What, exactly, can be gleaned from the early games of the playoffs? Plenty. Here are the winners and losers from the first weekend of the 2026 NBA playoffs.
- USA Today - News
Omari Sankofa II, Shawn Windsor and special guest Bryce Simon react to Detroit Pistons’ Game 1 NBA playoff loss to Orlando Magic, April 19, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena.
- Field Level Media
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is a first-time NBA Most Valuable Player candidate, along with Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- SNTV
Moment: LeBron, Bronny become first father-son duo to feature in an NBA playoff game
- Lorenzo Reyes USA TODAY
Here are the six biggest questions headed into the 2026 NBA postseason.
- SportsGrid
Explore NBA play-in insights: Heat vs. Hornets and 76ers vs. Magic. Donnie Rightside and Joe Raineri dive into key expectations and matchup details, and picks.
- TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
The NBA has finally decided to consider expanding past its current 30-team footprint.
Vegas and Seattle a step closer to getting NBA teams. League's owners approve expansion exploration
James could take outright possession of his next record Saturday night, when he's scheduled to play in his 1,612nd career regular-season game — breaking a tie with Robert Parish.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has tied Hall of Famer Robert Parish’s record for the all-time record for games played in the NBA. James played in his 1,611th game in the league as his team defeated the Miami Heat 134-126 at the Kaseya Center. After the game, James noted that reaching t…
Bam Adebayo scored 83 points, the second-best scoring effort in NBA history, to carry the Miami Heat to a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Former Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett has a new role, having joined the Los Angeles Lakers as an NBA Draft advisor on Wednesday.
Speculation about his future with the Milwaukee Bucks is rampant. Last week, Antetokounmpo criticized the team's performance, fueling rumors.
What should the Bucks be looking for in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
From Rory McIlroy’s Masters breakthrough to Super Bowl celebrations, these are AP’s best sports photos of 2025.
Other notable first-timers include Elena Delle Donne, Joe Johnson, and Mike D'Antoni. Nearly 200 players and teams are on the list, including some who missed out on the 2025 class.
OG Anunoby scored 28 points and Jalen Brunson added 25 as the New York Knicks rallied to beat the Spurs 124-113 and win the NBA Cup.
Elden Campbell, a center who played 15 seasons in the NBA — including nine with the Lakers — and later won a championship with the Pistons, has died.
Lenny Wilkens, a legendary figure in basketball, has died at 88 Wilkens was a three-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, honored as both a player and a coach.
It’s safe to say that Mac McClung has become the face of the NBA’s G League and he’s returning to the minor league circuit for the 2025-26 season.
If you’re hiding the fact that you gamble to your friends and family, do it when you’re stressed and experience mood changes, you may be showing warning signs of a gambling addiction.
The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a Miami Heat player have been arrested along with more than 30 other people in two criminal cases alleging schemes to rake in millions by rigging sports bets and poker games involving Mafia families.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and more than 30 others were arrested, accused of participating in schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia, authorities said. (AP video: Joe Frederick)
Michael Jordan has made his debut as a special contributor to NBC Sports' return to NBA broadcasting.
Robotic eyes now track just about everything on basketball courts as the NBA taps into technology to ensure plays get adjudicated correctly.
Stephen Curry has released a book called "Shot Ready." The book quickly became a top seller on Amazon.
Carmelo Anthony joined Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles for their induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Boban Marjanovic wants to be America's next big action hero. He recently appeared in "Happy Gilmore 2" and gained confidence from his role in "John Wick: Chapter 3."
The Oklahoma City Thunder felt slighted last season when they were left off the NBA's Christmas schedule. That won't be an issue this year.