As the NBA postseason hits full throttle, the first round is already living up to its reputation as one of the most unpredictable stretches in sports.
Some heavy favorites are stumbling, underdogs are strutting and every night feels like a potential classic.
With defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder looking dominant and several Eastern Conference series up in the air, the road to the Finals is seemingly wide open.
Eastern Conference:
• Detroit Pistons (1) vs. Orlando Magic (8): Series tied 1-1. The top-seeded Pistons, led by superstar Cade Cunningham, dropped Game 1 at home (101-112) but bounced back emphatically in Game 2 with a 98-83 thrashing, exploding for a 38-point third quarter. Orlando’s young, pesky defense keeps things competitive, but Detroit’s star power gives them the edge heading into Game 3.
• Boston Celtics (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7): Series tied 1-1. Boston looked shaky in Game 2, falling 97-111 on their homecourt. Philly, parading a motley crew of a battle-tested veteran in Paul George, a rookie in VJ Edgecomb and a star in Tyrese Maxey, has the potential to make this a grind-it-out series.
• New York Knicks (3) vs. Atlanta Hawks (6): Hawks lead 2-1. This one is pure theater. Atlanta stole Game 3 on the road, 109-108, in a nail-biter that had fans on their feet. The Knicks’ gritty style meets Atlanta’s firepower — so we can expect more last minute heroics. I think the missing factor here is Karl Anthony Towns. He has to have a massive breakout game and he has yet to impose his will on this series.
• Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Toronto Raptors (5): Cavs lead 2-1, but Toronto isn’t going quietly. The Raptors erupted for a massive 47-23 second-half run in Game 3, winning 126-104 and gaining back momentum. Cleveland’s depth is elite, but Toronto’s resilience makes this far from over. There’s a ton of pressure too on James Harden considering his postseason record of dismal efforts.
Western Conference:
• Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Phoenix Suns (8): OKC leads 2-0 and are clicking on all cylinders. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 37 in Game 2 (120-107 win) and the young core remains undefeated in first-round play. Phoenix is pesky, but the talent gap is showing. Jalen Williams it seems is on the injury list again and it remains to be seen how this affects them in the second or third round.
• Los Angeles Lakers (4) vs. Houston Rockets (5): Lakers lead 2-0. LeBron James continues to defy Father Time with vintage performances (28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists in Game 2). Even with Kevin Durant back for Houston, L.A. has controlled the series. In our previous article, we discussed how the pressure will be on Kevin Durant’s shoulders. Now that they are down two games, KD must feel like he is on the stove with the pressure cooker about to hit maximum temp.
• Denver Nuggets (3) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (6): Timberwolves lead 2-1. Minnesota stole Game 3 (113-96), proving their defensive identity can rattle even the great Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets. Jaden McDaniels was talking trash about the Nuggets defense and guess what -- he walked the talk in Game 3. Aaron Gordon is being solely missed by his team as his size and athleticism takes a lot out of their opponents. Without him, this team lacks the physicality of a championship contender.
• San Antonio Spurs (2) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7): Series tied 1-1. Portland pulled off a gritty Game 2 road win (106-103), storming back from a double-digit deficit. The Spurs’ youth and vigor sans a Victor Wembanyama will be severely tested in Game 3. Still, I feel that when Wemby gets back, the Spurs will still win this in six or seven games.
DRAMA. The 2026 playoffs have it all: aging legends like LeBron and Durant still dominating story lines and young superstars like SGA and Wemby eager to make their marks. Injuries are also potentially changing outcomes but they are part of the game and only serves to add layers to the basketball drama that is the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
This early, two of my picks are on shaky ground -- the Nuggets and the Rockets. Still, I would not mind a Timberwolves-Spurs matchup with the winner facing off against the victor in the Lakers-Thunder series.
In the East , the paths are not yet clear and most of the teams are treading on dangerous ground. One thing’s certain: these playoffs are must-watch basketball.
LAST ROUND. It’s on my late mother, Elena Mayol Quijano as our family recently gathered for her birth anniversary. Cheers Mom, we miss you!