標籤: seeding

The 2025-26 season isn’t even remotely going as planned for the Golden State Warriors. After the 2025 NBA Playoffs gave the franchise hope that if they could get everyone healthy in time for the playoffs, they could compete with the best, the Warriors’ injury problems have worsened this season.

Jimmy Butler tore his ACL, sending Stephen Curry’s co-star to recover – largely destroying the Warriors’ title hopes. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who has been missing regular time due to illness. Moses Moody has suffered a nasty knee injury which is sure to keep him out for a while. And now, even Curry is battling persistent knee troubles, which has cast such a huge cloud of uncertainty over the team.

Still, as the old saying goes, it’s not over until it’s over. The Warriors are still in the postseason picture, and unless they are eliminated, there is a chance they can make things difficult for at least the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

At this point, qualifying for the playoffs in any capacity is already a huge win. This season is long lost for the Dubs, and there is no way they can force Curry to return before his body is ready.

That said, this is the Warriors’ dream seeding and matchup scenario heading into the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Warriors dream scenario: Earn the eighth seed, Stephen Curry gets healthy

At the time of writing, the Warriors have a record of 34–38, as their difficult month of March (they went 3–9 in the calendar month) has caused their decline in the Western Conference standings. They find life extremely difficult without Curry, as they don’t have enough fire and star power to survive in a loaded conference without their best player, making life easier for the rest of the roster.

Now, discussing the shortcomings of the roster is not the subject of this article. But to summarize, the Warriors have a roster full of role players and support players that can’t increase their production as much when their best player is gone, leading to a lot of inconsistencies from game to game.

And Curry’s return doesn’t seem imminent; While the Warriors are insisting he is on track with his recovery, he was not able to participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages over the weekend, while the team initially hoped he would. This knee injury may be more serious than the Dubs have indicated, although that shouldn’t be a surprise considering Curry is 38 years old.

But unless Curry is sidelined for the rest of the season, the Warriors hope they can keep things competitive in the play-in tournament picture. If Curry is ultimately ruled out of the play-in tournament game, it is safe to say that the Dubs will not be favored in any way in any games against other potential play-in teams in the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.

However, if Curry returns, it changes the equation drastically in the Warriors’ favor. Curry is a big-game player who has gone through every battle imaginable during his NBA career, and there is no way he should be fazed in a game. There will be concerns about his form when he returns from injury, but he has performed brilliantly in the past after returning from a long absence.

Curry will get the Warriors offense humming once again; Without running around the court to create space, the Dubs’ offense becomes stagnant and inefficient and overly reliant on making difficult shots. With Curry’s return, his teammates have reduced responsibilities, and they can move back into more comfortable supporting roles, restoring balance to the team.

If Curry comes back for the Warriors in the next week or so, it’s even better for the Warriors. This gives them a better chance of avoiding the dreaded 9/10 play-in tournament games. The Dubs’ play-in history isn’t very encouraging, so it’s important to give themselves a better chance of reaching the playoffs by giving them two chances to qualify instead of just one.

The Dubs are just two games behind the Clippers for eighth place in the conference, and that’s a deficit they can make up with 10 games remaining in the season.

The game against the Suns is very winnable at the moment; Injury problems have also hit the Suns badly, with Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams, who were key players for the team, currently on the mend. The Suns have been playing below .500 basketball in the month of March, and the Warriors can certainly give them a run for their money – especially with Curry back.

The blueprint for the Warriors to make the playoffs in this dream scenario is clear: They must earn the eighth seed (very possible with four games remaining against the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, and a key matchup against the Clippers), defeat the Suns, and have a tough contest against the inexperienced San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Now, the Warriors will be heavy underdogs in the playoff series against the Spurs. But Golden State is currently winning the season series against San Antonio (2-1). The caveat is that the Dubs had won these two wins before Butler’s season-ending injury. Still, this suggests he may remain with the Spurs in some capacity.

The potential playoff series against the Spurs also feels like a passing of the torch moment. As anyone may remember, a young, improved Warriors team led by Curry faced the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Playoffs and were defeated in a six-game first round playoff series.

Now, it’s the turn of the young, rising Spurs to face a more experienced team that is at the end of its competitive phase – which could be a fitting bookend to the true end of this Warriors dynasty.

