2026 NBA Playoff Brackets: Updated schedule, TV channels, scores for every playoff round originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The NBA playoffs are officially here. After a grueling 82-game regular season, the marathon has finally turned into a sprint as the field for the 2025-26 playoffs will be narrowed by the high-stakes test of the play-in rounds.
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In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have completed a historic comeback to claim the top seed, while the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers have also locked up their spots and are preparing for a deep run. In the West, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched the top seed, with the San Antonio Spurs not far behind.
With the first round officially kicking off on Saturday, April 18, the margin for error has disappeared and the race for the Larry O’Brien Trophy has finally begun.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 NBA Playoffs, from schedule to live broadcast information.
2026 NBA Playoff Brackets
Click here to view the 2026 NBA playoff brackets from The Sporting News and see the series schedule and scores below.
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Eastern Conference
-
(1) Pistons vs. (8) Magic
-
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Raptors
Western Conference
-
(1) Thunder vs. (8) Play-in rounds to be determined
Where to watch NBA Playoffs 2026: TV channels, live streams
-
TV channel: ABC | ESPN | NBC
NBA playoff games are broadcast by ABC, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video, but the NBA Finals remains exclusive to ABC. Fans have a variety of streaming options to watch the playoffs, including Prime, the ESPN app and Peacock, with each service showing specific games based on its broadcast rights.
All games broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NBC are also available on DIRECTV Stream.
Watch every game – try FREE DIRECTV today! Stream MLB, March Madness, football and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network—all included in DIRECTV.
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NBA Playoffs 2026: Updated schedule for each playoff round
Play-in round
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tuesday, April 14 |
Wasp 127Preliminary 126 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
Trail Blazers 114Sun 110 |
— |
— |
|
|
Wednesday, April 15 |
76ers 109Magic 97 |
— |
— |
|
Warriors 126Clippers 121 |
— |
— |
|
|
Friday, April 17 |
Magic 121Wasp 90 |
— |
— |
|
Suns vs. Warriors |
10pm |
High quality video |
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Pistons vs. (8) Magic
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunday, April 19 |
first game in detroit |
6:30 pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Wednesday, April 22nd |
game 2 in detroit |
7pm |
ESPN, ESPN App |
|
Saturday, April 25 |
Game 3 in Orlando |
1 p.m. |
Peacock |
|
Monday, April 27 |
Game 4 in Orlando |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Wednesday, April 29 |
Detroit Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Friday, May 1 |
Game 6 in Orlando* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
May 3 (Sunday) |
Detroit Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(2) Celtics vs. (7) 76ers
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunday, April 19 |
first game in boston |
1 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN Apps |
|
Tuesday, April 21st |
boston game 2 |
7pm |
Peacock |
|
Friday, April 24 |
Philadelphia Game 3 |
7pm |
High quality video |
|
April 26 (Sunday) |
philadelphia game 4 |
7pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Tuesday, April 28 |
Boston Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Thursday, April 30 |
Philadelphia Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Saturday, May 2 |
Boston Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(3) Knicks vs (6) Hawks
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Saturday, April 18 |
Game 1 takes place in New York |
6pm |
High quality video |
|
Monday, April 20 |
second game in new york |
8pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Thursday, April 23 |
Atlanta Game 3 |
7pm |
High quality video |
|
Saturday, April 25 |
Atlanta Game 4 |
6pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Tuesday, April 28 |
Game 5 in New York* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Thursday, April 30 |
Atlanta Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Saturday, May 2 |
Game 7 in New York* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Raptors
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Saturday, April 18 |
first game in cleveland |
1 p.m. |
High quality video |
|
Monday, April 20 |
cleveland game 2 |
7pm |
Peacock |
|
Thursday, April 23 |
Toronto Game 3 |
8pm |
High quality video |
|
April 26 (Sunday) |
Game 4 in Toronto |
1 p.m. |
ESPN, ESPN App |
|
Wednesday, April 29 |
Cleveland Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Friday, May 1 |
Game 6 in Toronto* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
May 3 (Sunday) |
Cleveland Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
Western Conference first round
(1) Thunder vs. (8) TBD
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunday, April 19 |
first game in oklahoma city |
3:30 pm |
ABC, ESPN Apps |
|
Wednesday, April 22nd |
Oklahoma City Game 2 |
9:30 pm |
ESPN, ESPN App |
|
Saturday, April 25 |
West Division 8 Game 3 |
3:30 pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Monday, April 27 |
Game 4 at West 8 |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Wednesday, April 29 |
Oklahoma City Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Friday, May 1 |
West Division 8 Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
May 3 (Sunday) |
Oklahoma City Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(2) Spurs vs. (7) Trail Blazers
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunday, April 19 |
first game in san antonio |
9pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Tuesday, April 21st |
Game 2 in San Antonio |
8pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Friday, April 24 |
Portland’s Game 3 |
10:30pm |
High quality video |
|
April 26 (Sunday) |
Portland’s Game 4 |
3:30 pm |
ESPN, ESPN App |
|
Tuesday, April 28 |
San Antonio Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Thursday,. April 30 |
Portland Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Saturday, May 2 |
San Antonio Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(3) Nuggets vs (6) Timberwolves
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Saturday, April 18 |
first game in denver |
3:30 pm |
High quality video |
|
Monday, April 20 |
game 2 in denver |
10:30pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Thursday, April 23 |
minnesota game 3 |
9:30 pm |
High quality video |
|
Saturday, April 25 |
minnesota game 4 |
8:30 pm |
ABC, ESPN Apps |
|
Monday, April 27 |
Denver Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Thursday, April 30 |
Minnesota Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Saturday, May 2 |
Denver Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
(4) Lakers vs (5) Rockets
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Saturday, April 18 |
Game 1 takes place in Los Angeles |
8:30 pm |
ABC, ESPN Apps |
|
Tuesday, April 21st |
Game 2 takes place in Los Angeles |
10:30pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Friday, April 24 |
Houston Game 3 |
8pm |
High quality video |
|
April 26 (Sunday) |
Game 4 in Houston |
9:30 pm |
nbc, peacock |
|
Wednesday, April 29 |
Los Angeles Game 5* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
Friday, May 1 |
Houston Game 6* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
|
May 3 (Sunday) |
Los Angeles Game 7* |
To be determined |
To be determined |
* If necessary
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2026 NBA Playoffs round-by-round schedule
-
Finalists: April 14-17
-
Conference semi-finals: May 4-5 (possibly moved to May 2-3)
-
Conference finals: May 19-20 (possibly moved to May 17-18)
-
NBA Finals: June 3-June 19
