- The NBA playoff field is fully locked after Orlando beat Charlotte 121 to 90 for the East 8 seed and Phoenix beat Golden State 111 to 96 for the West 8 seed.
- The first round began on Saturday, April 18, 2026, with four Game 1s on Saturday and the other four series opening Sunday, April 19.
- Oklahoma City enters the playoffs as the clear title favorite at about +110, with San Antonio at +500 and Boston at +550 next on the board.
The NBA playoff bracket is set
The play in is over, so this is no longer a half finished playoff picture story. Orlando grabbed the East 8 seed on Friday night and Phoenix took the West 8 seed later in the evening, which locked the full bracket before the first round tipped off on Saturday, April 18.
In the East, it is Pistons vs Magic, Celtics vs 76ers, Knicks vs Hawks, and Cavaliers vs Raptors. In the West, it is Thunder vs Suns, Spurs vs Trail Blazers, Nuggets vs Timberwolves, and Lakers vs Rockets. The NBA’s official playoffs pages also show the first round beginning April 18, with the Finals scheduled to start June 3.
2026 NBA Playoffs — First Round Bracket & Championship Odds
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Championship Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Pistons | 60–22 | +1800 |
| 8 | Orlando Magic | 45–37 | +75000 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 56–26 | +500 |
| 7 | Atlanta Hawks | 46–36 | +12500 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 3 | New York Knicks | 53–29 | +2200 |
| 6 | Charlotte Hornets | 44–38 | +10000 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 52–30 | +1300 |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 46–36 | — |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Championship Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 64–18 | +100 |
| 8 | Portland Trail Blazers | 42–40 | +75000 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 2 | San Antonio Spurs | 62–20 | +500 |
| 7 | Phoenix Suns | 45–37 | +75000 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 3 | Denver Nuggets | 54–28 | +1200 |
| 6 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 49–33 | +8000 |
| — | — | — | — |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 53–29 | +25000 |
| 5 | Houston Rockets | 52–30 | +7000 |
Check our best sportsbook page for places to bet.
Best first round series to watch
Nuggets vs Timberwolves
This is the best pure basketball series in the first round. It is a rematch, it has real star power, and it looks like the one matchup most likely to feel like a conference finals level fight before the second round even starts. The schedule has Denver and Minnesota opening Saturday afternoon.
Lakers vs Rockets
This is the volatility series. Houston is the higher seed, but the Lakers still carry the bigger national pull and the bigger headline risk in either direction. It is also one of Saturday’s opening day Game 1s, which gives it immediate value for a news post.
Celtics vs 76ers
Boston got the 7 seed instead of a softer draw because Philadelphia survived the play in and advanced. That gives the East an early heavyweight feel instead of a routine 2 vs 7 series. The opener is scheduled for Sunday, April 19.
Thunder vs Suns
If you want the cleanest favorite versus dangerous underdog angle, this is it. Phoenix had to fight through the play in just to get here, and now it immediately gets the defending champion and No. 1 overall seed. That is the kind of series that either confirms the title favorite fast or creates panic right away.
NBA Finals futures heading into Round 1
The market is not subtle right now. Oklahoma City is the clear favorite at +110. San Antonio is next at +500, Boston sits at +550, Denver is +900, Cleveland is 17 to 1, and New York is 18 to 1. After that, the board opens up fast, with longer shots like Houston at 80 to 1 and Minnesota at 100 to 1. ESPN said those numbers were current as of publication on Saturday, April 18, from DraftKings.
That setup tells you the market sees a real gap between Oklahoma City and the rest of the field. BetMGM’s futures writeup also frames the Thunder as the favorite to defend their 2025 title, with Boston holding the best odds to come out of the East and San Antonio emerging as Oklahoma City’s biggest challenger in the West.
Best NBA Finals futures bets right now
Boston Celtics
Boston at +550 is the cleanest non chalk title ticket on the board. You are getting a true contender at a much better number than Oklahoma City, and the Eastern path looks more manageable than trying to survive the West. If you want one serious futures bet before Round 1 gets deeper, this is the strongest balance of price and credibility. That is an inference from the bracket and the market, not a guaranteed edge.
Denver Nuggets
Denver at +900 is the better West value if you do not want to pay the Thunder tax or buy into San Antonio at a shorter number. The Nuggets are already the 3 seed, they have the star power to win a long series, and the price is still big enough to matter.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland at 17 to 1 is the longer shot worth a look if you want a real payout without dropping into fantasy range. The Cavs are not priced like a top tier favorite, but they still opened the playoffs with home court in the first round and sit on the easier side of the board compared with most Western teams. That makes them a more interesting longshot than the number suggests.
The futures bet to avoid
Oklahoma City Thunder at +110
Oklahoma City deserves to be the favorite. That does not make +110 a great bet. At that price, you are paying almost full retail for the most obvious team on the board. It can absolutely win, but from a betting standpoint there is not much room for error and not much value left in the number.
Final Thoughts
The NBA finally has its full playoff field, which means today is the right day to post the story. The bracket is official, the games are already live, and the futures market is giving you a clean angle to build around. Oklahoma City is the favorite, but Boston looks like the best blend of price and realism, while Denver and Cleveland are the better value swings if you want something less obvious.
Last Updated: 3 days ago