With only 10 games remaining before the playoffs, the New York Knicks look ready to take on the challenge of advancing to the NBA Finals. New York has won six consecutive games. And their top-five offensive and defensive ratings are a testament to their success, with both trending in recent times. Additionally, many of the Knicks’ critics, who as recently as last week were warning about their poor road trip to the NBA Finals, were silenced when Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons suffered an untimely concussion.

While the Knicks themselves are unlikely to be focused on other teams’ roster developments, those around the team have likely turned their attention to advantageous matchups in the playoffs.

How the Knicks should approach the Eastern Conference playoff brackets

Ultimately, no Eastern Conference foe is that scary for New York at the moment. The Knicks have played well against most of the top teams except the Pistons. But if they had to choose, it’s probably the Boston Celtics at least Desirable match. Granted, New York is 2-1 against Boston this season (without Jayson Tatum). And the Celtics are still figuring out how to play with Tatum in their lineup. But Tatum is unlikely to continue shooting so poorly (38.5% from the floor and 29.3% on 3-pointers, both career lows). And Boston probably has the biggest lead of any other Eastern Conference contender.

However, the Knicks’ path to the NBA Finals appears to be easier now than it was a week ago. And the Knicks’ previous nightmare matchup has likely shifted into their dream scenario. Detroit suddenly looks a lot more attractive without Cunningham. Still, the Pistons are a hard-nosed, gritty team. They still have several talented and athletic defenders. And if Cunningham is out they’ll probably want to make the game even more physical.

It’s important to note that there is no guarantee that Cunningham will miss any games in the second round. And the second round is the earliest the Knicks could possibly face the Pistons. But given Cunningham’s potential limitations due to a lack of conditioning, as well as the options in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pistons suddenly look like their best second-round matchup.

And while it’s a long shot that New York will face Detroit in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it is possible. The Pistons are five games ahead of the Celtics with 11 games remaining.

Which Eastern Conference rival offers a dream first-round matchup?

Before turning their attention to the second round, the Knicks must deal with a first-round opponent. Considering the odds, New York should probably prefer to face the Atlanta Hawks. Agreed, this is probably the best team of the group. But many other teams are performing poorly for various other reasons.

The Philadelphia 76ers have the highest ceiling—and the lowest floor. They can and probably will be a mediocre team at best. But the chances of Paul George returning to his old form are slim, however slim, as is the possibility of Joel Embiid returning from injury. And if it works, the 76ers might be a little too dangerous for comfort.

The Orlando Magic offer the same ruthless toughness that makes Detroit an ineffective matchup, albeit with much less cohesion. The Miami Heat and head coach Erik Spoelstra have historically been very good at playing in the postseason. And the Charlotte Hornets are just too young, talented and free for any team want Even to face.

So, in an ideal world, the Knicks would remain in the third seed, Atlanta would remain in the sixth seed, and Detroit would drop to the second seed. And while that path may be incredibly unlikely, the silver lining is that a healthy Pistons team is the only Eastern Conference foe the Knicks have to handle this year. And it appears Detroit is unlikely to return to full strength.

So, minus the Pistons from the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have a very clear path through the East. And while it’s incredibly important that the Knicks avoid losing anyone, it’s also possible to think that if they stay locked in that no one can beat them in the East. Still, New York should expect its dream matchups to make life easier.

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns have been in prime position for a playoff spot for most of the season. However, according to Devin Booker, during the five-game losing streak, it made that quest more difficult.

Before the Suns’ 5-game skid, the team was close to potentially missing the play-in game and clinching the No. 6 seed. Since that stretch, they have fallen back to seventh place, which would have put them in that game if the playoffs were to begin as of this writing.

“To be completely honest, we’ve put ourselves in a tough position now to make that six… focusing on playing the right brand of basketball… learning from the last five games,” Booker said via PHNX Suns postgame in the locker room on Twitter (formerly Twitter).

Although Booker’s comments may sound discouraging, it may be quite the opposite. Recognizing where they are and being honest is a key component to what Phoenix is ​​building.

Needless to mention, the influx of injuries came at a terrible time. This is not an excuse, but it plays a significant role in the recent shortcomings.

Jordan Ott agrees with Devin Booker’s sentiment

Although head coach Jordan Ott had spoken to Booker before, the two appeared to be in sync. Their chemistry and connection has been a constant progression ever since they were hired.

As mentioned earlier, accountability has been the Suns’ bread and butter, and he didn’t shy away from it when asked where the Suns’ mindset is regarding the play-in race.

