The race for the 2026 Larry O’Brien Trophy is on, with the full 16-team bracket for the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs set after final play-in games.
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter as defending champions and the top seed in the Western Conference, while the Detroit Pistons lead the East as the No. 1 seed, Olympics reported.
The playoffs begin with the opening games of the first round on Saturday, 18 April, and conclude with the best-of-seven NBA Finals, which are scheduled to tip off on 3 June.
Here is the full schedule of 2026 NBA playoffs:
2026 NBA playoffs schedule:
Saturday, April 18
• Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors
• Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
• Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks
• Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets
Sunday, April 19
• Celtics vs. No. 7 76ers
• Thunder vs. No. 8 Suns
• Pistons vs. No. 8 Magic
• Spurs vs. No. 7 Trail Blazers
Monday, April 20
• Cavaliers vs. Raptors
• Knicks vs. Hawks
• Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
Tuesday, April 21
• Celtics vs. 76ers
• Spurs vs. Trail Blazers
• Lakers vs. Rockets
Wednesday, April 22
• Pistons vs. Magic
• Thunder vs. Suns
• Thursday, April 23
• Hawks vs. Knicks
• Raptors vs. Cavaliers
• Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
Friday, April 24
• 76ers vs. Celtics
• Rockets vs. Lakers
• Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
Saturday, April 25
• Magic vs. Pistons
• Hawks vs. Knicks
• Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
Sunday, April 26
• Raptors vs. Cavaliers
• Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
• 76ers vs. Celtics
• Rockets vs. Lakers
Monday, April 27
• Magic vs. Pistons
• Suns vs. Thunder
• Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
Tuesday, April 28
• Celtics vs. 76ers
• Knicks vs. Hawks
• Spurs vs. Trail Blazers
• Wednesday, April 29
• Pistons vs. Magic
• Cavaliers vs. Raptors
• Thunder vs. Suns
• Lakers vs. Rockets
Thursday, April 30
• 76ers vs. Celtics
• Hawks vs. Knicks
• Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
Friday, May 1
• Magic vs. Pistons
• Raptors vs. Cavaliers
• Suns vs. Thunder
• Rockets vs. Lakers
Saturday, May 2
• Celtics vs. 76ers
• Knicks vs. Hawks
• Spurs vs. Trail Blazers
• Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
Sunday, May 3
• Pistons vs. Magic
• Cavaliers vs. Raptors
• Thunder vs. Suns
• Lakers vs. Rockets
2026 NBA playoffs key dates:
• April 18-19: First round begins
• May 2-4: Second round begins
• May 10: 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
• May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin
• May 20: Western Conference Finals begin
• June 3: NBA Finals Game 1
• June 19: NBA Finals Game 7 (if required)
