2026 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule as Rockets, Pistons stay alive with Game 5 wins
The Spurs and Thunder are the only two teams to advance in the 2026 NBA playoffs so far
By
Brad Botkin
Apr 30, 2026
at
12:50 am ET
•
3 min read
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
Wednesday night’s action in the NBA playoffs was all about the teams that stayed alive. The Pistons and Rockets both entered the night on the brink of elimination, but will live to fight another day thanks to gutty Game 5 victories.
Detroit, the top seed in the East, found itself in a surprising 3-1 hole to the eighth-seeded Magic but pulled out a 116-109 home win in Game 5 to stay alive. Cade Cunningham poured in 45 points, a Pistons franchise record, in the win. Later Wednesday, the Rockets knocked off the Lakers in Los Angeles, 99-93, to cut their series deficit to 3-2 after initially falling behind 3-0. Neither team shot the ball well overall, but Houston knocked down 14 3-pointers and made a few key defensive plays late to pull out the win.
Elsewhere in the East, the Cavaliers took a 3-2 series lead over the Raptors with a hard-fought 125-120 home win in Game 5.
Entering Thursday’s slate, only two teams — the Thunder and Spurs — have advanced into the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. That means six first-round series will now go at least six games, the first time since 2014. While the reigning champion Thunder will face either the Lakers or Rockets next, the Spurs will take on either the Nuggets or Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves — who missed a chance to advance after losing Game 5 against the Nuggets on Monday — along with the Celtics and Knicks are also leading their respective series and can close them out with one more win. The Celtics had an opportunity to advance Tuesday at home, but the 76ers kept their season alive with a 113-97 victory. The Knicks, meanwhile, blew out the Hawks 126-97 to take a 3-2 series lead.
The postseason field was already trimmed from 20 teams to 16 as the Play-In Tournament wrapped up earlier this month. The Heat, Clippers, Hornets and Warriors were all knocked out during the play-in, while the 76ers, Magic, Trail Blazers and Suns made the playoff field.
Here’s a look at the up-to-date 2026 NBA playoff bracket.
2026 NBA playoff bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
2026 NBA playoffs schedule
All times Eastern. Games on ABC and ESPN are streaming on fubo (Try for free).
Wednesday, April 29
Game 5: Pistons 116, Magic 109 (Orlando leads 3-2)
Game 5: Cavaliers 125, Raptors 120 (Cleveland leads 3-2)
Game 5: Rockets 99, Lakers 93 (L.A. leads 3-2)
Thursday, April 30
Game 6: Hawks vs. Knicks, 7 p.m., ESPN/fubo (New York leads 3-2)
Game 6: 76ers vs. Celtics, 8 p.m., Peacock (Boston leads 3-2)
Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Minnesota leads 3-2)
Friday, May 1
*Game 6: Magic vs. Pistons, TBD
Game 6: Raptors vs. Cavaliers, TBD
*Game 6: Rockets vs. Lakers, TBD
Saturday, May 2
*Game 7: Celtics vs. 76ers, TBD
*Game 7: Knicks vs. Hawks, TBD
*Game 7: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, TBD
Sunday, May 3
*Game 7: Pistons vs. Magic, TBD
*Game 7: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, TBD
*Game 7: Lakers vs. Rockets, TBD
First-round scores
Saturday, April 18
Game 1: No. 4 Cavaliers 126, No. 5 Raptors 113
Game 1: No. 3 Nuggets 116, No. 6 Timberwolves 105
Game 1: No. 3 Knicks 112, No. 6 Hawks 102
Game 1: No. 4 Lakers 107, No. 5 Rockets 98
Sunday, April 19
Game 1: No. 2 Celtics 123, No. 7 76ers 91
Game 1: No. 1 Thunder 119, No. 8 Suns 84
Game 1: No. 8 Magic 112, No. 1 Pistons 101
Game 1: No. 2 Spurs 111, No. 7 Trail Blazers 98
Monday, April 20
Game 2: Cavaliers 115, Raptors 105
Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106
Game 2: Timberwolves 119, Nuggets 114
Tuesday, April 21
Game 2: 76ers 111, Celtics 97
Game 2: Trail Blazers 106, Spurs 103
Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94
Wednesday, April 22
Game 2: Pistons 98, Magic 83
Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107
Thursday, April 23
Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108
Game 3: Raptors 126, Cavaliers 104
Game 3: Timberwolves 113, Nuggets 96
Friday, April 24
Game 3: Celtics 108, 76ers 100
Game 3: Lakers 112, Rockets 108 (OT)
Game 3: Spurs 120, Trail Blazers 108
Saturday, April 25
Game 3: Magic 113, Pistons 105
Game 3: Thunder 121, Suns 109
Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98
Game 4: Timberwolves 112, Nuggets 96
Sunday, April 26
Game 4: Raptors 93, Cavaliers 89
Game 4: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 93
Game 4: Celtics 128, 76ers 96
Game 4: Rockets 115, Lakers 96
Monday, April 27
Game 4: Magic 94, Pistons 88
Game 4: Thunder 131, Suns 122 (OKC wins 4-0)
Game 5: Nuggets 125, Timberwolves 113
Tuesday, April 28
Game 5: 76ers 113, Celtics 97
Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97
Game 5: Spurs 114, Trail Blazers 95 (San Antonio wins 4-1)
