
OKC remain title betting faves; Spurs, C's follow
Oklahoma City Thunder favored to win NBA Finals, Spurs and Celtics follow closely.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The Thunder aim to continue their championship success after a 64-win season, while the Suns secured their playoff spot by defeating the Golden State Warriors.
Mentioned in this story
Thunder vs. Suns schedule: Dates, times, TV channels, scores for 2026 NBA Playoffs first-round series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Following up an NBA championship with a 64-win regular season is the stuff of dynasties, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to continue down that path in the 2026 playoffs.
Their road to a repeat title starts against the Phoenix Suns, who clinched the last spot in the first round by beating Golden State in the final Play-In Tournament game. The Thunder went 3-2 against the Suns during the regular season, including a 49-point victory in an NBA Cup game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to continue his MVP ways after averaging 31.1 points and 6.6 assists per game during the regular season, but the Thunder win with defense. They held opponents to a league-low 43.7% shooting from the field and were second only to the Celtics in limiting the opposition to 107.9 points per game.
Devin Booker leads the Suns as always, coming off a 26.1 ppg regular season. First-year head coach Jordan Ott — the team's fourth coach in as many seasons — is looking for a deep playoff run five years after Phoenix reached the Finals.
Here's what you need to know to watch Thunder vs. Suns, including broadcast information and start times.
The specific dates and times for the Thunder vs. Suns playoff games have not been detailed in the provided information.
The TV channels broadcasting the Thunder vs. Suns playoff series have not been specified in the provided information.
The Thunder went 3-2 against the Suns during the regular season, including a notable 49-point victory in an NBA Cup game.
Key players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder, averaging 31.1 points per game, and Devin Booker for the Suns, who averaged 26.1 points per game.

Oklahoma City Thunder favored to win NBA Finals, Spurs and Celtics follow closely.
Brentford and Fulham end in a goalless draw; Silva shares thoughts.
2026 NBA Draft Lottery odds are now official for the top 14 teams!
Netflix is looking to expand its partnership with the NFL, exploring new content opportunities.
Will the Seahawks draft running back Jadarian Price from Notre Dame?
Jesse Rodriguez vs Antonio Vargas fight set for June 13 in Arizona. Stream on DAZN!
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sun., April 19 | Game 1 at Oklahoma City | 3:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN app |
| Wed., April 22 | Game 2 at Oklahoma City | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN app |
| Sat., April 25 | Game 3 at Phoenix | 3:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Mon., April 27 | Game 4 at Phoenix | TBD | TBD |
| Wed., April 29 | Game 5 at Oklahoma City* | TBD | TBD |
| Fri., May 1 | Game 6 at Phoenix* | TBD | TBD |
| Sun., May 3 | Game 7 at Oklahoma City* | TBD | TBD |
* if necessary
The Thunder vs. Suns series will air across multiple platforms thanks to the NBA's expanded broadcast deal, which will see games split among the ESPN networks, NBC and Peacock.
Games on ABC, ESPN networks and NBC can be streamed live on DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new users.
Fans can also turn to the streaming homes for each broadcast partner — Peacock or the ESPN app — for games on those platforms.
Click here for the updated 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket from The Sporting News.
NBA Playoffs bracket 2026
SN
Here are the key dates to know for the NBA Playoffs and offseason.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Play-In Tournament | April 14-17 |
| First round begins | April 18 |
| Conference semifinals begin | May 4* |
| NBA Draft Lottery | May 10 |
| Eastern Conference finals begin | May 19* |
| Western Conference finals begin | May 20* |
| NBA Finals begin | June 3 |
| NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) | June 19 |
| NBA Draft | June 23-24 |
* Can move up depending on earlier series