NBA Play-In Bracket 2026: Results, Matchups and Scores
The 2026 NBA play-in tournament bracket is now live with Tuesday night delivering two instant classics. Charlotte Hornets beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied past the Phoenix Suns 114-110 to earn the West No. 7 seed.
Six teams still fight for the final three playoff spots across Wednesday and Friday. This page has the full NBA play-in bracket with live scores and results updated after every game.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Bracket
Last Updated: April 15, 2026. Bracket and scores update after each game.
Eastern Conference Bracket
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs (8) Orlando Magic – Winner earns the No. 7 seed and faces the Boston Celtics on Sunday, April 19 in Round 1.
(9) Charlotte Hornets 127, (10) Miami Heat 126 (OT) – Hornets advance to Friday’s final game. Heat eliminated.
7/8 Loser vs Charlotte Hornets – Winner earns the No. 8 seed and faces the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, April 19 in Round 1.
Western Conference Bracket
(8) Portland Trail Blazers 114, (7) Phoenix Suns 110 – Trail Blazers upset the Suns and earn the No. 7 playoff seed. Portland faces the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, April 19 in Round 1.
(9) LA Clippers vs (10) Golden State Warriors – Winner advances to Friday’s final game. Wed, Apr 15, 10:00 PM ET on Prime Video.
Phoenix Suns vs Clippers/Warriors Winner – Winner earns the No. 8 seed and faces the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, April 19 in Round 1.
What Happens After the Play-In?
The NBA Playoffs first round starts Saturday, April 18, with the No. 7 and No. 8 seed matchups tipping off Sunday, April 19. The No. 7 seed from each conference faces the No. 2 seed and the No. 8 seed faces the No. 1 seed. Check our 2026 NBA Playoffs Bracket for full first-round matchups and our 2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule for all tip-off times.
2026 NBA Play-In Bracket FAQs
What does the No. 8 seed play-in path look like in 2026?
The No. 8 seed has the hardest path in the bracket. They play the No. 7 seed on the road first. A loss keeps them alive but they must win again on Friday at the No. 7 seed’s arena. That means two road wins just to reach Round 1, where they face the No. 1 seed.
Which No. 7 seed has the toughest path through the bracket?
The Philadelphia 76ers have the toughest spot in the East. They tied the Magic at 45-37 and only hold home court through a tiebreaker. Joel Embiid had emergency appendix surgery on April 9 with no timetable to return, so Tyrese Maxey and Paul George carry the load on Wednesday. In the West, Portland already did the hard part, beating Phoenix 114-110 behind Deni Avdija’s 41-point masterpiece to earn the No. 7 seed.
Who are the No. 1 seeds in the 2026 NBA Playoffs?
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the No. 1 seed in the West at 64-18. The Detroit Pistons are the No. 1 seed in the East at 60-22. Both wait for their Friday opponent from the Play-In. The Pistons host Game 1 Sunday, April 19, at 6:30 PM ET on NBC. The Thunder host the same day at 3:30 PM ET on ABC.
Which Play-In teams have the best shot at winning the bracket?
Philadelphia has the clearest path in the East. One win Wednesday puts them in the playoffs. The Hornets earned their shot with an overtime win over Miami and wait to host whoever loses the 76ers-Magic game Friday. In the West, Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors game sets up who faces the Suns in the West final Friday night.
Does the Play-In bracket get reseeded after each round?
No. The bracket stays fixed from start to finish. The No. 8 seed always faces the No. 1 seed in Round 1 no matter which team comes through the play-in.
Who has home-court advantage in the Play-In bracket?
The higher seed hosts every game. No. 7 hosts No. 8. No. 9 hosts No. 10. In the Friday final the loser of the 7/8 game hosts the winner of the 9/10 game. Home court stays with the higher seed even after a loss.
Tuesday night delivered two thrillers to open the 2026 NBA play-in bracket. LaMelo Ball hit the go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime and Miles Bridges blocked the final shot as Charlotte beat Miami 127-126.
In the West Deni Avdija posted 41 points and 12 assists as Portland overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to beat Phoenix 114-110. Wednesday brings two more games on Prime Video.
Philadelphia hosts Orlando at 7:30 PM ET and the Clippers host the Warriors at 10:00 PM ET.
