With the NBA regular season coming to a close on April 12, there were still 10 playoff spots up for grabs before the final games. After some unexpected wins and unfortunate losses, the playoff bracket was officially set. With the play-in tournament starting on April 14, there is little time for teams to rest and set their plan for the coming games, leaving expectations broadly open.
This season has been host to many surprising contenders, thanks in part to a spectacular rookie class and phenomenal play across both conferences. The Detroit Pistons came out on top of the Eastern Conference, largely because of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, but also due to their deep defensive roster. The Boston Celtics have also managed to maintain a strong season despite Jayson Tatum missing the majority of the season due to a ruptured Achilles in last season’s playoffs, finishing with a 56-26 record. Coach Joe Mazzulla and veteran Jaylen Brown were the main pillars of their success this regular season..
Another massive surprise of the playoffs has been the Charlotte Hornets, who managed to clinch a ninth seed in the East.
Muhammad Chaudhry, a junior biology and public health student, shared his surprise on the Hornets making the playoffs despite allegedly tanking.
“I’m really surprised that they’ve been able to work together, and Lamelo [Ball]…he can really play ball…he and Kon [Knueppel] are really carrying the team,” Chaudhry said.
The Hornets have benefited greatly from the addition of rookie-phenom Kon Knueppel, who has been averaging 18.5 ppg, the second most of the 2026 rookie class.
On the other hand, many teams are ending the season on worse terms than expected. Despite picking up the number one draft pick, Cooper Flagg, who put up several 50-point games, the Dallas Mavericks will end the season at an unfortunate 26-56. Another team that entered the season strong, the Indianapolis Pacers, ended on much worse footing after star player Tyrese Haliburton’s untimely Achilles injury in Game 7 of the finals last season, which has kept him on the bench much longer than expected.
Looking forward to this year’s postseason tournament, the Western Conference will be hotly contested, with multiple strong teams potentially making it to the final. Despite the Pistons entering as the first seed, the Celtics, New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers are seen as strong competitors that could claim the top spot in the West if Cunningham and Duren are not able to recreate their regular season chemistry.
Jacob Quiros, a senior biochemistry student and Houston Rockets fan, said he had doubts about Piston’s road to the finals.
“Maybe the Celtics could win the conference, but I don’t see the Pistons…they’re just too young of a team to make a playoff run right now,” Quiros said.
The Pistons entered the season with an average age of 25.1, making them one of the youngest teams in the league. Despite the age gap, the competition is sure to be fierce in the region, with many teams vying for their first ever championship.
The Eastern Conference is very different, however. Despite some strong runs and massive plays from competitors, the Oklahoma City Thunder are still seen as the most likely to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. They have one of the strongest rosters of any team in the league right now, with improvements to their previous playoff-winning rosters.
Chaudhry said it is OKC’s depth that makes them a major threat.
“Now they’ve got Jared McCain coming off the bench and the team was able to survive injuries during the season. They’re a well-oiled machine…they’re going to be hard to stop,” Chaudhry said.
Despite this, a few teams have the potential to shift the odds, specifically the San Antonio Spurs. With Victor Wembanyama returning this season from a serious blood clot that forced him to sit out for five months, San Antonio has charged ahead in the last few months, ending with a 62-20 overall record, securing second in the Western Conference. If the team is able to maintain their momentum, they could prevent OKC from becoming repeat champions.
Injuries have continued to be a major issue for many teams, especially the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, who will be facing off against one another in the first round. Lakers Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, as well as Rocket Kevin Durant reported injuries going into game one. Many fans are calling on 41 year old Lebron James to carry the Lakers, with just his son to support him.
Anish Bhamidipati, a junior studying medical science, is a decade-long Lakers fan and said he worries the team will have hard competition from day one.
“Bronny has been doing better, but Luca’s injured and Lebron has to carry…it’s going to be tough against the Rockets,” Bhamidipati said.
The Rockets will also be without their full capability, missing one of their strongest players in Durant, so the favorite for this first round match-up remains undetermined.
The Phoenix Suns and the Raptors have also announced new injuries, with Grayson Allen, Mark Williams and Immanuel Quickley out for several days.
This year’s tournament will also be big for individual players across virtually every team. Lebron James is only 32 3-pointers away from passing Klay Thompson for number two all time in total 3-pointers, with Kevin Durant and Paul George each 20 shots away from climbing up the ranking. Durant and James Harden are also close to climbing up other veteran rankings, such as games played, total points, steals and field goals.
With all the team and individual wins up for grabs this April, there will be plenty to watch this playoff run. So many great players are in their first shot at the title, and a whole new class of rookies is seeking to join top teams, so the race is far from finished.
