2026 NBA playoff bracket: Second-round schedule, matchups as Cavs punch ticket with Game 7 win
Eight teams are left in the 2026 NBA playoffs, and the second-round schedule has been unveiled
By
Brad Botkin
May 3, 2026
at
10:28 pm ET
•
3 min read
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
And then there were eight in the 2026 NBA playoffs. The second round is officially set in the postseason bracket as the Cavaliers and Pistons won Game 7s on Sunday to move on. The Cavs and Pistons will meet in the second round, with Knicks-76ers, Thunder-Lakers and Spurs-Timberwolves rounding out the other second-round series.
The Cavs knocked out the Raptors in Sunday’s Game 7, with Jarrett Allen (22 points, 19 rebounds) having a big night. The Pistons won earlier on Sunday, ousting the Magic and completing a 3-1 comeback. The 76ers took down the Celtics in Game 7 of their series on Saturday night, completing a 3-1 comeback of their own. The Knicks will face Philadelphia in the second round. Boston, the No. 2 seed in the East, lost Game 7 with Jayson Tatum sidelined and is missing the second round of the playoffs for just the second time in the last 10 seasons.
2026 NBA playoff bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
The second-round bracket in the West was finalized on Friday night. The Lakers ousted the Rockets on Friday 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.
Dates for the entire second round and game times for the first four games in each series have been set.
2026 NBA playoffs: Second-round schedule
All times Eastern. Games on ABC and ESPN are streaming on fubo (Try for free).
Monday, May 4
Game 1: 76ers vs. Knicks, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 1: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, 9:30 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Tuesday, May 5
Game 1: Pistons vs. Cavaliers, 7 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Game 1: Lakers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Wednesday, May 6
Game 2: 76ers vs. Knicks, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, May 7
Game 2: Pistons vs. Cavaliers, 7 p.m., Prime
Game 2: Lakers vs. Thunder, 9:30 p.m., Prime
Friday, May 8
Game 3: Knicks vs. 76ers, 7 p.m., Prime
Game 3: Spurs vs. Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m., Prime
Saturday, May 9
Game 3: Cavaliers vs. Pistons, 3 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 3: Thunder vs. Lakers, 8:30 p.m., ABC
Sunday, May 10
Game 4: Knicks vs. 76ers, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 4: Spurs vs. Timberwolves, 7:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Monday, May 11
Game 4: Cavaliers vs. Pistons, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Game 4: Thunder vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., Prime
Tuesday, May 12
Game 5*: 76ers vs. Knicks, TBD
Game 5*: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, TBD
Wednesday, May 13
Game 5*: Lakers vs. Thunder, TBD
Game 5*: Pistons vs. Cavaliers, TBD
Thursday, May 14
Game 6*: Knicks vs. 76ers, TBD
Friday, May 15
Game 6*: Spurs vs. Timberwolves, TBD
Game 6*: Cavaliers vs. Pistons, TBD
Saturday, May 16
Game 6*: Thunder vs. Lakers, TBD
Sunday, May 17
Game 7*: 76ers vs. Knicks, TBD
Game 7*: Timberwolves vs. Spurs, TBD
Game 7*: Pistons vs. Cavaliers, TBD
Monday, May 18
Game 7*: Lakers vs. Thunder, 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)
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)
Saturday, May 2
Game 7: 76ers 109, Celtics 100 (Philadelphia wins series 4-3)
Sunday, May 3
Game 7: Pistons 116, Magic 94 (Detroit wins series 4-3)
Game 7: Cavaliers 114, Raptors 102 (Cleveland wins series 4-3)
