2026 NBA Playoffs: Standings, Bracket & Clinching Scenarios

Top Stories: 2026 NBA Playoffs Standings, Bracket and Clinching Updates Keep track of the latest scenarios for playoff clinching, seeding and elimination.
From NBA.com Staff | Updated on March 18, 2026 5:49 PM

OKC clinches playoff spot with 9th straight win, Westbrook climbs to 5th all-time in assists & more from 8-game Tuesday.

• Latest NBA Standings Below are the latest playoff clinching, playoff seeding and playoff elimination scenarios for the 2026 NBA playoffs. The SoFi Play-In Tournament begins April 14 and the NBA Playoffs begin April 18.

Postseason scenarios for March 18
• Oklahoma City clinches the Northwest Division title with losses by Denver and Minnesota
• Utah is eliminated with a loss OR wins by Golden State and Portland

NBA Playoffs Bracket (After games played on March 17) Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Denver Nuggets

Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Orlando Magic
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament (After games played on March 17) Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
(9) Golden State Warriors vs. (10) Portland Trail Blazers

Eastern Conference
(7) Miami Heat vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
(9) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (10) Charlotte Hornets
> SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament FAQ and format explainer

When do the playoffs start?
Here are the key dates for the NBA postseason:
• The 2026 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament will take place April 14-17.
• The first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs will start April 18.
• Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be June 3.
> Full postseason schedule

Which teams have clinched a playoff spot?
Here are the teams that have clinched a playoff berth:
Western Conference
• Oklahoma City Thunder
Eastern Conference
• TBD

Which teams have been eliminated?
Here are the teams eliminated from postseason contention (listed alphabetically):
Western Conference
• Sacramento Kings
Eastern Conference
• Brooklyn Nets
• Indiana Pacers
• Washington Wizards

Related 2026 NBA Play-In, Playoffs & Finals Schedule
The 2026 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament will take place on April 14-17. The first round of the NBA Playoffs starts on April 18.

What to know: 2026 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament features the Nos. 7-10 teams in each conference battling for the 7th and 8th playoff seeds.

NBA Finals 2026 Schedule
The NBA Finals 2026 presented by YouTube TV are scheduled to tip off June 3 on ABC.

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