The first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference lived up to the hype and then some. While the Western Conference saw quicker resolutions and blowouts in several series, the East delivered non-stop drama with three of four matchups going the full seven games. This showcased real parity across the conference, where seeding often mattered less than execution, health, and momentum. Higher seeds were pushed to the brink (or beyond), and upsets highlighted how competitive the East has become.
Here is a look at how each series unfolded, with key moments, standout performances, and what it means heading into the semifinals.
After squeaking by the depleted New jersey Nets, the Bucks seem to have a much clearer path to an NBA title. Many believe that Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best all-around player left in the NBA playoffs, and that the Bucks should roll through the Hawks. The odds are heavily in the Bucks’ favor.
Of course, some TV personalities will go with the Hawks just for entertainment purposes, and of course they can pull an upset. Anything is possible. But the smart money seems to be with the heavily favored Bucks.
Here’s a tweet from a respected sports better:
Pretty shocked to see so many experts on tv and radio take Atlanta to win this series. No real rhyme or reason just a lot of hunches. I think the Bucks steamroll in this series starting tonight. As I asked a few days ago who in the world is trying to guard Giannis on ATL?
That’s the question . . . can anyone on the Hawks guard Giannis? This is his chance to take control of the playoffs and grab a title in a year when the other NBA icons have been eliminated.
As we move into the second half of the NBA season, some unexpected teams are surging to the top of the ranks. Of course, nobody is surprised by the Miami Heat’s position at the top of the Eastern conference, but the wrong team from Los Angeles seems to be at the top, the Clippers. Many expected the Lakers to be the dominate team in the Western Conference, but they are not even in the picture right now. Here’s a quick look at where we stand as of right now:
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat 2. New York Knicks 3. Indiana Pacers 4. Atlanta Hawks 5. Chicago Bulls 6. Brooklyn Nets 7. Milwaukee Bucks 8. Boston Celtics
Biggest Surprises in the East
Probably the biggest surprise is the rivalry matchup sitting in the 2 and 3 seeds currently. Both Indiana and New York were expected to be in the playoff hunt, but not sitting right behind Miami with a legitimate chance to win the East. The Atlanta Hawks can also be thrown into this surprise group, as they are right behind the Pacers and not far behind the east leading Heat.
It’s going to be an exciting run to finish the season and snagging Indiana Pacers tickets for one of the final games, as they renew their historic rivalry with the Knicks, can lead to an exciting and memorable experience. All eight teams have winning records and the top four teams all have a real chance to win the conference. Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Clippers 2. Oklahoma City Thunder 3. San Antonio Spurs 4. Memphis Grizzlies 5. Golden State Warriors 6. Houston Rockets 7. Denver Nuggets 8. Portland Trailblazers
Biggest Surprises in the West
The biggest surprise found in the western conference has to do with the team not in the playoff picture, as of right now. The 15-20 Los Angeles Lakers were picked to possibly win more games than any other NBA team in history, at the beginning of the season, but they currently sit 10 games back from the 8th and final playoff seed. Another huge surprise lurking even further back than the Lakers is the Dallas Mavericks.
Both of these teams have recently experienced quite a bit of success, but neither is even close to the playoff hunt right now. Without a long winning streak in the second half of the season, we may see the Lakers miss the playoffs for only the 6th time in franchise history and the first time since 2004-2005. We will most likely also see the playoffs played without Dallas for the first time since the 1999-2000 seasons.
Predictions
With the two biggest surprises coming from the west, predicting the NBA finals teams isn’t all that easy. At the beginning of the year, many experts picked Miami and Los Angeles Lakers to make the finals. However, it’s necessary to re-evaluate the picture now and it’s very likely a team, such as the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks could build enough momentum to overtake Miami in the playoffs.
The west is all up for grabs and the most likely team to go to the finals is the San Antonio Spurs, simply because they know how to get there. Another team to look out for is the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they are young and capable of making a playoff run.
Whichever teams end up in the playoffs and the finals, this season has created quite a bit of excitement. The top teams in both conferences are only a few games apart from each other and nobody is running away with the conference titles. It will be exciting to watch and fun to see how it all shakes out.
It took Danny Ferry a week to turn a franchise going nowhere into one with room again to grow. It took him a week to reach an agreement to send Joe Johnson to the Nets for a bunch of guys whose principal value rests in the expiration dates on their contracts. It took this general manager a week to ship Marvin Williams, enduring symbol of opportunity squandered, to Utah.
To follow the Hawks is to expect the worst, which means the initial response to this watershed Johnson deal was to figure it would be overturned on some technicality. Maybe we shouldn’t be fatalistic. At the rate Ferry is moving, he might be able to convince the NBA to replay the final seconds of Game 6 against Boston from 1988, and make it so that Dominique Wilkins (and not Cliff Levingston) takes the last shot this time.
A week ago we wondered if/when Ferry would dare to tamper with the Core Four. On Day 1 of Week 2, we got our answer. Ferry gored the Core without having to deal either Josh Smith or Al Horford, and by offloading Johnson he turned this capped-out club into one with a hangar’s worth of financial headroom.
Shedding Johnson’s contract was the only way the Hawks could get better. He makes $20 million per season, which is roughly one-third of what the NBA allows to fund an entire roster. It’s one thing if your $20-million-man is Kobe Bryant, but Johnson, over the two years since he re-upped, has sunk to being third-best among Hawks.
This looks like a great move by Ferry, but then he needs to show that he can build a team back up. Ferry did a decent job in Cleveland, and it’s hard to blame him for Lebron’s emotional breakdowns that did in the Cavs in the playoffs after they won 66 and then 60 games in the regular season.
That said, he made some big blunders in Cleveland as well (Larry Hughes). So here he has to show he can do more than wield a sledgehammer to a bloated roster.
An emotional Alex Meruelo had to fight back tears as he talked about what it to means to be the NBA’s first Hispanic team owner.
His voice cracked as he talked about having dreamed of this day.
“I think we all do as boys — that I would one day play in the NBA,” said Meruelo, a California developer and pizza chain owner.
Meruelo, the son of Cuban immigrants, vowed to do everything he can to bring a championship to Atlanta if his deal to become the majority owner of the Hawks is approved by the NBA.
He became emotional again when he slipped on a red Hawks cap.
“I wasn’t quite fast enough, tall enough or quick enough, so those dreams didn’t quite get me that far,” he said. “But those dreams brought me the burning desire to be involved in the NBA. It’s something I’ve always wanted my entire life to somehow be a part of the NBA.”
Meruelo, 48, will have controlling interest of more than 50 percent of the Hawks, who will remain in Atlanta. The deal also includes operating rights to Philips Arena.
This is likely very good news for Hawks fans as they finally have an owner who seems committed to winning. The Hawks have been for sale for a while and the unstable management has resulted in a lack of direction (though the team did re-sign Joe Johnson to a monster extension last summer).
