2026 Playoff Predictions

[slamtheking]

There's usually a thread for everyone to post their playoff predictions so here we go.  Take your best shot. 

matchups

Play-in rounds
East 7-8 --> Philly vs Orlando
East 9-10 --> Charlotte vs Miami
West 7-8 --> Phoenix vs Portland
West 9-10 --> Clippers vs GSW

East 7/8-9/10
West 7/8-9/10

First Round
East 1 - 8 (from play-in) --> Detroit vs New #8
East 2 - 7 (from play-in) --> Celtics vs  New #7
East 3 - 6  --> NY vs Atlanta
East 4 -5 --> Cleveland vs Toronto

West 1 - 8 (from play-in) --> OKC vs New #8
West 2 - 7 (from play-in) --> SAS vs New #7
West 3 - 6  --> Denver vs Minnesota
West 4 -5 --> Lakers vs Rockets

Second Round
East 1/8 Winner vs 4/5 Winner
East 2/7 Winner vs 3/6 Winner

West 1/8 Winner vs 4/5 Winner
West 2/7 Winner vs 3/6 Winner

Conf Finals
East 1/8/4/5 Winner vs 2/3/6/7 Winner

West 1/8/4/5 Winner vs 2/3/6/7 Winner

Championship: East Winner vs West Winner.

[slamtheking]

There's usually a thread for everyone to post their playoff predictions so here we go.  Take your best shot. 

matchups

Play-in rounds
East 7-8 --> Philly vs Orlando  -- Philly
East 9-10 --> Charlotte vs Miami  -- Charlotte
West 7-8 --> Phoenix vs Portland  -- Phx
West 9-10 --> Clippers vs GSW  -- Clippers

East 7/8-9/10  -- Charlotte vs Orlando --> Charlotte
West 7/8-9/10  -- Portland vs Clippers --> Portland

First Round
East 1 - 8 (from play-in) --> Detroit vs Charlotte --> Detroit
East 2 - 7 (from play-in) --> Celtics vs  Philly  --> Celtics
East 3 - 6  --> NY vs Atlanta --> NY
East 4 -5 --> Cleveland vs Toronto  --> Cleveland

West 1 - 8 (from play-in) --> OKC vs Portland  --> OKC
West 2 - 7 (from play-in) --> SAS vs Phx  --> SAS
West 3 - 6  --> Denver vs Minnesota  --> Denver
West 4 -5 --> Lakers vs Rockets  --> Rockets

Second Round
East 1/8 Winner vs 4/5 Winner:  Detroit vs Cleveland --> Detroit
East 2/7 Winner vs 3/6 Winner:  Boston vs NY  --> Boston

West 1/8 Winner vs 4/5 Winner:  OKC vs Rockets --> OKC
West 2/7 Winner vs 3/6 Winner:  SAS vs Denver  --> SAS

Conf Finals
East 1/8/4/5 Winner vs 2/3/6/7 Winner: Detroit vs Boston --> Boston (I don't think Detroit has the experience to win it)

West 1/8/4/5 Winner vs 2/3/6/7 Winner:  OKC vs SAS --> SAS  (OKC thrives on getting a biased whistle and with Wemby on SAS to counteract that preferential treatment and with enough firepower to make OKC work, I think we see another consecutive season where the prior champs are knocked off before the finals)

Championship: East Winner vs West Winner: Boston vs SAS --> Boston  (I think, hope actually, that SAS's lack of experience on the finals stage impacts them and the more experienced team - Boston - is able to take advantage and win the title --> much like the GSW/Boston finals in 2022 in terms of nerves and experience impacting each team.)

[Moranis]

I actually think Orlando beats Philly to get the 7. I think Philly will beat Charlotte for 8.

Out west, Portland is 7 and Clippers are 8. 

Cavs over Raptors in 5. Knicks over Hawks in 6.
Lakers over Rockets in 5. Nuggets over Wolves in 7 (if edwards was healthy I'd pick then, but he isn't).

I can't see any of 1 or 2 seed losing, but I do want to see how the play in shakes out for sure before predicting anything. 

[Phantom255x]

Yeah I'll wait to post my full predictions until after the play-in is sorted out.

But for the play-in, my predictions are:

Orlando > Philly
Hornets > Heat
Hornets > Philly

Blazers > Suns
Clippers > Warriors
Clippers > Suns

Detroit vs. Charlotte, Boston vs. Orlando, San Antonio vs. Portland, OKC vs. Clippers

[slamtheking]

I get wanting to hold off on later predictions but what's the fun in that?   

Injuries will play a big part in how this shakes out.  Philly being a prime example  -- healthy Embiid, Sixers beat Orlando handily.  No Embiid, Sixers may struggle against Orlando's size despite Orlando embarrassing themselves against the C's in the final game.

Same for Detroit.  Healthy Cade - almost sure thing to make the conf finals.  unhealthy Cade, Cleveland probably knocks them off if Charlotte doesn't do that first.

Denver's health is a wild card.  if the team is fully healthy and playing cohesively, Jokic is good enough to get that team to the conf finals if not the finals. 

[celticinorlando]

Pistons over the Hornets in 5
Boston over Philly in 5
Cavs over Toronto in 5
Knicks over Hawks in 7

Cavs over Pistons in 6
Celtics over Knicks in 6

Celtics over the Cavs in 5

[Who]

I'll go for Philly over ORL in the play-in. Then Charlotte to beat Miami and then Orlando to get the #8 seed.

