As a precursor to the excitement of the playoffs, the bracket of the 2026 NBA Play-in Tournament was finalized on the very last day of the regular season. Now, fans know exactly who is facing whom for a shot at the last two playoff spots in each conference.
In both the West and the East, three play-in teams finished the season above .500 while one squad enters the play-in with a losing record. Still, it’s anybody’s ball game as a total of four teams will fall by the wayside before this week ends.
2026 NBA Play-in Tournament: What You Need to Know
Bracket
In the Western Conference, Phoenix Suns will host the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference’s no. 7 vs. no. 8 matchup. The winner of this game will be the first-round opponent of the San Antonio Spurs, who finished second in the West.
The loser of the Suns-Blazers game will then host the winner of the LA Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors, which is this year’s no. 9 vs. no. 10 matchup in the Western Conference. The winner of the third play-in game will take on the defending champions OKC Thunder in the first round.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference’s no. 7 vs. no. 8 game will have the Orlando Magic visiting the Philadelphia 76ers. At stake is a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics.
The second play-in game in the East will be between no. 9 Charlotte Hornets and no. 10 Miami Heat. The final play-in contest in the Eastern Conference will determine the first-round adversaries of the top seed Detroit Pistons.
Schedule and TV Details
On April 14, the Hornets-Heat game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Then, at 10:00 p.m. E.T., the Blazers-Suns game will unfold.
The April 15 playdate will lead with the Magic-Sixers game at 7:30 p.m. ET and wrap up with the Warriors-Clippers duel at 10:00 p.m. E.T.
Then, on April 17, the East’s final play-in game will start at 7:30 p.m. ET. The West’s play-in finale will follow at 10:00 p.m. E.T.
The entirety of the play-in tournament will be streaming on Prime Video and NBA League Pass.
How Far Can a Play-in Team Go?
History tells us that play-in teams can go on deep playoff runs. The 2023 postseason offered not one but two shining examples of this.
In the Western Conference, the LA Lakers found themselves in the no. 7 spot, but they went on to topple the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies, and the Warriors to reach the conference finals opposite the Denver Nuggets. At the same time, in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat fought its way out of the play-in and took down the Bucks, the Knicks, and the Celtics to get to the NBA Finals.
