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.
One of the all-time NBA great, Bill Russell, has passed away at the age of 88. He was an amazing player and also a great man and civil rights leader.
Russell won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics. Sure, the NBA was much different back then, but this is still a stunning achievement.
Anyone making a list of the greatest NBA players of all time has to consider Russell as among the best. He was a powerhouse on defense, and an unselfish player on offense. He did the dirty work and all the little things that helped his team win. If you want an idea of how great of an athlete he was, check out this highlight video.
The Kemba Walker experiment is over in Boston. The Celtics thought that he could be part of a big three with Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown but it didn’t work out. Now they had to dump his huge contract, and new GM Brad Stevens didn’t waste any time.
The Celtics traded Walker and their 2021 first-round pick (No. 16 overall) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a package that includes Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-rounder according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Thunder love accumulating draft picks, and now they get another first-rounder to assume Walker’s contract. He could be traded as well.
Horford has been a mess since leaving Boston so he’s probably happy to return.
It is a significant source of joy for NBA fans whenever they see three or more All-Star superstars playing together in one team, forming what is now known as a superteam. This has grown to be quite a popular talking point for over 15 years now. Fans love seeing the best players in the sport teaming up.
However, there is a split of opinion since a section of the fanbase believes that there isn’t any competitiveness when players start combining forces to challenge a trophy win. There has been a recent development where there is a possibility of James Harden leaving the Houston Rockets and joining the Brooklyn Nets.
The seasoned star will be joining the likes of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, forming another one of the coveted superteams. This speculation is what has brought forth new debate over the matter.
The Brooklyn Nets will now stand a higher chance of becoming the 2020/21 NBA champions if James Harden joins them. But that won’t be the only superteam in the recent past. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the most successful superteams of the 2010s. The infographic below, taken from a Betway NBA article outlines the latest NBA Superteams.
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.
