2026 NBA playoffs schedule: Game times, dates announced for entire first round


The 2026 NBA playoffs are underway, and the full schedule for the first round is set. The playoffs tipped off Saturday, and the first round, with eight best-of-seven series, could run through May 3. The NBA announced the full schedule for the first round late on Tuesday night.

The Play-In Tournament wrapped up Friday night and determined the final two first-round series. In the East, the top-seeded Pistons are going up against the eighth-seeded Magic, the second-seeded Celtics will take on the seventh-seeded 76ers, the third-seeded Knicks will face the sixth-seeded Hawks, and the fourth-seeded Cavaliers will square off with the fifth-seeded Raptors. 

In the West, it's Thunder-Suns in the 1-8 matchup, Spurs-Trail Blazers in the 2-7, Nuggets-Timberwolves in the 3-6 and Lakers-Rockets in the 4-5. The Nuggets and Wolves are meeting in the postseason for the third time in four years. The Lakers vs. Rockets matchup, meanwhile, pits LeBron James against Kevin Durant in the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 NBA Finals when Durant's Warriors beat James' Cavaliers.

2026 NBA playoffs schedule: First round

All times Eastern. Games on ABC and ESPN are streaming on fubo (Try for free).

Saturday, April 18

  • Game 1: No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors, 1 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 1: No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves, 3:30 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 1: No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks, 6 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 1: No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo 

Sunday, April 19

  • Game 1: No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 76ers, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo 
  • Game 1: No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
  • Game 1: No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD, 6:30 p.m., NBC
  • Game 1: No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 Trail Blazers, 9 p.m., NBC

Monday, April 20

  • Game 2: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, 7 p.m., Peacock 
  • Game 2: Knicks vs. Hawks, 8 p.m., NBC 
  • Game 2: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, 10:30 p.m., NBC

Tuesday, April 21

  • Game 2: Celtics vs. 76ers, 7 p.m., Peacock 
  • Game 2: Spurs vs. Trail Blazers, 8 p.m., NBC 
  • Game 2: Lakers vs. Rockets, 10:30 p.m., NBC

Wednesday, April 22

  • Game 2: Pistons vs. TBD, 7 p.m., ESPN/fubo
  • Game 2: Thunder vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo

Thursday, April 23

  • Game 3: Hawks vs. Knicks, 7 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 3: Raptors vs. Cavaliers, 8 p.m., Prime
  • Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, 9:30 p.m., Prime

Friday, April 24

  • Game 3: 76ers vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 3: Rockets vs. Lakers, 8 p.m., Prime 
  • Game 3: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs, 10:30 p.m., Prime

Saturday, April 25

  • Game 3: TBD vs. Pistons, 1 p.m., Peacock
  • Game 4: Hawks vs. Knicks, 6 p.m., NBC
  • Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Sunday, April 26

  • Game 4: Raptors vs. Cavaliers, 1 p.m., ESPN/fubo
  • Game 4: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs, 3:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo
  • Game 4: 76ers vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., NBC
  • Game 4: Rockets vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m., NBC

Monday, April 27

  • Game 4: TBD vs. Pistons, TBD 
  • Game 4: TBD vs. Thunder, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, TBD

Tuesday, April 28

  • *Game 5: Celtics vs. 76ers, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Knicks vs. Hawks, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Spurs vs. Trail Blazers, TBD

Wednesday, April 29

  • *Game 5: Pistons vs. TBD, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Thunder vs. TBD, TBD 
  • *Game 5: Lakers vs. Rockets, TBD

Thursday, April 30

  • *Game 6: 76ers vs. Celtics, TBD 
  • *Game 6: Hawks vs. Knicks, TBD 
  • *Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, TBD

Friday, May 1

  • *Game 6: TBD vs. Pistons, TBD 
  • *Game 6: Raptors vs. Cavaliers, TBD 
  • *Game 6: TBD vs. Thunder, TBD 
  • *Game 6: Rockets vs. Lakers, TBD

Saturday, May 2

  • Game 7: Celtics vs. 76ers, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Knicks vs. Hawks, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Spurs vs. Trail Blazers, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, TBD

Sunday, May 3

  • *Game 7: Pistons vs. TBD, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Thunder vs. TBD, TBD 
  • *Game 7: Lakers vs. Rockets, TBD

2026 NBA playoffs key dates

  • April 18-19: First-round series begin
  • May 2-4: Second round begins
  • May 10: 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
  • May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin
  • May 20: Western Conference Finals begin
  • June 3: NBA Finals Game 1
  • June 19: NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)

 

 

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