Durant and James Set to Clash in NBA Playoffs as Seedings Are Finalized

The stage is set for a thrilling NBA playoff series between legendary players 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 spots, with four more teams in each conference set to compete in the play-in. The Eastern Conference saw a dramatic conclusion, with the Boston Celtics securing a spot and the Orlando Magic being relegated to the play-in. The Magic will face the Philadelphia 76ers, with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs. The New York Knicks secured the third seed in the east and will face the Atlanta Hawks, while the Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors. In the west, the Portland Trail Blazers earned the eighth spot and will have two chances to win one game and clinch a playoff berth. The Trail Blazers will face the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in match-up, with the winner going on to face the San Antonio Spurs in round one of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors and will play again in the 9/10 playoff elimination game, with the winner meeting the loser of the Suns vs Trail Blazers for a chance to take on the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. 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 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on Sky Sports on April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action from 6pm onwards.