Ott said after the game, “I think everybody understands. We try to keep it as basic as possible today to take care of your business.” “We want to be healthy, we want to play the right way. Again, feel like, we’ve been playing better lately. As we add body, we’ve got to continue that.

“We have to incorporate and improve, so everyone is fully aware. You get to this point of the year, you are not hiding. Everyone checks the standings equally. We don’t talk about it much.”

Jordan Ott didn’t shy away from where the Suns stand in the potential play-in race.

If it started today, they would be the No. 7 seed.

“I think everyone understands. We try to keep it as basic as possible to take care of your business today… You’ve gotten to this point… pic.twitter.com/N043G46rQT

– Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) 23 March 2026

Phoenix will take on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, before finishing a home stand at the Utah Jazz. Getting two wins can take them closer to the sixth seed than before.

This is the fourth year of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ competitive journey with Donovan Mitchell in town, and they have yet to advance beyond the second round of the NBA playoffs. But if there was ever a year for the Cavs to reach the playoffs, it was in 2026, when they made the aggressive move of acquiring 36-year-old veteran James Harden in exchange for the original member of their main four, Darius Garland, who is only 26 years old.

The trade for Harden signaled the Cavs’ intent to accelerate their competitive timeline, gunning for dominance in a wide-open Eastern Conference playoff picture. Harden has given the Cavs a higher floor than Garland, and he has at least had more playoff success than anyone on the roster, giving them another battle-tested player to try and get over the hump.

But in the playoffs, many times the matchups play a huge role in determining a team’s chances of advancing to the championship. The Cavs unfortunately ran into the red-hot Indiana Pacers last year, lost to the more physically imposing New York Knicks in a first-round matchup in 2023, and then ran into the eventual champion Boston Celtics in 2024.

However, it seems like the Cavs are in a lucky position this time, just in case they enter the postseason at full strength.

Here is the playoff seeding scenario the Cavs should expect with less than a month to go before the playoffs begin.

The Cavs finished fourth, drew with the Magic in the first round, and faced the Pistons in the second round.

Currently, the Cavs are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, as they are currently behind the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks. They suffered a slow start to the 2025–26 season, which prompted them to remodel the team during the trade deadline, bringing in Harden and turning De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball into viable playoff rotation pieces in Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.

This slow start caused many fans to be nervous at the start of the campaign, but perhaps this is what enabled them to make a deep playoff run in the first place.

The Cavs should be favored in any first-round matchup, regardless of which team comes up against them. The Toronto Raptors could make things worse, but not before Cleveland moved on with Harden and Jarrett Allen. Nonetheless, they don’t want to tempt fate against Toronto, a team that has won three games against them this season.

Cleveland handled Miami last year, but the Heat have a much better lineup this year, and they have been playing great basketball in recent weeks, finding their stride with less than a month to go before the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers would be an ideal matchup, but given their injury problems, they don’t have enough firepower to climb up to fifth place.

The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets may be good matchups for the Cavs, but playoff battles against teams that have nothing to lose are never fun for teams that are feeling a sense of urgency in their competitive timeline.

This makes the matchup against the Magic ideal for the Cavs.

Orlando doesn’t have the depth to match up with Cleveland, and they’re missing some key guys at the moment – ​​Franz Wagner and Anthony Black are dealing with nagging injuries. He could return in time for the playoffs, but it’s unclear exactly how well he’ll be able to play, given how long his absence has been.

To that end, facing the Magic seems like the most ideal first-round matchup for the Cavs. Being a playoff team the last few years, the Magic have posed such a serious threat to the Cavs that Cleveland will not let their guard down, and at least on paper, they should not have enough resources to overcome the Cavs in a seven-game series.

If they ultimately beat the Magic, they are also avoiding a potential second-round matchup against either the Celtics or Knicks, two of the three teams that sent them home in the playoffs the last three seasons. This should at least set them up for an easy matchup against the Detroit Pistons on paper.

The Pistons have established themselves as a legitimate contending team this season, but their playoff potential has yet to be tested. Last year, they were still “happy to be there” on the playoff team, but this year, they are the favorites: Do they have the mentality to fight off teams that may be gunning for their heads as prey?

There are also some ways to better prepare for the Pistons matchup from a Cavs perspective. Bringing in Harden gives them one less defensive liability; While he isn’t the best defender, his lateral agility isn’t the best either. But he has more size than Garland and is much better suited to integrate into a more tenacious team defensive gameplan.

