NBA Official 2026 NBA Playoffs Thread

[spursistan]

The annual all-encompassing Playoffs thread is here.

Post in your predictions

East Play-in

Sixers over Magic
Heat over Hornets
--
Heat over Magic

Eastern Conference First Round

(1) Pistons over (8) Heat in 5
(2) Celtics over (7) Sixers in 5
(3) Knicks over (6) Hawks in 6
(4) Cavs over (5) Raptors in 6


Easter Conference Semifinals

(4) Cavs over (1) Pistons in 7
(2) Celtics over (3) Knicks in 6

Easter Conference Finals

(2) Celtics over (4) Cavs in 6

--

West Play-in

Suns over Blazers
Clippers over Warriors
--
Clippers over Blazers

Western Conference First Round


(1) Thunder over (8) Clippers in 4
(2) Spurs over (7) Suns in 6
(3) Nuggets over (6) Wolves in 6
(5) Rockets over (4) Lakers in 6

Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Thunder over (5) Rockets in 5
(3) Nuggets over (2) Spurs in 5

Western Conference Finals

(1) Thunder over (3) Nuggets in 6


Finals


(1) Thunder over (2) Celtics in 6

 

[Correct Crusader]

Spurs in 16 tbh

 

[timtonymanu]

Won’t do an entire bracket prediction but my head tells me Nuggets/Celtics final with Nuggets winning. Getting a 2011 Mavs vibe from the Nuggets, tbh.

My heart wants to believe it’s Spurs Celtics for the finals.

 

[spursistan]

Picking Nuggets over Spurs in 5. I'm completely shook by this match-up, i admit it. The players appear to have lost belief against them. Just couldn't stop them all season long no matter who is out there

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043527207193112690

 

[Robz4000]

EC:

Play-in Tournament-
Sixers over Magic
Hornets over Heat

Hornets over Magic

Playoffs-
Pistons over Hornets in 7
Celtics over Sixers in 5
Knicks over Hawks in 6
Cavs over Raptors in 6

Pistons over Cavs in 7
Celtics over Knicks in 5

Celtics over Pistons in 6

WC:

Play-in Tournament-
Suns over Guests
Dubs over Clippers

Dubs over Guests

Playoffs-
Thunder over Dubs in 5
Spurs over Suns in 7
Nuggets over T'Pups in 5
Rockets over Lakers in 4

Thunder over Rockets in 5
Nuggets over Spurs in 6

Nuggets over Thunder in 6

Finals:

Nuggets over Celtics in 6

 

[Robz4000]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043527207193112690

Damn, gotta wait all weekend. Was 90% sure they'd be opening on Saturday.

 

[SpursFan86]

So excited to see the Spurs back in the playoffs and get our first glimpse of playoff Wemby.

Would prefer Portland but think we should win in 5 either way.

 

[STAT88]

As a basketball fan I’m really looking forward to the Minny-Denver series.

It does feel like Denver is on a mission this year and they could put this Minny matchup curse to bed and roll through the Wolves in 5 or 6. But I could also see it going 7.

Most of all, looking forward to the Spurs back in the playoffs. One series at a time.

 

[Mugen]

Yeah at least the matchups are at least more exciting with the Spurs shitting the bed tonight tbh

 

[100%Duncan]

Here we gooooo. Good to be fucking back

 

[Kick-Stand]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043527207193112690

After years of getting the 2pm siesta Saturday game it's weird to see a prime time Sunday game to open the playoffs.

 

[100%Duncan]

After years of getting the 2pm siesta Saturday game it's weird to see a prime time Sunday game to open the playoffs.

Wemby effect tbh

 

[TDomination]

We’re back! The opportunity to feel real pain from a loss is a welcome sight. Every loss for the past 7-8 years all felt like meh, like it doesn’t matter or was even welcomed in our lottery years. But now, we want 16 wins and we have a team that can do it. So the losses will hurt. And I’m glad to be in that position once again!

