2026 NBA Playoff Picture, Bracket, Standings

We’re already halfway through January and inching closer to the NBA All-Star break. Keep reading to see what the NBA playoff picture would look like if the season ended today: 2026 NBA Playoff Picture Eastern Conference Bracket Western Conference Bracket Eastern Conference Standings Western Conference Standings NBA Play-In Tournament Bracket Eastern Conference Western Conference Other Key Dates How many teams make the NBA playoffs? Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament. When do the NBA Playoffs begin? The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on April 18. The 2025-26 regular season wraps up on April 12, giving teams a short break before the postseason tips off. How does the Play-In Tournament work? The Play-In Tournament, introduced in 2021 to keep more teams competitive and reduce tanking, determines the final two playoff spots in each conference. The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed, and the winner secures the No. 7 spot and a first-round matchup with the No. 2 seed. The loser gets one more chance to make the postseason. The loser of the 7 vs. 8 game will host the winner of the 9 vs. 10 matchup. The winner of that final Play-In game claims the No. 8 seed and earns a first-round meeting with the conference’s top seed. How many rounds are there in the NBA Playoffs? The NBA postseason features four rounds: the first round, the conference semifinals, the conference finals and the NBA Finals. Each round is decided by a best-of-seven series.