The Pistons are also relying on a few players who will dare to make open shots from the perimeter. Their best perimeter defender, Aussie Thompson, has significant shortcomings on offense. He has questionable secondary shot-making; Dennis Jenkins’ purple patch appears to be over, Marcus Sasser is a target on defense, and Caris LeVert is like a box of chocolates.

If the Cavs can slow down Cade Cunningham, it’s going to be a question of who the Pistons will run to on offense. Jalen Duren has been great all year, but Cleveland has an Allen-Evan Mobley duo that has made life difficult for him, to say the least. Tobias Harris is not a respectable playoff performer.

Scoring in the halfcourt becomes more important in the playoffs, and unlike the Knicks and Celtics – the Pistons have significant question marks on that end.

That doesn’t mean the Pistons will be an easy matchup at all. They can also suffocate the Cavs with defense and physicality, which has been their calling card this season. But in the playoffs, there are hardly any easy matches. However, the matchups are easier than others, and the Pistons certainly look more beatable in a postseason setting than other contenders in the East.

The Cavs–Pistons season series is also tied 2–2, which suggests the teams are closer to each other in ability than in the standings.

The Detroit Pistons are currently leading the Eastern Conference standings for most of the season behind the elite play of All-NBA talent Cade Cunningham. They’re on a revenge tour after being eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks last May, looking like the most dominant team in the East as the NBA playoffs approach.

With 15 games remaining in their regular season schedule and a 3.5-game lead over the Boston Celtics, six of those games come against sub-.500 teams as the Pistons hope to retain their No. 1 seed through the end of the year. This would ultimately pit them against the No. 8 seed in the East following the conclusion of the play-in tournament.

As things stand, potential first-round opponents for the Pistons include the Heat, 76ers, Hornets and Hawks, with teams like the Bucks and Bulls watching from the outside. Let’s take a look at best-case matchup scenarios for the Detroit Pistons for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Pistons’ 2026 NBA Playoffs – Dream Scenario

If the Pistons hope to avoid the New York Knicks in the playoffs once again, they are right where they need to be with the No. 1 seed and on the other side of the bracket. If the season ended today, the Pistons would face the winners of No. 9 Atlanta Hawks vs. No. 10 Charlotte Hornets and No. 7 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Philadelphia 76ers.

Between the Hornets and Hawks, the Pistons have held a perfect record against both teams in five meetings. They would face each team once more before the season ended and two of those five games would be won by double digits. While the Hornets have certainly gained some strength during this second half of the season, the games between Atlanta and Detroit were much closer in nature as the Hawks have a more consistent front court and defensive effort.

The Pistons have gone 3-0 against the Philadelphia 76ers this season, so they should meet in the first round, especially with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid sitting due to injury. The Miami Heat are actually the only team out of the four possible play-in selections to beat Detroit, most recently doing so on their home field in March. This will likely be Detroit’s last choice as an opponent for the first round pending any changes in the current standings.

Detroit’s path to the NBA Finals

Unless the Knicks fall in the standings before the end of the season, the Pistons will face the winner of the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the No. 5 Orlando Magic. The Pistons would face the Magic once again before the end of the season, leading the season series 2–1, earning both wins by double-digit margins. While the Magic have wins over them, Detroit is a much deeper team and could ultimately stifle Paolo Banchero’s production with their big men during a seven-game series.

The Cavaliers have been one of the Pistons’ biggest opponents this season, finishing their season series at 2–2, stealing a game by a double-digit margin on the road in Detroit early in the season. The Cavs also won the latest meeting during this past part of the season, so Detroit would benefit greatly from Orlando upsetting Cleveland and have a much easier matchup in the quarterfinals.

From there, the Pistons could face a team like the No. 2 Boston Celtics, No. 3 New York Knicks, or No. 6 Toronto Raptors if they are able to pull off an upset. Obviously, facing the lowest possible seed would benefit the Pistons the most, but eventually the time will come when they will have to defeat their biggest rival.

The Pistons are a combined 6-1 against the Knicks and Celtics this season, and are largely confident in their ability to win a seven-game series against any Eastern Conference opponent this season. They have gone 32-11 overall and 18-5 at home against Eastern Conference teams this season, so if the Pistons are able to clinch this No. 1 seed and continue their dominance in the NBA Playoffs, they should be the favorite to emerge in the NBA Finals.

