NBA Playoffs Bracket Set After Final Regular Season Games

NBA Playoffs Bracket Set After Final Regular Season Games...

The 2026 NBA playoff bracket is officially set following Sunday's conclusion of the regular season. All 16 postseason teams now know their first-round opponents as the chase for the Larry O'Brien Trophy begins this weekend.

This year's bracket features several intriguing matchups, including a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. The defending champion Denver Nuggets will face the upstart New Orleans Pelicans in the West.

The playoff picture became clear after Sunday's slate of games determined the final seeding. The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the Western Conference's top seed for the first time since 2013, while the Milwaukee Bucks claimed the East's No. 2 spot behind the Celtics.

Fans across the country are buzzing about potential second-round matchups, particularly a possible Celtics-Knicks showdown in the East. The bracket is trending today as offices and sports bars prepare March Madness-style pools for the NBA postseason.

First-round action tips off Saturday with four Game 1 matchups. All series will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 if necessary. The playoffs come as the NBA celebrates record attendance and television ratings this season.

Several star players enter the postseason battling injuries, including Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Phoenix's Kevin Durant. Their health could dramatically impact their teams' championship chances in what analysts call the most wide-open playoff field in years.

The complete bracket is available on NBA.com and team websites. Television schedules will be announced Monday, with games airing across ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV.