Predicting The 2026 NBA Playoffs
April 14th, 2026
By Alan Lu
With the NBA regular season having wrapped, the postseason is right around the corner as we’re heading into the play-in tournament, as those games are underway.
Here are my picks as to who may win the whole thing this year.
2026 Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament Picks:
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat
The Charlotte Hornets are a talented young team that has really improved in Charles Lee’s second season coaching them. They have a high-powered offense led by LaMelo Ball, and the addition of Kon Knueppel has really helped them generate things for them. They also have solid forwards in Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, and the Hornets have developed into a sneaky good team that at least will be a tough out in the playoffs.
The Miami Heat are an above average team that boasts having a superstar center in Bam Adebayo, who famously scored 83 points in a win over the Washington Wizards, and they also have some very talented young players in Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, and Ke’lel Ware.
It’ll be a close one and it’s tempting to pick Miami, especially since Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in that one game, but I think I’ll pick the Charlotte Hornets to edge out the Heat.
PREDICTION: The Charlotte Hornets win.
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
The Philadelphia 76ers are a talented team that has struggled with injuries, but star guard Tyrese Maxey and rising rookie V.J. Edgecombe lead the way for them, as they boast having the coaching and the depth to make a run in the postseason. However, Joel Embiid has struggled with injuries and isn’t expected to play.
The Orlando Magic are a solid defensive team that boasts having a strong core in Paulo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs, and they are a talented team that has the potential to go further than most people expect in the playoffs.
PREDICTION: The Orlando Magic win.
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (9) The Charlotte Hornets
If Joel Embiid can come back fully healthy, I’d give the edge to the 76ers here. But the 76ers have been far too injury plagued and inconsistent to lean on them as a consistent pick, and the Hornets are a surging team on the upswing.
PREDICTION: The Charlotte Hornets win.
2026 Western Conference Play-in Tournament Picks
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
The Suns are a solid defensive team powered by the surplus of offensive talent led by Devin Booker. The Blazers are an over-achieving young team led by new All-Star Deni Avdija, and two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday, as they have a surplus of defensive talent, and have done better than anyone ever expected. That said, I feel like the Suns will probably win this one.
PREDICTION: Phoenix Suns win.
(9) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have a renowned coach in Steve Kerr, as well as superstars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green that have guided them very far in the past. However, they’ve been injury riddled and have struggled to be consistently productive this year. And unfortunately, the Warriors’ best days look to be behind them.
The Los Angeles Clippers have a solid offense led by Kawhi Leonard, Darius Garland, and Bennedict Mathurin. It’ll be a close one, but the Clippers could have the edge in defeating the Warriors in this game.
PREDICTION: Clippers win.
(9) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have done far better than anyone expected and their defense is definitely a strength, but the Clippers have a star-studded group of veterans led by the usually reliable Kawhi Leonard, which may make this game anyone’s guess.
PREDICTION: Portland Trail Blazers win.
2026 Eastern Conference 1st Round Picks
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets
The Detroit Pistons are a tremendous defensive team that have had sterling seasons out of superstar point forward Cade Cunningham and star center Jalen Duren, and they boast having one of the best one, two combos in the league. They have added shooting, and have a lot of depth and ample firepower. They’ll need Cade Cunningham to be fully healthy. If they can overcome their relative inexperience, the Pistons could end up making a serious run for the title this year.
PREDICTION: Detroit Pistons in 6 games
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic
The Boston Celtics are a very skilled and talented team that are only two years removed from winning the NBA championship. They have two of the best forwards in the game in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as well as a slew of very solid guards in Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. However, the question is if Jayson Tatum is fully healthy or if they brought him back prematurely, and the numbers suggest maybe he might not be fully healthy. The Celtics are capable of playing championship-caliber basketball, but they may need Tatum to play like the Tatum of old to win it all.
PREDICTION: Boston Celtics in 6 games
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
The New York Knicks are a high-powered basketball team that has performed very well on both ends of the floor, and they are led by their superstars Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as a slew of solid veterans in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, and Miles McBride. They certainly have the talent to win the title, but have had disappointing early playoff exits too often before, and they will need to find a way to make a deeper run to play up to their postseason potential.
The Atlanta Hawks made some really bold moves, as they traded their longtime star point guard Trae Young, and somehow got even better as a team. They added Jonathan Kuminga from the Warriors to boost their scoring and two-way potential, and led by defensive ace Dyson Daniels, the Hawks are actually a good defensive team this time around. The Hawks have plenty of young talent, but the question is if they have enough experience and offensive firepower to keep up against legitimate title contenders in the postseason.
