2026 Playoff Predictions

[slamtheking]

Play in:

Philly beats Orlando
Charlotte beats Miami
Charlotte beats Orlando

Philly #7
Charlotte #8

Phoenix beats Portland
Clippers beats Golden State
Portland beats Golden State

Phoenix #7
Portland #8

do you mean Portland beats Clippers in that last prediction?

[Donoghus]

Play in:

Philly beats Orlando
Charlotte beats Miami
Charlotte beats Orlando

Philly #7
Charlotte #8

Phoenix beats Portland
Clippers beats Golden State
Portland beats Golden State

Phoenix #7
Portland #8

do you mean Portland beats Clippers in that last prediction?

I kinda like the idea of Golden State losing twice myself.

[Goldstar88]

Play in:

Philly beats Orlando
Charlotte beats Miami
Charlotte beats Orlando

Philly #7
Charlotte #8

Phoenix beats Portland
LAC beats Golden state
LAC beats Portland

Phoenix #7
LAC #8

Updated. Yeesh I need more coffee.

[Celtics4ever]

Are people aware Embiid just had surgery five days ago?

[Who]

Are people aware Embiid just had surgery five days ago?

With Embiid = 24 wins 14 losses (52 win pace)
Without Embiid = 21 wins 23 losses (39 win pace)

They are still a potent enough team without Embiid (a .500 team) to get through the play-in. They also have more explosive offensive talent in T Maxey & Edgecombe than Orlando do.

That is why I fancy Philly to beat ORL in a one-off game - because of that more explosive offense. ORL have been struggling badly and have a bad offense. I see them as vulnerable in these one-off games.

If PHI lose to ORL: (1) I'd say it is 50-50 vs MIA (2) CHA are very likely to beat PHI. CHA are the best team of the 4 play-in teams. And I have them as the 4th best team in the East behind BOS, CLE, DET and ahead of NYK. PHI without Embiid are outclassed against them. But they are not outclassed by ORL or MIA.

[Redz]

I?m going with a Denver vs Celtics finals.  We?ve been toying around with it for years.  Let?s see it!

[Vermont Green]

Are people aware Embiid just had surgery five days ago?

Surgery was April 9.  Typical recovery to a point of heavy activity is at least 2-4 weeks per the internet.  3 weeks is April 30.  April 19 (first game vs. BOS) would only be 10 days after surgery.  He could miss the whole series, depending on how many games.  And even if he does come back, what kind of shape will be be in for the first couple of games?

So I guess this all favors PHI stealing a win vs. ORL as being more favorable to BOS.

[SparzWizard]

I?m going with a Denver vs Celtics finals.  We?ve been toying around with it for years.  Let?s see it!

That's if Denver can get past SAS and OKC which are already tall tasks.

[slamtheking]

GSW already broke my bracket 

[Phantom255x]

EAST

Pistons > Magic in 6
Knicks > Hawks in 5
Celtics > Sixers in 5
Cavaliers > Raptors in 4

Celtics > Knicks in 6 (revenge!)
Cavaliers > Pistons in 7 (upset)

Celtics > Cavaliers in 7 (heart attacks all around)

WEST

Thunder > Suns in 4
Spurs > Blazers in 5
Nuggets > Timberwolves in 6
Rockets > Lakers in 6

Spurs > Nuggets in 7 (slight upset, home court advantage helps SAS)
Thunder > Rockets in 5

Spurs > Thunder in 6 (upset)

FINAL: Celtics > Spurs in 6, Tatum Finals MVP

I think the Spurs will be a bit like the 2022 Celtics, a team that goes on a run with some deep playoff series and pivotal wins with Wembanyama leading the way and further making a name for himself as the potential next face of the league, but then they get to the Finals and face a team who has been there multiple times before and won it in the past (like the Warriors were to us sadly). Obviously most of this is assuming health to the key guys throughout (like Wemby, Mitchell, Harden, Tatum, etc. being mostly healthy and staying that way).

The Nuggets-Spurs and Celtics-Cavaliers series could be box office IMO. Of course other ones like Spurs-Thunder and Celtics-Knicks, or even Nuggets-Timberwolves this round will be really good but I just have a feeling those two in particular are gonna be insane, and close.

