Legacies are forged in the postseason. Good teams become great, and great players become legendary. The 2026 NBA postseason will see 16 teams chase 16 victories in hopes of capturing the legacy-defining Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who locked up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the third straight year, make it back to the NBA Finals? Which team will emerge from a crowded Eastern Conference? Find out as the action unfolds on ESPN's family of networks.
Here are key facts about the 2026 NBA playoffs:
What is the schedule?
*All times Eastern
April 18
8:30 p.m.: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers on ABC
April 19
1 p.m.: Philadelphia at Boston Celtics on ABC
3:30 p.m.: TBD at Oklahoma City Thunder on ABC
April 22
7 p.m.: TBD at Detroit Pistons on ESPN
9 p.m.: TBD at Oklahoma City Thunder on ESPN
April 25
8:30 p.m.: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves on ABC
April 26
1 p.m.: Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors on ESPN
3:30 p.m.: San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers on ESPN
*Additional games TBD
How can fans watch?
How can fans access more NBA coverage from ESPN?
Check out the ESPN NBA hub page for the latest news, analysis, scores, stats, schedules and more.