NBA play-in and first-round playoff predictions from our expert staff
Our experts reveal who they see advancing through this year's NBA play-in tournament and the first round of the playoffs.
The best time of the NBA season has finally arrived. This week, we'll sort out the NBA play-in tournament and who gets the right to face the top two seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively. Then, starting this weekend, the actual 2026 NBA playoffs will begin with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder trying to defend their title against expected comers like the Denver Nuggets , San Antonio Spurs , Boston Celtics , and New York Knicks .
Or, even, perhaps a surprise down the line. Rest assured, this postseason should not be short on drama. Below, you will find our expert predictions on who we expect to advance through the play-in and who we foresee winning in the ensuing first round of this NBA season's playoffs.
Here's a look at our respective crystal balls for the 2026 NBA postseason: Play-in Tournament Miami Heat (10) at Charlotte Hornets (9): East No. 9 vs. No.
10 game Robert Zeglinski: Hornets I don't think the Hornets make a deep playoff run by any means, but they've been one of the NBA's best teams since January. It would all feel like a giant waste of time if they couldn't at least get through the play-in. They're also definitely the most serious squad of the East play-in teams, which, yes, feels really weird to say out loud.
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