Granted, San Antonio's defense isn't Denver's defense. In-between opportunities won't come as easy with Wemby on the court. Minnesota must hope to keep the Spurs' offense in check to swing the upset, a tall order that comes down to a fundamental question: Do the Wolves tie Rudy Gobert to Wembanyama or put him on Stephon Castle and let him roam?
Even with Castle shooting over 40 percent from three, yours truly leans toward the latter. San Antonio is teeming with guys comfortable getting downhill and attacking the basket and/or downing looks in the paint. Gobert will have an easier time taking those away if Minnesota sacrifices Randle to the Wemby assignment.
We've spent a ton of time thinking about how the Wolves approach this one. That ultimately says it all.
Minnesota has proven to be switch-flippers this time of year, with or without Edwards. But the Spurs are the healthier, deeper and better team. They will have more counters for the Wolves' athletic perimeter defense, and containing Minny's offense even when it runs jumbo-sized lineups won't be much of an issue when they have Castle and Dylan Harper to contain ball-handlers.
The romantic in me believes Edwards will play and be good, and that the Wolves make this interesting. Just not interesting enough.
Prediction: Spurs in 6
Dan Favale is a National NBA Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.
