NBA playoffs 2026 | First-round schedule, times, how to watch Cavaliers

The NBA regular season is over, which means in a couple short months, the league will crown its 2025-26 champion.

The NBA Play-In Tournament runs through April 17, but when do the playoffs actually begin?

Here's everything to know.

When do the NBA playoffs start?

After the Play-In Tournament, which runs Tuesday through Friday, the NBA playoffstip off Saturday, April 18.

When do the NBA Finals begin?

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Wednesday, June 3.

NBA Playoffs bracket 2026

Here's a look at this year's first round matchups:

Eastern Conference

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
• (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
• (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner

Western Conference

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
• (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner

NBA Playoffs Game 1 schedules

(All times Eastern)

Saturday, April 18

• Raptors at Cavaliers, 1 p.m. | Prime
• Timberwolves at Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. | Prime
• Hawks at Knicks, 6 p.m. | Prime
• Rockets at Lakers, 8:30 p.m. | ABC

Sunday, April 19

• East No. 7 seed at Celtics, 1 p.m. | ABC
• West No. 8 seed at Thunder, 3:30 p.m. | ABC
• East No. 8 at Pistons, 6:30 p.m. | NBC and Peacock
• West No. 7 at Spurs, 9 p.m. | NBC and Peacock

When do the Cleveland Cavaliers play next?

Center Jarrett Allen and the Cavaliers open the NBA playoffs against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, April 18.

The Cavaliers, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, start their first round series at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18.

Who do the Cavs play in the playoffs?

The Cavaliers will take on the No. 5 seed Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA playoffs 2026

Game 1 for Cavaliers vs. Raptors will broadcast 1 p.m. on April 18 on Prime Video.

Game 2 will air at 7 p.m. April 20 on Peacock, and Game 3 will air at 8 p.m. April 23 on Prime Video.

Game 4 of the series will air at 1 p.m. on April 26 on ESPN.

When is the NBA-Play In Tournament?

The annual Play-In Tournament began on Tuesday, April 14. The tournament will run through Friday, April 17.

How to watch NBA Play-In Tournament

All games will be broadcast exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: NBA playoffs 2026: First-round schedule, times, how to watch Cavaliers