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

The stage is set for a thrilling NBA playoff series between legends Kevin Durant and LeBron James, with their teams securing the fourth and fifth seeds in the Western Conference. The LA 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 heading to the play-in. The Eastern Conference saw a dramatic conclusion, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Orlando Magic, sending Orlando to the eighth spot and the play-in. The Magic will face the Philadelphia 76ers, with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs to face the Celtics. The New York Knicks secured the third seed in the east and will meet the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. The Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Toronto Raptors. 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 Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in round one of the playoffs. 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 face 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 begin on Sky Sports this Sunday, with four live games on Sky Sports Action from 6pm onwards.