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, marking their first meeting 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. The LA Lakers, led by James, secured the fourth seed in the Western Conference, earning home court advantage in their best-of-seven series against Durant's Houston Rockets, who claimed the fifth seed. The Eastern Conference saw a dramatic conclusion to the regular season, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Orlando Magic, relegating them to the eighth spot and a play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The winner will advance to the first round of the playoffs, where they will face the Celtics. Other notable matchups include the New York Knicks against the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Toronto Raptors. In the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers earned the eighth spot and will face the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in matchup, with the winner going on to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Denver Nuggets, who ended the regular season on a 12-game winning streak, secured the third seed and will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. The Oklahoma City Thunder, defending champions, will face the winner of the play-in game in the first round. The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin on April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action. The league also saw a record-breaking season, with more points scored than in any previous season, and Denver's Nikola Jokic became eligible for the NBA's award ballots after appearing in his 65th game of the season.