There has been significant improvement from the Portland Trail Blazers. After missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons with a number of brutal results – including a 21-61 mark in 2023-24 – the Blazers have played quite well this season. They are on track to return to the playoffs, even if they currently sit in 10th place in the Western Conference.

That’s good enough to put them in the play-in portion of the NBA Playoffs. After defeating the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, their record is 33-36 and that is enough to give them a 9 game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies. It seems pretty safe that their position inside the playoff structure is secure.

The question is whether the Blazers can improve their position, because their chances of finishing in the top eight once the Western Conference playoffs start are quite good.

The play-in portion of the tournament begins with the No. 7 seed hosting the No. 8 seed. The winner of that game is in the playoff structure as the seventh seed. That would mean a potential showdown with the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs.

The No. 9 and 10 teams will play on the home court of the No. 9 seed and the team that loses that game will be eliminated. The winner goes on the road to face the loser of 7-8 games. The winner of that game earns the No. 8 spot. That team will play against the top-seeded and defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Although this seems like an impossible matchup, it’s certainly better than missing the playoffs or getting swept in the play-in games.

The No. 8 spot would be an ideal spot for the Blazers

The Blazers are a half-game behind the No. 9 seed Golden State Warriors and 2.0 games behind the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers. He can improve his position to reach number 8 and this seems to be the best position for him. The Phoenix Suns are in 7th place with a 39-29 record, and they appear to be out of reach.

The Blazers have played the first two games of a five-game road trip. Before beating the Nets, they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers and will play at Indiana on Wednesday night. This should be a winnable game as the Pacers are in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 15-53 record.

However, the final two games of the trip are against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. Both of those experienced teams are tied for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference with 41-27 records. The Trail Blazers are 1-1 against the Nuggets and 0-2 against the Timberwolves.

If they can survive the end of the road trip, the Blazers will return home for four games against the Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks and Washington Wizards. All of those games are winnable, but a 3-1 homestand could be enough to help head coach Tiago Splitter’s team climb into the playoff structure.

Tiago Splitter has kept the team together as interim coach

Splitter has been the interim coach of the Blazers since the early part of the season, when Chauncey Billups was relieved of his duties after federal charges related to the illegal gambling investigation were filed against him.

The team could have fallen apart when their head coach left the team in such an unceremonious manner, but the splitter has kept the Trail Blazers together.

The Blazers have relied on forward Denny Avdija, guard Shaddon Sharp, forward Jerami Grant and veteran guard Jrue Holiday.

Avdija is their best scorer, averaging 24.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. The native of Tel Aviv, Israel clearly has good offensive skills and plays consistently hard on defense. Sharp is averaging 21.4 points per game, but he is out with a calf strain and the Blazers will have to compete without him for the foreseeable future.

Grant is averaging 18.8 points per game and is connecting on 50.9 percent of his shots from the field. Holiday is averaging 16.4 points and 6.2 assists per game, but it is his leadership and ability to stay calm in key moments that has helped the Blazers improve this season.

Holiday is a true professional who is one of the most underrated players in the league. He is a two-time All-Star and a six-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team. He was a key member of the Milwaukee Bucks when they won the NBA Championship in 2021 and he reprized his role when he helped the Boston Celtics win their 19th title in 2024.

His ability to play his best game in the most important situations can help the Blazers rise in the standings and then compete effectively in the postseason.

While the outcome of playoff basketball will be determined by skill, depth and experience, the right seeding can work wonders, especially for a team that may need to take some breaks to reach the NBA Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off one of their most impressive wins of the season. All-Star Luka Doncic drained a game-winner with just 0.5 seconds on the clock in a 127-125 overtime win over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, giving the Lakers a win over a group that many view as a true contender.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his team’s current chemistry, but kept his focus on the bigger picture.

“Is ‘coalesces’ a word? Is it the right word? To come together? To gel together?”. Redick asked the media after the win. “I think it feels like we’re coming together pretty well right now. Still a long way to go, still a long way to go, but definitely optimistic.”

Regardless of where the team starts netting, the Lakers would love to secure the No. 3 seed ahead of the NBA Playoffs. This result could provide them with a manageable early matchup and delay a meeting with arguably the league’s most dangerous juggernaut.

Lakers should shoot for Timberwolves in first-round matchup

If the regular season ended today, the Lakers would face the Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason. While it’s possible the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, or even the Phoenix Suns could finish sixth in the Western Conference, seeing the Timberwolves finish in that spot would be Los Angeles’ dream scenario.

