Durant and James Set for Playoff Clash as NBA Seedings Are Confirmed

The stage is set for a highly anticipated playoff series between NBA legends Kevin Durant and LeBron James, with their teams securing the fourth and fifth seeds in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by James, will have home court advantage in their best-of-seven series against Durant's Houston Rockets. The final night of the regular season saw six teams in both conferences confirm their playoff places, with four more teams in each conference set to compete in the play-in tournament. The Eastern Conference saw a dramatic conclusion, with the Boston Celtics' win over the Orlando Magic determining the final playoff spots. The Celtics will face the winner of the play-in game between the Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers. The New York Knicks secured the third seed in the East and will face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. In the West, the Portland Trail Blazers earned the eighth spot and will play the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in match-up. The winner will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, who ended the regular season on a 12-game winning streak, locked up the third seed and will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the top seeds in the West, will face the winner of the play-in tournament. The Detroit Pistons, the top seeds in the East, will face the winner of the play-in game between the Magic and the 76ers. The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action. All timings are listed in British Summer Time.