By Anna Rushton
On April 19, 2026, this year’s NBA Playoffs commenced. For those who don’t know much about the sport and playoffs, the Playoffs are the tournament after the Regular Season, which consists of games between the best teams in the league to determine the champion. Sixteen teams qualify with eight coming from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. These congresses are vital in scheduling as well as playoff seeding. Each conference has 15 squads where the first 6 get automatic playoff spots. The last two spots are played for a Play-in tournament.
The top 6 teams in the Eastern Conference are Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, and Atlanta Hawks. Sophomore Gabriel Kaljevic said, “I was really glad that the Knicks got into the top six because I love watching them play.” Additionally, junior Zachary Surchin said, “The Knicks have been playing with a different kind of energy this year, and I think they could make a serious run if they stay consistent”.
The top six teams in the West are Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic in the East and the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers in the West snagged the last playoff spots. Teams only face opponents within their conference which minimizes travel distance and time zone issues until the finals.
The postseason features four rounds: First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals. In a best-of-seven series, a round is won when teams win four games to get to the next round.
The Raptors will play the Cavaliers, the Timberwolves will face off against the Nuggets, the Hawks are set to clash with the Knicks, the Rockets will go up against the Lakers, and the 76ers will dance with the Celtics, the Suns will play the Thunder, the Magic will go against the Pistons and the Trail Blazers will be up with the Spurs in the first-round encounters. “I’m excited to watch the Hawks and Knicks game with my family,” said sophomore Mackenzie Lee. “It should be fun and a good time”.
Even if you don’t follow basketball closely, the playoffs are still exciting. The NBA Finals always promises to be an exciting and competitive event. The competition and passion of the fans are intense, and the days are closing in on the final outcome.
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