 

[Kick-Stand]

EC:

Play-in Tournament-
Sixers over Magic
Hornets over Heat

Hornets over Magic

Playoffs-
Pistons over Hornets 4-2
Celtics over Sixers in 4-0
Hawks over Knicks 4-2
Cavs over Raptors 4-1

Pistons over Cavs 4-2
Celtics over Hawks 4-2

Pistons over Celtics 4-3

WC:

Play-in Tournament-
Suns over Blazers
Clippers over Warriors

Clippers over Blazers

Playoffs-
Thunder over Clippers 4-1
Spurs over Suns 4-2
Nuggets over Wolves 4-2
Rockets over Lakers 4-0

Thunder over Rockets 4-0
Spurs over Nuggets 4-3

Thunder over Spurs 4-3

Finals:

Thunder over Pistons 4-1

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

go wolves!!

 

[Naga]

I think it was a mistake to not take the final game as a must win. They almost certainly will not win a chip with this gauntlet ahead of them but I am excited to watch the playoffs again!

As long as we get to the second round this season was a huge success!

 

[Snake Eyes]

The Spurs will have a full week of rest. It will do several players good to heal up. Need Harper’s them to be a minor issue and a week helps. They’re not going too far without him.

 

[Correct Crusader]

I'm not gonna pencil in Denver making it to the second round, that wolves team has beaten them before.

 

[Goliath]

EC:

Play-in Tournament-
Sixers over Magic
Hornets over Heat

Hornets over Magic

Playoffs-
Pistons over Hornets 4-2
Celtics over Sixers in 4-2
Hawks over Knicks 4-2
Cavs over Raptors 4-1

Pistons over Cavs 4-2
Celtics over Hawks 4-2

Celtics over Pistons 4-2

WC:

Play-in Tournament-
Suns over Blazers
Clippers over Warriors

Clippers over Blazers

Playoffs-
Thunder over Clippers 4-2
Spurs over Suns 4-1
Wolves over Nuggets 4-3
Rockets over Lakers 4-1

Thunder over Rockets 4-1
Spurs over Wolves 4-2

Spurs over Thunder 4-2

Finals:

Spurs over Celtics 4-2

 

[Mugen]

Pretty early so might do a revised bracket before Round 1 kicks off, but gonna go with:

EC:

1st Round

• Pistons over Hornets 5
• Celtics over Sixers 4
• Knicks over Hawks 6
• Cavs over Raptors 6

2nd Round

• Pistons over Cavs 5
• Celtics over Knicks 6

ECF

• Celtics over Pistons 6

WC:

1st Round

• Thunder over Clippers in 5
• Spurs over Suns in 6
• Nuggets over Wolves in 7
• Rockets over Lakers in 5

2nd Round

• Thunder over Rockets in 5
• Nuggets over Spurs in 6

WCF

• Thunder over Nuggets in 6

Finals

Thunder over Celtics in 6 tbh

 

[DaSlicer]

Pretty early so might do a revised bracket before Round 1 kicks off, but gonna go with:

EC:

1st Round

• Pistons over Hornets 5
• Celtics over Sixers 4
• Knicks over Hawks 6
• Cavs over Raptors 6

2nd Round

• Pistons over Cavs 5
• Celtics over Knicks 6

ECF

• Celtics over Pistons 6

WC:

1st Round

• Thunder over Clippers in 5
• Spurs over Suns in 6
• Nuggets over Wolves in 7
• Rockets over Lakers in 5

2nd Round

• Thunder over Rockets in 5
• Nuggets over Spurs in 6

WCF

• Thunder over Nuggets in 6

Finals

Thunder over Celtics in 6 tbh

Celtics are grossly overrated. They are going to lose to the Knicks again in round 2 just like they did last year.

 

[Mugen]

Celtics are grossly overrated. They are going to lose to the Knicks again in round 2 just like they did last year.

Wouldn't be surprising as their C rotation can definitely be exposed. I just don't think the Pistons nor the Knicks have enough ballhandlers/playmakers to survive Boston's perimeter defense tbh. If Cade and Brunson are slowed, I'm not sure who picks up the slack on their respective teams.

 

[scott]

Eastern Conference basketball is just so incredibly uninteresting to watch outside of Charlotte and (tbh) Atlanta this year. I haven’t watched much of TOR, maybe they’re interesting too? I just hate watching any Knicks game.

 

[Mugen]

Eastern Conference basketball is just so incredibly uninteresting to watch outside of Charlotte and (tbh) Atlanta this year. I haven’t watched much of TOR, maybe they’re interesting too? I just hate watching any Knicks game.

2nd Round of the East should be fun tbh.