I will add, I think BOS beats the Spurs in a Finals series. But I don't think they'd beat DEN/OKC if either of those two came out of the West.

[Goldstar88]

East
Rd 1:
Pistons vs Magic. Detroit in 6
Knicks vs Hawks. NY in 6
Celtics vs 76ers. Boston in 5
Cavaliers vs Raptors. CLE in 5

Rd 2: Celtics vs Knicks. Boston in 6
Cavaliers vs Pistons. CLE in 6

E. Conference Finals: Celtics vs Cavaliers. Boston in 6.

West
Thunder vs Suns. OKC in 5
Spurs vs Blazers. SA in 4
Nuggets vs Timberwolves. Den in 7
Rockets vs Lakers. Houston in 6

Spurs vs Nuggets. SA in 6
Thunder vs Rockets. OKC in 6

W. Conference Finals: Spurs vs Thunder. SA in 6

Finals: Celtics vs Spurs. Boston in 6

[SparzWizard]

EAST
1. Pistons vs 8. Magic - Pistons in 6
2. Celtics vs 7. 76ers - Celtics in 6
3. Knicks vs 6. Hawks - Knicks in 7
4. Cavaliers vs 5. Raptors - Cavaliers in 6

1. Pistons vs 4. Cavaliers - Cavs in 6
2. Celtics vs 3. Knicks - Celtics in 7

2. Celtics vs 4. Cavaliers - Celtics in 7

WEST
1. Thunder vs 8. Suns - Thunder in 4
2. Spurs vs 7. Blazers - Spurs in 5
3. Nuggets vs 6. Wolves - Nuggets in 7
4. Lakers vs 5. Rockets - Lakers in 6

1. Thunder vs 4. Lakers - Thunder in 4
2. Spurs vs 3. Nuggets - Nuggets in 6

1. Thunder vs 3. Nuggets - Thunder in 7

NBA Finals
1. Thunder vs 2. Celtics - Celtics in 7

Celtics hoists the trophy in Paycom Center in a grueling 7-game series and Banner 19 arrives

[slamtheking]

have to admit I'm surprised Orlando pulled it together and Charlotte was crushed after watching how these teams were playing down the home stretch.  talent-wise the result makes sense but would not have thought Charlotte would have been steamrolled

[Moranis]

Detroit over Orlando in 5
Cleveland over Toronto in 5
New York over Atlanta in 6
Boston over Philadelphia in 4

Cleveland over Detroit in 6
Boston over New York in 7

Boston over Cleveland in 5

Oklahoma City over Phoebix in 4
Los Angeles over Houston in 6 (big upset)
Denver over Minnesota in 7
San Antonio over Portland in 5

Oklahoma City over Los Angeles in 5
Denver over San Antonio in 6

Oklahoma City over Denver in 5

Oklahoma City over Boston in 6

[Redz]

EAST
1. Pistons vs 8. Magic - Pistons in 6
2. Celtics vs 7. 76ers - Celtics in 6
3. Knicks vs 6. Hawks - Knicks in 7
4. Cavaliers vs 5. Raptors - Cavaliers in 6

1. Pistons vs 4. Cavaliers - Cavs in 6
2. Celtics vs 3. Knicks - Celtics in 7

2. Celtics vs 4. Cavaliers - Celtics in 7

WEST
1. Thunder vs 8. Suns - Thunder in 4
2. Spurs vs 7. Blazers - Spurs in 5
3. Nuggets vs 6. Wolves - Nuggets in 7
4. Lakers vs 5. Rockets - Lakers in 6

1. Thunder vs 4. Lakers - Thunder in 4
2. Spurs vs 3. Nuggets - Nuggets in 6

1. Thunder vs 3. Nuggets - Thunder in 7

NBA Finals
1. Thunder vs 2. Celtics - Celtics in 7

Celtics hoists the trophy in Paycom Center in a grueling 7-game series and Banner 19 arrives

I?m exhausted just thinking about the Celtics playing that many games!