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

The stage is set for a thrilling NBA playoff series between legendary players Kevin Durant and LeBron James, marking their first postseason encounter in eight years. The seedings were 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 tournament. James' Los Angeles Lakers claimed the fourth seed in the Western Conference, earning home court advantage in their best-of-seven series against Durant's Houston Rockets, who secured the fifth seed. The Eastern Conference saw a dramatic conclusion to the regular season, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Orlando Magic to drop them into the eighth spot and the play-in tournament. The Magic will face the Philadelphia 76ers, with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs to meet the Celtics. The New York Knicks locked up the third seed in the east and will meet the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, while the Cleveland Cavaliers will face 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. They will face the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in matchup, with the winner meeting Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Los Angeles Clippers will play the Golden State Warriors 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, beat an under-strength Spurs to secure the third seed and set up a first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on Sky Sports on April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action from 6pm onwards. The league's statistical champions have been confirmed, with the Lakers' Luka Doncic winning the scoring title and Nikola Jokic winning both the rebounding and assist titles to complete another season averaging a triple-double.