The 2026 NBA playoffs have lived up to the hype so far in the first round.
The Orlando Magic are on the brink of stunning the one-seeded Pistons, and the Lakers and Timberwolves are both banged up, yet lead their respective series. Now, let’s rank each series based on how entertaining they’ve been.
8) Thunder vs Suns
The Suns stood no chance against SGA and the Thunder, with the Thunder sweeping the series 4-0. OKC continues to dominate the competition, and even with the antics of Dillon Brooks, the Suns were unable to stop OKC.
7) Celtics vs 76ers
The 76ers made this series interesting after the Game 2 win in Boston, and then kept it close back at home in Game 3, but fell short. The Celtics offense has shown that it can be one of the best in the NBA at times, with elite shotmaking all around; however, Game 2 exposed the inconsistency in the Celtics’ offense, which could be exploited later in the postseason.
6) Spurs vs Trail Blazers
Much like the 76ers, the Blazers made the series interesting against the 2 seed in their conference by winning Game 2 on the road. To make matters worse for San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama went down with an injury and was forced to miss the 2nd half of Game 2 and all of Game 3. However, the Spurs have stepped up and found ways to win on the road with younger players such as Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle having big performances.
5) Cavaliers vs Raptors
This series looked like it may be over for Toronto after the Cavs took a 2-0 series lead at home. However, the Raptors stepped up in Games 3 and 4, shooting 60.9% in Game 3 to win 126-104, and then dominating the Cavs physically in Game 4 to win 93-89. The rookie Colin Murray-Boyles has been a bright spot for the Raptors, averaging 17 PPG and 7 RPG in the series, doubling his PPG in the regular season (8.5). The Raptors win off of physicality, led by wings Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. This, paired against the Cavs explosive guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, has been a fun battle between different styles of play.
4) Lakers vs Rockets
The Lakers have shocked the world in this series, going up 3-0 in the series without Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. Game 3 might’ve been the most entertaining game we’ll see throughout the entire playoffs, as the Lakers stole victory from the jaws of defeat and beat the Rockets 112-108. The Rockets’ lack of a PG has been their biggest weakness, making it difficult to run offense and having to rely on Alperen Sengun to carry the load.
3) Pistons vs Magic
The biggest shocker of the first round has come in the Eastern Conference, with the Orlando Magic going up three games to one on the Pistons. This series has been a physical battle, as both teams rely on strong defense to set up their identity. Neither team has shot the ball well so far in the series, and in the Pistons’ lone win, they only scored 98 at home. Jalen Suggs and Jamal Cain have stepped up defensively for Orlando, making it difficult for Cade and forcing his other teammates to step up. Offensively, Detroit’s role players simply haven’t shot well enough, whereas Orlando has had multiple players other than Paolo step up offensively.
2) Nuggets vs Timberwolves
This series looked like it was over after the Wolves got up three games to one on the Nuggets; however, with both Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo going down with injury, Minnesota may be in trouble. Denver has struggled offensively, especially Nikola Jokic, against Rudy Gobert in the paint. The pressure is on Minnesota to close out the rest of the series.
1) Knicks vs Hawks
The Hawks have won 2 games by a combined 2 points, while the Knicks have won 2 games by a combined 27 points, yet the series is still tied at 2-2. The Knicks seem to always have entertaining playoff series, and this is no different.
