Starting 5: The 2026 NBA postseason bracket is set

How do you secure a top-3 seed in the wild West?

How about becoming just the third team in the last 75 years to enter the postseason on a 12+ game win streak?

No. 3 in the West belongs to Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets. Meanwhile, the rest of the 2025-26 postseason bracket is LOCKED.

The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament starts Tuesday. Start your Monday with how we got here – and what’s next ⬇️

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Bracket Set: This week’s postseason stakes, showdowns and everything ahead

Wild West Finish: Nuggets streak to No. 3, Lakers lock in No. 4, Blazers & Clips race for No. 8

East Playoff Chaos: Four teams, two guaranteed Playoff spots and one frantic finale

East Play-In Push: The East race closed with six squads separated by just three games

Roundup: Pistons hit 60 dubs, more postseason teams roll and a record day for rookies

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament tips off Tuesday on Prime, as the East’s No. 9 Hornets host the No. 10 Heat (7:30 ET), before the West’s No. 8 Blazers visit the No. 7 Suns (10 ET).

What’s Next: The SoFi Play-In Tournament continues Wednesday and Friday, before the NBA Playoffs start Saturday. See the full schedule here, plus key dates here.

Got Postseason Questions? Head to the Playoffs Hub

Ten Years Ago, Today: Kobe Bryant closed his career with an iconic 60-point finale. On that same day (April 13, 2016), the Warriors capped a 73-9 season – the best regular-season record in NBA history.

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1. 2025-26 POSTSEASON STARTS TUESDAY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

It took 1,230 games. It took a season’s worth of movement. It came down to the final day.

Now, the 2025-26 NBA postseason is set – and it all starts Tuesday.

• The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament opens tomorrow on Prime with the East’s No. 9 vs. 10 win-or-go-home showdown (Hornets vs. Heat, 7:30 ET) and the West’s No. 7 vs. 8 matchup (Suns vs. Blazers, 10 ET)
• Wednesday’s Slate: The Play-In continues as the East’s No. 7 Sixers welcome the No. 8 Magic (7:30 ET, Prime), before the West’s No. 9 Clippers host the No. 10 Warriors (10 ET, Prime)
• The Stakes: The No. 7 vs. 8 winners advance to their respective conference Playoffs, while the No. 9 vs. 10 losers are eliminated
• Friday Fireworks: Friday features the final Play-In games, with the No. 9 vs. 10 winners facing the No. 7 vs. 8 losers. The winners take the final Playoff spots
• Playoffs This Weekend: Two of sports’ signature days await when the Playoffs tip on Saturday & Sunday – with hoops all day Saturday on ABC & Prime, then all day Sunday on ABC & NBC/Peacock

How We Got Here: Sunday started like this ⬆️, with 10 postseason seeds undecided: four in the West (Nos. 3, 4, 8, 9) and six in the East (No. 5-10).

It finished like this ⬇️, with 14 of Sunday’s 15 games featuring postseason teams and nine swing games that shaped the postseason bracket.

But before we break down an epic Sunday, let’s take a look at this week’s postseason matchups.

Each East Matchup, Real Quick:

No. 10 Heat at No. 9 Hornets (Play-In): Only Denver scored more points than Miami (120.9 ppg) this season, while Charlotte ranks 1st in OffRtg since Jan. 1 – setting the stage for an electric win-or-go-home showdown in Tuesday’s SoFi Play-In opener.

No. 8 Magic at No. 7 Sixers (Play-In): Orlando and Philly each finished 45-37, with Philly earning the tiebreaker with a 2-1 head-to-head record. Now, they meet for a fourth time, with the winner advancing to the Playoffs.

No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors: The Cavs are 16-6 with both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in the lineup. They’ll face Scottie Barnes and Toronto’s top-5 rated defense in the First Round of the Playoffs.

No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks: Led by Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta finished the season on a 19-5 run for their first top-6 Playoff berth in five years. Their reward? Jalen Brunson and the Knicks, who are a top-3 seed for a third straight season.

No. 1 Pistons & No. 2 Celtics get their opponents from the Play-In.

Each West Matchup, Real Quick:

No. 10 Warriors at No. 9 Clippers (Play-In): In another can’t-miss duel, Kawhi Leonard leads the Clippers against Steph Curry’s Warriors – with both teams’ seasons on the line.

No. 8 Blazers at No. 7 Suns (Play-In): Deni Avdija’s breakout All-Star campaign has Portland in the postseason for the first time since 2021. Now, the Blazers face Devin Booker and the Suns with a Playoff berth up for grabs.