The Lakers went 3-0 against Minnesota this season and won two of those games with the team from La La Land winning by more than 10 points. From a statistical standpoint, there is reason to believe that their offense will pose a real challenge for the Timberwolves.

While the T-Wolves are a more effective team from behind the arc, Los Angeles boasts a better offensive rating as well as the NBA’s best free throw attempt rate. Even if shots aren’t falling, the Lakers will find their way to the charity stripe and add points.

Despite elite talent like Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Nazi Reed and Donte DiVincenzo, LeBron James, Austin Reeves and Doncic should be able to dominate the Timberwolves in the seven-game series, even if their weak 3-point shooting remains an issue.

Third seed will delay playoff date with Thunder

Redick and the Lakers might not want to get too ahead of themselves, but if they were to win a first-round matchup as the third seed in the West, they would not have to face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles has lost two games against the Thunder so far this season, and while the teams are set to play twice more before the tournament begins, the reality remains the same. If any team has to play the Thunder this postseason, they would likely prefer to do so in the later stages of the bracket. With the Western Conference Finals approaching, attrition could be a real factor for a team that also played late last season.

As the third seed, the Lakers’ likely second-round opponent will be the San Antonio Spurs, whom they have also struggled against this year. But the matchup with Victor Wembanyama is also more enjoyable than the matchup against Oklahoma City.

With 15 games remaining in the regular season, the Lakers appear to be finding their way. They have won eight of their last nine games, and after their thrilling win on Saturday, they are well aware of how important it will be to finish the season playing their best basketball.

“Obviously it’s a good win for us,” James told Khobi Price of the California Post. “but after [Saturday]We proceeded to a six-game roadie. We have to be prepared for this and it starts with Houston. In this league, it’s great to enjoy that moment, but when the next moment comes you have to move on.”

Have the Denver Nuggets been disappointing so far in the 2025-26 season? It’s a question many are raising now and then as they battle for a spot in the Western Conference. A large portion of NBA fans believed that they were the second-best team in the NBA after their offseason maneuvers, but they have yet to find the level of consistency that makes them worthy of such praise.

Whatever the case, the Nuggets stand as one of the most dangerous teams heading into the postseason for a simple reason: They have Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray running the show. If they get a clean bill of health in the playoffs, the Nuggets are going to be one of the toughest matchups, as they are a legitimately competitive team that could make it at any time.

But in the playoffs, luck may play a role. The matchup also matters, and the same applies for the Nuggets – a team that currently sits in fifth place in the West standings with a 41-27 record.

That said, in a month’s time, when the 2026 NBA Playoffs begin, this is what the Nuggets should expect in terms of seeding.

Nuggets avoid 4th/5th seed, postpone potential Thunder matchup until WCF

Some people think that the regular season doesn’t matter much and the real games start during the playoffs. This is not the case; Homecourt advantage can play a big role in the postseason, and taking care of business in the regular season can yield favorable matchups.

But if the Nuggets have learned anything from last year’s playoffs, it’s that the matchup against the Thunder may be the best one for the Conference Finals.

OKC remains the best team in the NBA, and they now have championship pedigree. There were questions last season whether he had what it takes to make it on the grand stage, but he has answered all those questions correctly and passed the test with flying colors.

While the Thunder dodging all the way to the Conference Finals guarantees nothing, the Nuggets can at least have more variables working in their favor the deeper they go into the postseason. Injury may occur. Fatigue may occur. And perhaps by the time the WCF moves on, if Denver makes it that far, they could be sure to have a more favorable matchup.

Last season, the Thunder were overwhelming the Grizzlies, making them a far more fresh team than the Nuggets, who were coming off a seven-game bloodbath against the Los Angeles Clippers. This year, taking care of business early and quickly could help protect the Nuggets deeper into the postseason, especially given the injury problems they have endured throughout the season.

At this point, the two-seed appears to be well out of reach for the Nuggets. So if anything, Denver would like to move up to third in the West, or if they fall, get the sixth seed instead.

It’s hard to tell what the most favorable 3-6 matchup will be for the Nuggets. If there’s one matchup to avoid it’s the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves eliminated the Nuggets in 2024, and they have the size and length to make life difficult for Denver. Considering the Nuggets’ poor defense (they have the 21st-ranked defense in the league), an early playoff matchup against Anthony Edwards may not be ideal.

