The stage is set for a thrilling NBA playoff series between legendary players Kevin Durant and LeBron James, marking their first meeting in the postseason in eight years. The seedings were confirmed on the final night of the regular season, with six teams in each conference securing their playoff spots and four more teams in each conference heading to the play-in tournament. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by James, clinched 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, which dropped Orlando to the eighth spot and a play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The winner of this matchup will advance to the first round of the playoffs, where they will face 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 Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers earned the eighth spot and will have two chances to win one game and secure a playoff berth.
The Trail Blazers will play the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in matchup, with the winner facing 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.