2026 NBA playoff preview: Series breakdowns, X-factors, predictions and rankings

[ASFN Admin]

The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, and we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know for the first round.

Complete schedule • How to watch • Betting odds

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Series previews and predictions​

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The first round will give us LeBron vs. KD in the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 Finals. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS

Dan Devine and Ben Rohrbach are breaking down every first-round series, from the key matchups to the big questions.

East: Hawks-Knicks • Raptors-Cavaliers
West: Wolves-Nuggets • Rockets-Lakers

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Playoff X-factors​

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(Dillon Marshall/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

For every team, there is one player who can swing the series, for better or worse. Let’s look at one X-factor for every team. Kevin O'Connor

• 
  Weitzman: Behind Deni Avdija’s explosive rise
  

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Power Rankings​

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(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

We power ranked every team based on where they finished the regular season in the hunt for a championship. Ben Rohrbach

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Playoff experience … is it overrated?​

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(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

Many point to the San Antonio’s inexperience as the thing that will lead to its eventual downfall. But is its youth a bug … or a feature? Tom Haberstroh

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  Iko: Postseason storylines to watch
  

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Podcast previews​

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