The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin tonight with key matchups, including the Knicks vs. Hawks and Rockets vs. Lakers. The latest power rankings highlight the top 16 teams heading into the postseason.
Key points
2026 NBA Playoffs begin tonight
Key matchups include Knicks vs. Hawks
Power rankings feature 16 teams
Lakers face Rockets in another playoff game
Performance from the regular season influences rankings
Mentioned in this story
LeBron James
New York KnicksAtlanta HawksHouston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
New NBA Power Rankings for 16 Teams in 2026 Playoffs: Where Do Knicks & Celtics Land?
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After 82 games and the latest edition of the Play-In Tournament, the 2026 NBA Playoffs are finally here. The postseason schedule kicks off tonight with a quartet of matchups, including the Atlanta Hawks in Gotham to battle the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets visiting LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
So, who are the best teams heading into this year’s postseason? Our new NBA power rankings for the 2026 playoffs look to answer that question.
There were very high hopes for the Orlando Magic in 2025-26 after they gave up a boatload of draft assets to land Grizzlies veteran . However, he has not made the impact on offense that they hoped for, and suiting up in just 31 games has only made things worse.
Q&A
What teams are included in the 2026 NBA Power Rankings?
The 2026 NBA Power Rankings include 16 teams, with the rankings reflecting their performance leading into the playoffs.
When do the 2026 NBA Playoffs start?
The 2026 NBA Playoffs kick off tonight with several matchups, including the Knicks and Hawks.
Where do the New York Knicks rank in the 2026 NBA Power Rankings?
The specific ranking of the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Power Rankings is detailed in the article.
Who are the top contenders in the 2026 NBA Playoffs?
The power rankings aim to identify the best teams heading into the postseason, highlighting key contenders.
But the biggest surprise this season was the Magic’s regression on defense. They went from giving up just 105.5 PPG (No. 1 in the NBA) in 2024-25 to 115.3 this season. That is a major reason why they are big underdog against the Pistons.
The Portland Trail Blazers saw a dark cloud placed over their season from day one, when former head coach Chauncey Billups was implicated in a wild poker game rigging scheme. However, interim coach Tiago Splitter did an impressive job of overcoming the drama, leading them to a 42-40 record and their first trip to the playoffs since 2021.
The biggest reason why they are in the playoffs this month is a career year from former Wizards lottery pick Deni Avdija. The 25-year-old leads the team in scoring (24.2 PPG) and dropped 41 in their Play-In win earlier this week. Their series with the Spurs should be fun while it lasts.
The Toronto Raptors punted on a playoff push last season. Hoping that year two for head coach Darko Rajakovic and the addition of Brandon Ingram could lead to a big turnaround in 2025-26. It has worked as they won 16 more games than they did a year ago.
This season, Toronto has a top 10 defense (111.8 points against). But an offense that is in the bottom 10 (114.6 PPG) is why they are an underdog in their four versus five seed battle with the Cavs.
Outside of the 76ers, the Phoenix Suns were the NBA’s biggest letdown in 2024-25. It’s why they made wholesale changes last summer, including bringing in a new coach and getting rid of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The changes delivered positive results, and Phoenix was a team worthy of respect in 2025-26.
The biggest difference from last season is that this group plays pretty good defense, and is giving up the sixth fewest points in the NBA (111.1 PPG). They needed two Play-In games to reach the playoffs, but they should offer the defending champ Thunder solid resistance in Round 1.
12. Los Angeles Lakers
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There were big expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. They got a full training camp with young superstar Luka Doncic, and head coach JJ Redick impressed during his rookie year. Plus, they still have one of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James, still playing at a high level.
Over the last couple of months, they were one of the best teams in the NBA. However, tough injuries to Donic and Austin Reaves at the worst possible time leave James alone to lead the way in a tough matchup against the Rockets in Round 1.
11. Philadelphia 76ers
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The Philadelphia 76ers bounced back from a disastrous 2024-25 campaign due to the emergence of Tyrese Maxey into one of the NBA’s brightest young stars and rookie VJ Edgecombe into a future All-Star. Their talented guards and grey beard, Paul George, are why their series against the Celtics is the must-see matchup in Round 1.
