Durant and James Set to Clash in NBA Playoffs as Seeding is Finalized

The stage is set for a thrilling NBA playoff series between legendary players LeBron James and Kevin Durant, marking their first meeting in eight years. The seeding was confirmed on the final night of the regular season, with six teams in both conferences securing their playoff spots and four more set to compete in the play-in. James' Los Angeles Lakers claimed the fourth seed in the Western Conference, earning home court advantage against Durant's Houston Rockets, who are the fifth seed. The Eastern Conference saw intense drama on the final night, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Orlando Magic, relegating them to the eighth spot and a play-in matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. The winner will advance to face the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Other notable matchups include the New York Knicks facing the Atlanta Hawks, and the Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Toronto Raptors. The Western Conference will feature the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Oklahoma City Thunder, as top seeds, await the winner of the play-in games. The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action, and will continue with the Western Conference Finals live from May 20. The season has seen a record number of points scored, with 284,395 points, surpassing the previous record of 282,127. Denver's Nikola Jokic has achieved eligibility for the NBA's award ballots by appearing in 65 games, and is a strong contender for the MVP award, having won it in 2021, 2023, and 2024.