No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets: In the first-ever postseason matchup between two players with over 75,000 combined points, LeBron James leads the Lakers against Kevin Durant’s Rockets.

No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Wolves: Led by Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets (W12) join the 2018 Sixers and the 1973 Bucks as the only teams in the last 75 years to enter the postseason on a 12+ game win streak.

Waiting on the other side is Anthony Edwards’ Wolves, who ended Denver’s season two years ago in Game 7 of the West Semifinals.

No. 1 Thunder & No. 2 Spurs get their opponents from the Play-In.

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2. WILD WEST SET: NUGGETS EARN NO. 3, LAKERS LAND NO. 4, BLAZERS TAKE NO. 8

After weeks of win streaks, superstar surges and contenders shuffling spots night after night, the final piece in the West’s top six – the No. 3 seed – came down to two simultaneous tip-offs.

The Lakers needed a win and a Nuggets loss to secure it, while Denver – riding an 11-game heater – needed just a dub.

Los Angeles did its part.

Lakers 131, Jazz 107: LeBron James tallied 18 points, 6 boards and 3 steals in the 1st half, while Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura posted matching double-doubles (22 pts, 10 reb) as the Lakers raced past Oscar Tshiebwe (29 pts, 17 reb) and the Jazz. | Recap

That put the pressure on Nikola Jokić and the streaking Nuggets – with the No. 2 Spurs standing in their way.

Nuggets 128, Spurs 118: Jokić was clinical (23 pts, 8 reb, 7-12 FG in 18 mins) as Denver jumped out to a 70-56 halftime lead and never looked back, topping the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs for a 12th straight win and the No. 3 seed, edging the Lakers by one game. | Recap

• 🔒 Denver At No. 3: Julian Strawther added 25 points for the Nuggets, who have earned a top-4 seed in the West for four straight years
• Offensive Surge: To get there, Denver paced the NBA in points this season (122.1 ppg), including 130.1 ppg amid its win streak
• Record Run: Only one other team in NBA history has scored that many points amid a 12-0 run – the Nuggets in 1982

Leading The Charge? Jokić (27.7 pts, 12.9 reb, 10.7 ast), who is now just the second player ever to average a triple-double in consecutive seasons, joining Russell Westbrook (3 straight, 2017-19).

• Special Season: Jokić is now the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game in the same season, since leaders were determined by per-game averages in 1969-70
• Spurs Shine: De’Aaron Fox (24 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) and Stephon Castle (10 pts, 11 reb, 9 ast) led San Antonio with Wemby out

In the West Play-In picture, the Blazers and Warriors entered Sunday battling for the No. 8 seed.

Clippers 115, Warriors 110: Bennedict Mathurin posted a near triple-double (20 pts, 9 reb, 8 ast) and LA held off a late push from Steph Curry (24 pts, 6 reb, 4 3s) and Golden State to complete its record turnaround, needing a Portland loss to secure the No. 8 seed. | Recap

• Historic Turnaround: After a 6-21 start, LA finished the season 42-40, becoming the first team ever to finish over .500 after being 15 games below .500

But the Blazers refused to give up position.

Blazers 122, Kings 110: Deni Avdija was operating (25 pts, 6 reb, 10 st), while Jrue Holiday poured in 23, as Portland outpaced Precious Achiuwa (27 pts, 11 reb) and Sacramento to lock in the No. 8 seed, setting up Tuesday’s Play-In matchup vs. No. 7 Phoenix. | Recap

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3. EAST PLAYOFF CHAOS: 2 SEEDS OPEN, 4 TEAMS CHASING, 1 FINISH

In the East, Sunday opened with seed Nos. 5-10 all undecided.

For the Hawks, a win would secure them the No. 5 seed, while a loss would open the door for the Raptors, who were also racing the Magic and Sixers for No. 6.

And with scenarios aplenty, Miami sparked the chaos.

Heat 143, Hawks 117: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (26) and Norman Powell (25) combined for 51 points, while Bam Adebayo was everywhere (25 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk), leading Miami to a near wire-to-wire win over Buddy Hield (31 pts) and Atlanta. | Recap

• Heat Warning: It’s Miami’s 12th game with 140+ points this season, surpassing the 2023-24 Pacers (11) for the NBA’s single-season record

With Atlanta’s loss, Toronto needed a win and a Magic loss to climb to No. 5.