PREDICTION: New York Knicks in 5 games
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a blockbuster trade by dealing Garland to the Clippers to acquire James Harden to pair him with fellow superstar Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, and they have two of the best defensive big men in the NBA in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Yet strangely, they finished lower than expected in terms of seeding, and the Cavaliers can never seem to get too far in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are certainly talented enough to legitimately contend to win the title, but the question is if will they get far enough.
The Toronto Raptors are a strong defensive team and have largely overachieved, thanks to the terrific all-around play of Scottie Barnes, and due to having solid years from Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett, and others. The Raptors don’t seem to have as much depth or offensive firepower as the upper-echelon teams in this conference, but they have played well at every turn, and at least will be a tough out in the playoffs.
PREDICTION: Cleveland Cavaliers in 6 games
2026 Western Conference 1st Round Picks
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
The Thunder are the defending champions, and they are an incredibly deep team that boasts having the reigning MVP in Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. I think the Thunder could end up sweeping whoever gets the eight seed here.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma City Thunder in 4 games.
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Phoenix Suns
The Spurs have had a career year out of superstar center and basketball unicorn, Victor Wembanyama, and they’ve won 62 games under head coach Mitch Johnson. They’ve had strong guard play with De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell around, and their players greatly complement each other.
PREDICTION: San Antonio Spurs in 5 games.
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
The Nuggets-Timberwolves have an old rivalry that have entertained NBA fans throughout this decade. The Nuggets are a well-coached team that boasts having arguably the best and smartest player in the league in superstar center Nikola Jokic, whose tremendous skill set and penchant for racking up assists frequently have opponents flummoxed.
On the other hand, the Timberwolves sometimes have had Denver’s number, as they are led by the extremely flamboyant, high-flying superstar guard Anthony Edwards, who has helped keep the Timberwolves afloat in the playoffs. This is one of the NBA’s greatest modern rivalries, but Denver’s high-powered offense, as aided by Jamal Murray could lead Denver to win the series this time around.
PREDICTION: Denver Nuggets in 6 games.
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
The Lakers have a really strong tandem in LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and they have a solid offensive team, but they could wear out easily as head coach J.J. Redick prefers a short rotation in the playoffs. However, Doncic and Austin Reaves are currently injured right now.
The Houston Rockets are a defensive team that has some offensive firepower in Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant, although they have had some chemistry issues and can tend to break down and stall sometimes in games. Still, this could be one of the toughest series to predict here.
PREDICTION: Houston Rockets in 5 games.
2nd Round Eastern Conference Playoff Picks
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland in 7 games
What a fun matchup this would be. The youth and talent of the Detroit Pistons, combined with the front-loaded star power of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who seem like they should be seeded much higher. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are two of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the league, but without a fully healthy Cade Cunningham, Cleveland could be positioned to win this series over Detroit, albeit in a close one.
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks, Boston in 7 games
This has been another NBA rivalry. The Celtics are a tremendous team if fully healthy, and they won the 2024 NBA championship. Last year though, they ended up losing the series to the New York Knicks in the playoffs. This will be a fun series to watch, and surely this will likely wind up being a long series that could end up going either way.
2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Picks
(2) San Antonio Spurs over (3) Denver Nuggets, San Antonio in 7 games
This will be a very close one, as the talent and the strong complementary skill sets of Wembanyama and the players around him will make the Spurs a formidable team in the playoffs. The Nuggets have won the 2023 NBA championship, and can play superb basketball, especially when they are clicking, with superstar center Nikola Jokic to lead the way. This series could be one for the ages.
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder over (5) Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City in 5 games
The Thunder are an extremely talented team that is loaded top to bottom. While the Houston Rockets have enough firepower to keep up initially, the immense depth Oklahoma City has combined with superb coaching could end up wearing out the Rockets, especially since some of the Thunder’s bench players are as good or better than some of the starters on these playoff teams.
2026 Eastern Conference Finals Pick:
(2) Boston Celtics over (4) Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston in 6 games
This would surely be an entertaining series to watch, but Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard have had breakout seasons, and Boston has the versatility and depth to win the series here. Cleveland has had a history of disappointing in the playoffs, so the Cavaliers may be a somewhat unlikely bet to reach the NBA Finals.
2026 Western Conference Finals Pick:
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder over (2) San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City in 6 games
There would be a lot of talent on display in this series, but the immense talent, depth, and coaching could give the Thunder the likely nod here over San Antonio, though both teams are talented enough to get to the finals.
Projected 2026 NBA Finals:
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder over (2) Boston Celtics in 6 games
Whichever Eastern Conference team makes it to the 2026 NBA Finals is anyone’s guess, but the Oklahoma City Thunder is the odds-on favorite to win it all, as they are led by the reigning MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, and have superb talent, depth, and coaching up and down their team. Therefore, the Thunder could end up repeating to become the NBA champions once again.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed reading this, and the play-in tournament starts tonight.