2026 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule as Knicks await Celtics-76ers winner
Three Game 7s are on tap in the Eastern Conference over the weekend, starting Saturday night with Celtics-76ers
By
Brad Botkin
May 2, 2026
at
5:20 pm ET
•
3 min read
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
Three of the four first-round series in the Eastern Conference are heading to a decisive Game 7 in the 2026 NBA playoffs. That begins Saturday night with Celtics vs. 76ers. Pistons vs. Magic and Cavs vs. Raptors will follow on Sunday.
The top-seeded Pistons overcame a 22-point halftime deficit to stun the Magic in Orlando on Friday. Detroit outscored the Magic 55-19 in the second half as Orlando endured a historically inept offensive performance. Later Friday, RJ Barrett hit a dramatic 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to lift the Raptors over the Cavaliers. The Knicks are the only team in the East that has advanced. They demolished the Hawks in Game 6 on Thursday night, outscoring Atlanta by 47 in the first half on the Hawks’ home floor.
2026 NBA playoff bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
The second-round bracket is set in the West. The Lakers ousted the Rockets on Friday night to set up a second-round showdown against the top-seeded Thunder. The Wolves (who eliminated the Nuggets) and the Spurs (who eliminated the Blazers) will meet in the other Western Conference semi.
2026 NBA playoffs schedule
All times Eastern. Games on ABC and ESPN are streaming on fubo (Try for free).
Saturday, May 2
Game 7: Celtics vs. 76ers, 7:30 p.m., NBC (Series tied 3-3)
Sunday, May 3
Game 7: Pistons vs. Magic, 3:30 p.m., ABC (Series tied 3-3)
Game 7: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, 7:30 p.m., NBC (Series tied 3-3)
Second-round schedule
Monday, May 4
Game 1: Knicks vs. TBD, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 1: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, 9:30 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Tuesday, May 5
Game 1: TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Game 1: Lakers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Wednesday, May 6
Game 2: Knicks vs. TBD, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, May 7
Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m., Prime
Game 2: Lakers vs. Thunder, 9:30 p.m., Prime
Friday, May 8
Game 3: Knicks vs. TBD, 7 p.m., Prime
Game 3: Spurs vs. Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m., Prime
Saturday, May 9
Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 3: Thunder vs. Lakers, 8:30 p.m., ABC
Sunday, May 10
Game 4: Knicks vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 4: Spurs vs. Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Monday, May 11
Game 4: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 4: Thunder vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., Prime
Tuesday, May 12
Game 5*: Knicks vs. TBD
Game 5*: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Wednesday, May 13
Game 5*: Lakers vs. Thunder
Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD
Thursday, May 14
Game 6*: Knicks vs. TBD
Friday, May 15
Game 6*: Spurs vs. Timberwolves
Game 6*: TBD vs. TBD
Saturday, May 16
Game 6*: Thunder vs. Lakers
Sunday, May 17
Game 7*: Knicks vs. TBD
Game 7*: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Game 7*: TBD vs. TBD
Monday, May 18
Game 7*: Lakers vs. Thunder
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)
Wednesday, April 29
Game 5: Pistons 116, Magic 109
Game 5: Cavaliers 125, Raptors 120
Game 5: Rockets 99, Lakers 93
Thursday, April 30
Game 6: Knicks 140, Hawks 89 (New York wins 4-2)
Game 6: 76ers 106, Celtics 93
Game 6: Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98 (Minnesota wins 4-2)
Friday, May 1
Game 6: Pistons 93, Magic 79
Game 6: Raptors 112, Cavaliers 110
Game 6: Lakers 98, Rockets 78 (L.A. wins series 4-2)