Raptors 136, Nets 117: RJ Barrett (26 pts), Brandon Ingram (25 pts, 9 reb) and Scottie Barnes (18 pts, 12 reb, 12 ast) were cooking, as the Raptors never trailed after 7:46 in the 1st quarter to secure at least a top-6 spot – with more still in play. | Recap

That brings us to Boston, where the Magic needed a win in hopes of earning the No. 6 seed – while Toronto needed an Orlando loss to jump to No. 5.

Celtics 113, Magic 108: Baylor Scheierman (30 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast) and Luka Garza (27 pts, 12 reb) led the way for the Celtics, with Garza drilling a go-ahead triple with 32 left to edge Orlando in crunch time, despite Paolo Banchero’s triple-double (23 pts, 10 reb, 11 ast). | Recap

• 🔒 Toronto To No. 5: With their win, plus losses by Atlanta and Orlando, the Raptors jumped the Hawks for the No. 5 seed
• 🔒 Atlanta To No. 6: That moved Atlanta to the East’s final guaranteed Playoff spot, solidifying the top-6 seeds

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4. EAST PLAY-IN PUSH: SIXERS SECURE NO. 7, HORNETS TAKE NO. 9

That left the East’s No. 7-10 seeds up for grabs, with Orlando and Philly fighting for No. 7 and Miami and Charlotte racing for No. 9.

76ers 126, Bucks 106: While Toronto’s win ended Philly’s hopes of a top-6 finish, the Sixers earned the No. 7 seed with a win over Milwaukee, as Tyrese Maxey (21 pts) fueled a decisive 38-16 3rd-quarter run to take control for good. | Recap

• 🔒 7 vs. 8 Play-In: That moved Orlando to No. 8, with Philly earning homecourt in their Play-In matchup on Wednesday (7:30 ET, Prime)

Charlotte needed a win to secure the No. 9 seed over Miami.

Hornets 110, Knicks 96: LaMelo Ball (5 3s), Brandon Miller and Coby White scored 19 points apiece as the Hornets pulled past Miles McBride (21 pts) and the Knicks, securing homecourt in Tuesday’s No. 9 vs. 10 Play-In matchup against the Heat. | Recap

• Record Rook: Kon Knueppel (14 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) hit three triples, becoming the first rookie to lead the league in made 3s in a season, finishing with a rookie-record 273
• Frantic Finish: The East race closed with six teams (No. 5 Toronto through No. 10 Miami) separated by just three games

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5. ROUNDUP: POSTSEASON SQUADS DUB, MORE ROOKIES SHINE

Sunday’s action continued as postseason squads geared up, while more rookie records fell.

Pistons 133, Pacers 121: Paul Reed didn’t miss a shot (26 pts, 11-11 FG, 4-4 FT), while Tobias Harris added 24 points as the Pistons beat the Pacers to finish the season with an East-best 60-22 record. | Recap

• Sweet 60: It’s just the third 60-win season in Detroit franchise history, along with 2005-06 (64-18) and 1988-89 (63-19) – the latter ending in an NBA title

Meanwhile, the Suns took down the West’s No. 1 seed.

Suns 135, Thunder 103: Jamaree Bouyea posted 27 points and 9 dimes as Phoenix denied OKC its 65th win of the season, with both teams resting their starters with their seeds already locked. | Recap

Rockets 132, Grizzlies 101: Clint Capela tallied a season-high 23 points and 13 boards as the No. 5 Rockets rolled to their 10th win in 11 games. | Recap

Cavaliers 130, Wizards 117: Nae’Qwan Tomlin (26 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) and Tyrese Proctor (22 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast) led the No. 3 Cavs to a wire-to-wire win over the Wizards, ending Cleveland’s regular season with five wins in its last six games. | Recap

Wolves 132, Pelicans 126: Already locked into the No. 6 seed, the Wolves capped their regular season with a win behind Terrence Shannon Jr. (26 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast), overcoming big nights from rookies Jeremiah Fears (36 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) and Derik Queen (30 pts, 22 reb). | Recap

• Rare Rookie 1-2: Fears & Queen are the first rookie teammates to each post 30-point double-doubles in the same game since Boston’s Bill Russell & Tom Heinsohn in 1950-51

Speaking of rookie duos…

Mavericks 149, Bulls 128: Cooper Flagg closed his standout season with 10 points, while fellow first-year player Ryan Nembhard (17 pts, 9 reb, 23 ast) made history, passing his coach, Jason Kidd (17), for the most assists in a game by a Mavs rookie. | Recap

• Coop 🤝 MJ: Flagg is the first rookie since Michael Jordan (1984-85) to lead his team (or finish T-1st) in total points, rebounds, assists and steals in a season since steals were first tracked in 1973-74

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