The "real" season begins now. After 82 games of regular-season posturing and a chaotic week of Play-In volatility, the 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket is finally set.
Our NBA betting experts, Matt Moore (@HPBasketball) and Brandon Anderson (@WheatonBrando), have spent the week diving into all the matchups to find the best value in the market.
Tap the links below to take you to their series previews for all eight first-round NBA playoff matchups.
NBA Playoffs Series Odds, Previews, Predictions
- Thunder vs Suns
- Spurs vs Trail Blazers
- Nuggets vs Timberwolves
- Lakers vs Rockets
- Pistons vs Magic
- Celtics vs 76ers
- Knicks vs Hawks
- Cavaliers vs Raptors
This year’s first round is a fascinating blend of established powerhouses and disruptive upstarts.
In the East, the Detroit Pistons enter as the analytical darling and No. 1 seed, looking to prove their "regular season maxed-out" formula can hold up against a gritty Orlando Magic squad.
Meanwhile, at Madison Square Garden, Mike Brown leads a modernized Knicks offense into a collision course with the high-volume Atlanta Hawks.
Out West, the narrative revolves around a defensive titan in Oklahoma City and a generational arrival in San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama is set for his primary postseason debut at the Frost Bank Center. Meanwhile, the Lakers find themselves tagged as heavy underdogs in their first round series against the Rockets.
