The 2026 NBA playoffs guide begins with the key dates fans need to know. The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament runs from April 14 to April 17, and the first round starts on April 18. The NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3 on ABC.
Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Denver are the teams drawing the most attention before the postseason. Official NBA bracket updates show the Thunder as the No. 1 seed in the West, the Spurs as No. 2 and the Nuggets as No. 3.
2026 NBA playoffs guide: key dates and format
The play-in tournament will decide the final No. 7 and No. 8 playoff seeds in both conferences. The first round will follow immediately after the play-in concludes.
Key 2026 NBA postseason dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Play-In Tournament begins | April 14, 2026 |
| Play-In Tournament ends | April 17, 2026 |
| First round begins | April 18, 2026 |
| NBA Finals begin | June 3, 2026 |
Opening play-in schedule
| Matchup | Date |
|---|---|
| Heat at Hornets | April 14, 2026 |
| Trail Blazers at Suns | April 14, 2026 |
| Magic at 76ers | April 15, 2026 |
| Warriors at Clippers | April 15, 2026 |
Oklahoma City is the favourite, and the official playoff picture supports that status by placing the Thunder at the top of the Western Conference bracket. That gives them home-court advantage through the West playoffs and makes them the team everyone will track first.
Even so, the postseason rarely follows regular-season form exactly. The Thunder may lead the field, but their path still runs through a deep conference.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are the dark-horse team to watch. Official NBA playoff updates show San Antonio finished as the No. 2 seed, which means the Spurs enter the bracket with both momentum and a favourable starting position.
Denver also remains a serious contender. Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets are a proven playoff threat, and the official bracket places them third in the West heading into a first-round matchup with Minnesota.
Fans can watch the 2026 NBA Finals on ABC. NBA.com’s season viewing guide also says viewers can stream ABC through services that carry the network, including YouTube TV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
NBC and Prime Video have extensive coverage of the 2026 playoffs. That aligns with the league’s broader national media setup, but the Finals themselves remain on ABC
