2026 NBA playoffs: Conference finals takeawaysNBA InsidersMultiple AuthorsMay 22, 2026, 11:41 PM ET
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The conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs are here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western matchups.
The No. 3-seeded New York Knicks, who swept the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the East, are facing the Cleveland Cavaliers after they prevailed in seven games over the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons.
In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are meeting the San Antonio Spurs as the top two seeds battle in a highly anticipated series.
With four teams one round away from their shots at the Larry O’Brien Trophy, here’s what matters most in both conferences and what to watch in the series.
Jump to a series:
Knicks-Cavaliers
Thunder-Spurs
More coverage:
Schedules and results | Offseason guides
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder lead (2) San Antonio Spurs, 2-1
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Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115
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Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113
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Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108
Biggest takeaway from Game 3:
The Spurs’ 15-0 run to open the game was the second-longest scoring run to start a playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98), but the Thunder weren’t fazed. Oklahoma City quickly cut the lead to five points just before the end of the quarter. The Thunder took their first lead early in the second quarter and seized control of the rest of the game, outscoring the Spurs in each quarter after the first. Oklahoma City overwhelmed San Antonio with its depth. For the second straight game, four OKC reserves scored in double figures. The 76 bench points — led by Jared McCain’s 24 — set an OKC-era franchise record, surpassing the 57 from Game 2 of this series. — Tim MacMahon
Game 4: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
What to watch in Game 4:
The Spurs sped out of the gates in Game 3 with an appropriate sense of urgency and raised their physicality on both ends of the floor, but it wasn’t enough to offset San Antonio’s lack of scoring punch off the bench. Oklahoma City’s reserves outscored the Spurs’ bench 76-23. So, it’s worth pondering whether the Spurs will look to shorten their rotation Sunday for Game 4. Oklahoma’s depth advantage has been striking throughout this series, with the Thunder bench outscoring San Antonio’s reserves 107-41 in the two outings before Game 3.
On the injury front, keep an eye out for the potential return of Thunder guard Jalen Williams in Game 4. Williams was held out of Game 3 due to hamstring tightness and is considered day-to-day. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, meanwhile, appeared to re-aggravate his high right ankle sprain late in the third quarter and left with 1:09 remaining before returning to start the final frame, clearly hobbled. His return played a huge role for San Antonio cutting down its turnovers while also spelling Stephon Castle, whose usage rate as a ballhandler had skyrocketed with Fox sidelined for the first two games. — Michael C. Wright
Eastern Conference
(3) New York Knicks lead (4) Cleveland Cavaliers, 2-0
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Game 1: Knicks 115, Cavaliers 104 (OT)
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Game 2: Knicks 109, Cavaliers 93
Biggest takeaway from Game 2:
Knicks coach Mike Brown knew there would be adjustments from the Cavaliers in Game 2 and that Jalen Brunson wouldn’t be allowed to control the court freely the way he did in New York’s comeback in Game 1. Turns out the Knicks didn’t need him to pull off the same fourth-quarter flurry.
It looked clear that the Knicks were in the driver’s seat early, especially after an 18-0 run to start the third quarter that was all they needed to secure the difference. Brunson was more of a distributor than scorer, with 14 assists to end the game after a quiet first half. Josh Hart was left open all game again, and made the Cavaliers pay. He hit three 3-pointers in the decisive third quarter run to finish with a team-high 26 points and a playoff career-high seven assists.
The Knicks held the Cavaliers to under 40% shooting and under 30% from 3-point range and never allowed them to settle into their offense, crowding the sweet spots on the court for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Short of an early flurry from Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers’ size was never a factor. — Vincent Goodwill
Game 3: New York at Cleveland (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC)
What to watch in Game 3:
The series shifts to Cleveland, where the Cavs will be fighting to save their season in Game 3. The Cavs rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win their second-round series against the Detroit Pistons and although they’ve been here before, they’re now facing a tougher task against the Knicks.
Being down two games heading home is what made Cleveland’s Game 1 collapse so devastating. The Cavs played one of their best games of the postseason for 40 minutes and then watched a golden opportunity to steal the game on the road disappear. Now the margin for error has been erased and the Cavs are facing must-win games to at least make the series competitive. — Jamal Collier
