VikingsTerritory Drops 2026 NBA Playoff Predictions

Troy Taormina VikingsTerritory releases one NBA article per year, and that’s a playoff and Finals predictions article . Otherwise, we stick to football. But to continue the tradition, let’s get some playoff picks on record.

Our panel made its picks for the 2026 NBA postseason bracket. Most NBA prediction batches this year will feel pretty similar, as the association has some clear frontrunners. Here’s how Janik Eckardt, Josh Frey, and Dustin Baker see the NBA playoffs .

3-4 Teams Sit at the Center of the 2026 Title Race A winner from the Western Conference feels like a no-brainer, but we say not so fast . San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama and guard Stephon Castle react following a fourth-quarter sequence against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center, with the moment unfolding on Jan 28, 2026 in Houston. The duo’s body language captures late-game intensity as San Antonio battles through a tight finish on the road.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images. First Round Western Conference (1) Oklahoma City Thunder over (8) Phoenix Suns in 5 games (5) Houston Rockets over (4) Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games (3) Denver Nuggets over (6) Minnesota Timberwolves in 7 games (7) San Antonio Spurs over (2) Portland Trailblazers in 5 games Our predicting trio was in complete harmony for the 1st-Round of the Western Conference, with the only caveat that the Lakers could, in theory, defeat the Rockets if Luka Doncic and/or Austin Reaves return mid-series. Los Angeles must steal a game early to keep hope alive and bank on Doncic’s possible return around Game 4 or Game 5 from his hamstring injury.