The matchup against Houston Rockets seems to be the most favourable. Houston will have trouble creating offense in the postseason when halfcourt offenses become more prominent. Amen Thompson is a non-shooter. Reed Shepard is a shooter, but has significant defensive shortcomings.

The Rockets will also be missing Steven Adams for the rest of the season, so it’s not like Houston will be able to throttle Denver on the offensive glass.

Kevin Durant will have their work cut out for them. Alpern Sengun will be tested on defense, especially when he has to cover the Jokic-Murray two-man game. The Rockets’ role players (Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith) are hit or miss from beyond the arc.

There are no easy matchups in the playoffs, but the matchup against the Rockets looks very winnable, at least on paper.

If the Nuggets get there, they will likely face a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. Facing Victor Wembanyama in a playoff series doesn’t sound very appealing.

But in a conference where you have to go through a blender to survive, the matchup against the non-battle-tested Spurs at least seems more manageable than the second-round matchup against the defending champion Thunder.

The Atlanta Hawks have had an up and down season. They were believed to be a promising team in the Eastern Conference, plagued by injuries to key stars from contenders around the conference. Additionally, their 2025 offseason moves made by general manager Onsi Saleh had fans and prognosticators alike interested in what the Hawks could become in this wide-open Eastern Conference. But with the Hawks facing a slump due to injuries and an unfortunate trade, fans are clamoring for a 2026 offseason, and the value of the Pelicans/Bucks pick swap is highly anticipated.

But it appears as if the Hawks have turned the corner. At the time of this writing, they are on a seven-game winning streak and are 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are just three games behind the Miami Heat, who are currently in the six-seed in the playoff standings, with Toronto and Philadelphia one and two games ahead of them, respectively.

The ideal seeding situation for the Hawks is to get the number six seed. It’s realistic, and they’ve been on a roll since the end of the All-Star break. Finishing sixth takes them out of the play-ins for the first time in months. The Hawks have been a mainstay in the play-ins over the past few seasons since making it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, but they failed to make the playoffs last season after losing to the Miami Heat.

It would be a huge accomplishment for the Hawks to clinch the six-seed and put them in position to potentially pull an upset in the first round, which would garner fan support for the direction of the team. hawks nation was Disappointed Via Trae Young’s trade. But the preseason could help mend fans’ broken hearts

If the season ended today and the Hawks found a way to dethrone the No. 6 seed Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference, they would face the New York Knicks. The Knicks have been a consistent team this season, even winning the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup. But out of the top six current teams, they arguably have the biggest weaknesses that the Hawks can exploit to pull off a big playoff-series win.

While Karl-Anthony Towns is a phenomenal player, he is often inconsistent. With how heavy the Hawks are, I believe they can compete well with the Knicks in a seven-game series. And while Trae Young, who saw his star rise following the Hawks’ five-game defeat of the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, is no longer with the team, Jalen Johnson could prove to be a thorn in the Knicks’ side. Johnson’s propensity to drive to the basket and his explosiveness could be a good fit for the small-ball lineups that Mike Brown likes to employ, and I think there is no defender on the Knicks outside of OG Anunoby who can really stay one-on-one with him.

Should the Hawks find a way to defeat the Knicks in the first round in this scenario, they would then face the Boston Celtics. Now, the Hawks have seen the Celtics in the playoffs before, ultimately losing 4-2 in 2023. So far, the Hawks have split the season series with the Celtics, with the Celtics defeating them 132–106 on January 17 and the Hawks getting their revenge on January 28, 117–106. Now that the Hawks are hitting form, two matchups between the Hawks and Celtics in late March could be a preview of how the teams will match up in the playoffs.

Jayson Tatum is back in the lineup, but he’s still not quite 100%. While the Celtics were smart to get him back into the rotation ahead of their playoff run, it’s unknown if he’ll actually get back to his pre-Achilles playing style any time soon. While Jaylen Brown has emerged as a phenomenal player and is even in the running for NBA MVP, the Hawks can certainly match the Celtics’ superior three-point shooting ability with a mix of savvy defense and athleticism. While they likely won’t win a series against the Celtics, having a good matchup against them could be a good sign for Quin Snyder and Atlanta, giving them the building blocks for more success in an important offseason.

The Hawks certainly aren’t championship contenders, but they have a chance to pick up a small win that could help them reign among the top teams in the NBA over the next few seasons. But that scenario hinges on the Hawks climbing out of the play-in picture and officially securing one of the top six seeds in the East for the first time in five years.