10. Atlanta Hawks
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This has been a very interesting season for the Atlanta Hawks. At first, it seemed to be about building for the long-term. The best proof was Jalen Johnson’s emergence as a new star and the organization moving long-time face of the franchise, Trae Young, to Washington.
Just being competitive seemed like enough. However, the Hawks and their young core head into the NBA Playoffs looking confident and dangerous with an offense that is putting up 118.5 PPG — sixth best in the league.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the new season as one of the West’s elites after back-to-back trips to the West Finals. However, one of the best defensive units in the NBA has regressed this season. A year ago, they were giving up 109.3 a night. This year, they finished with 114.6 points against.
With a superstar like Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves remain dangerous, but this doesn’t look like the teams from the last two seasons.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the East’s best team during the regular season. However, for much of this season, Cleveland regressed from the No. 1 spot in the East. But following their deadline trade for James Harden, the Cavs head into the playoffs as a bit of a dark horse.
While they have a middle-of-the-road defensive team, the group posting 119.5 PPG — fourth best in the NBA — can’t be underestimated in a seven-game series.
7. Houston Rockets
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The Houston Rockets were one of the best stories in the NBA last season, as they evolved into an elite team in the West with strong defense and the emergence of Alperen Sengun. They assumed adding future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant would create a force that rivals the Thunder. But while the Rockets have been good, they aren’t spreading fear among their rivals.
Although they are giving up just 110.0 points a night — fourth best in the NBA — the absence of Fred VanVleet has led to an offense near the bottom 10 (115.2 PPG). However, they are a heavy favorite to advance because the Lakers are so banged up to begin the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
The Detroit Pistons have gone from a feel-good story last season to one of the best teams in the NBA in 2025-26. Led by Cade Cunningham and their young core, the Pistons have a real chance to reach the NBA Finals due to a defense that is giving up just 109.6 PPG — third best in the NBA.
However, Detroit will only go as far as MVP candidate Cunningham takes them. After suffering a collapsed lung last month, there are concerns if the team’s most important player will be limited at the absolute worst time.
5. New York Knicks
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After coming up short in the East finals last year, the New York Knicks took the bold step of firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with veteran coach Mike Brown. Yet, the move has not delivered far different results than previous seasons.
The team will win over 50 games for a third straight year, but despite a top 10 offense and top five defense statistically, Jalen Brunson and his Knicks have many detractors because of how inconsistent they are against elite teams. They will get a very tough matchup against the Hawks to begin this postseason.
When you have, arguably, the best player on the planet, Nikola Kokic, the Denver Nuggets will always be a very competitive squad. While they made a coaching change late last season, they still own the best offense in the NBA (122.1 PPG) heading into the postseason.
A key reason why is the reemergence of Jamal Murray. The one-time All-Star had a career year in 2025-26 and looks a lot like the game-changer he was during their title run in 2023. If they can play solid defense when it matters, Denver will be a problem in the playoffs.
3. Boston Celtics
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Jayson Tatum’s season-ending injury a year ago seemingly set the Boston Celtics up for a season well-below their usual expectations. However, Jaylen Brown and the best defense in the NBA (107.2 PPG) helped the Celtics finish with the second-best record in the East.
While they would have been a force in the playoffs, they are a popular choice to get to the Finals because Tatum is back and looks in vintage form far sooner than anyone expected.
2. San Antonio Spurs
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There has been no better story in the NBA this season than Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Despite being just a couple of years removed from a second straight 22-win season, the young team won 40 more games in 2025-26 and is a serious threat to the Thunder in the West.
Furthermore, the 22-year-old phenom is a legit MVP candidate and is a lock to win Defensive Player of the Year because of the force he is on both sides of the court. The Frenchman, their young and talented core, and a top-three offense (119.8 PPG) make them feel like a group that could reach the Finals in June.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were the cream of the crop in the NBA last season en route to the franchise winning its first championship a year ago. Not much has changed for reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the team in 2025-26 as they head into the playoffs with a top-five offense and the No. 2 defense in the league (107.9 PPG).
The biggest difference in 2025-26 was that elite B-side Jalen Williams only played in 31 games during the regular season. However, they still had the best record in the NBA all year despite his absence and seem to be healthy at the perfect time.