Out West. Portland over Phoenix. Clippers to beat GSW although I read that Steph, Draymond & Porzingis played together for the 1st time in the 81st game of the season. Maybe GSW are a low key threat for the play-in. Maybe I should give them more dues. Anyway, I will stick with the Clippers. I will go with LAC over PHX for the 8th slot.

East

DET > PHI in 5 games
BOS > CHA in 6 games
ATL > NYK in 6 or 7 games
CLE > TOR in 5 games

CLE > DET in 7 games
BOS > ATL in 5 games

CLE vs BOS ??

I find the Boston and Cleveland matchup difficult to predict. Both teams have had such large changes to their roster late in the season. CLE with J Harden joining. BOS with Tatum returning. I do not know who to pick as favourite. I am more inclined to CLE but I am not confident at all in that.

CLE > BOS in 7 games

West

OKC > POR in 4 or 5 games
SAS > LAC in 4 games
DEN > MIN in 6 games
HOU > LAL in 4 games

OKC > HOU in 6 games
DEN > SAS in 7 games

DEN > OKC in 6 games

Finals

DEN > CLE / BOS in 6 or 7 games

[Roy H.]

Celtics: Fo', Fo', Fo', Fo'

[Silas]

Celtics: Fo', Fo', Fo', Fo'

I like, but maybe...Fo,Fi,Fi,Fi.....Thank you Moses.

[slamtheking]

I'll go for Philly over ORL in the play-in. Then Charlotte to beat Miami and then Orlando to get the #8 seed.

Out West. Portland over Phoenix. Clippers to beat GSW although I read that Steph, Draymond & Porzingis played together for the 1st time in the 81st game of the season. Maybe GSW are a low key threat for the play-in. Maybe I should give them more dues. Anyway, I will stick with the Clippers. I will go with LAC over PHX for the 8th slot.

East

DET > PHI in 5 games
BOS > CHA in 6 games
ATL > NYK in 6 or 7 games
CLE > TOR in 5 games

CLE > DET in 7 games
BOS > ATL in 5 games

CLE vs BOS ??

I find the Boston and Cleveland matchup difficult to predict. Both teams have had such large changes to their roster late in the season. CLE with J Harden joining. BOS with Tatum returning. I do not know who to pick as favourite. I am more inclined to CLE but I am not confident at all in that.

CLE > BOS in 7 games

West

OKC > POR in 4 or 5 games
SAS > LAC in 4 games
DEN > MIN in 6 games
HOU > LAL in 4 games

OKC > HOU in 6 games
DEN > SAS in 7 games

DEN > OKC in 6 games

Finals

DEN > CLE / BOS in 6 or 7 games

Charlotte can't play Boston.  Charlotte is in the 9-10 bracket and would need to win twice to get the 8 spot to play Detroit.

[nickagneta]

Celtics go 16-something.

Then they get on Duckboats.

[Donoghus]

Celtics/Thunder NBA Finals.

That's where I get the uneasy feeling.

[Who]

I'll go for Philly over ORL in the play-in. Then Charlotte to beat Miami and then Orlando to get the #8 seed.

Out West. Portland over Phoenix. Clippers to beat GSW although I read that Steph, Draymond & Porzingis played together for the 1st time in the 81st game of the season. Maybe GSW are a low key threat for the play-in. Maybe I should give them more dues. Anyway, I will stick with the Clippers. I will go with LAC over PHX for the 8th slot.

East

DET > PHI in 5 games
BOS > CHA in 6 games
ATL > NYK in 6 or 7 games
CLE > TOR in 5 games

CLE > DET in 7 games
BOS > ATL in 5 games

CLE vs BOS ??

I find the Boston and Cleveland matchup difficult to predict. Both teams have had such large changes to their roster late in the season. CLE with J Harden joining. BOS with Tatum returning. I do not know who to pick as favourite. I am more inclined to CLE but I am not confident at all in that.

CLE > BOS in 7 games

West

OKC > POR in 4 or 5 games
SAS > LAC in 4 games
DEN > MIN in 6 games
HOU > LAL in 4 games

OKC > HOU in 6 games
DEN > SAS in 7 games

DEN > OKC in 6 games

Finals

DEN > CLE / BOS in 6 or 7 games

Charlotte can't play Boston.  Charlotte is in the 9-10 bracket and would need to win twice to get the 8 spot to play Detroit.

Oh right. I got them mixed up.

That is much better. I was feeling sad for CHA getting stuck with Boston. I like their chances against anyone else in the East. That DET vs CHA matchup is going to be good.

I like the DET vs CHA series and the ATL vs NYK series. The other 2 series will be duds.

BOS over PHI in 5 games
DET over CHA in 7 games

The rest stay the same.

[slamtheking]

interesting, ESPN just posted their predictions and they're almost identical to mine except they pick SAS over Boston.  obviously they're blog readers and had to make a single change to try to avoid copying my wisdom pick by pick for copyright purposes 

[Goldstar88]

Play in:

Philly beats Orlando
Charlotte beats Miami
Charlotte beats Orlando

Philly #7
Charlotte #8

Phoenix beats Portland
Clippers beats Golden state
Clippers beats Portland

Phoenix #7
Clippers #8