Joel Embiid gets the best of Jaylen Brown for a Sixers’ bucket (0:27)Joel Embiid gets the best of Jaylen Brown for a Sixers bucket (0:27)
NBA InsidersMultiple AuthorsMay 2, 2026, 10:33 PM ET
(7) Philadelphia 76ers eliminate (2) Boston Celtics 4-3
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers tied with (5) Toronto Raptors 3-3
(8) Orlando Magic tied with (1) Detroit Pistons 3-3
(3) New York Knicks eliminate (6) Atlanta Hawks 4-2
The 2026 playoffs are underway, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game in the march to the Finals. Which top seeds are cruising and which could be in danger of a first-round upset? Which stars are shining and which players are breaking through on the playoff stage?
As the Eastern Conference playoffs continue, here’s what matters most and what to watch in all four series.
Paolo Banchero went 0-for-8 from 3 and finished with 17 points after having 45 in Game 5. When the Magic offense completely dried up, Desmond Bane couldn’t make a big shot when Orlando needed it most. And once again, the Magic couldn’t stop Cade Cunningham in the second half. He finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds to keep his team’s season alive. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Orlando won Game 1 in Detroit. But with Franz Wagner still in a walking boot, nursing a strained right calf, the Magic are looking at likely having to play a third straight game without him. The Magic have until 3:30 p.m. Sunday to shake this loss, or else their season could end, having blown a 3-1 series lead, which could certainly mean an offseason of change.
Biggest takeaway from Game 7: Saturday was finally the day for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. This was exactly the kind of game that Philadelphia has lost so many times — especially to this opponent, who had beaten the 76ers in six straight postseason series over the past 44 years, including three years ago in another Game 7 in Boston. But Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who became the first duo in NBA history to each have at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7, made just enough plays to allow the 76ers to escape.
Biggest takeaway from Game 6: It took an epic second-half comeback and a historic meltdown by the Magic, but the Pistons have finally put together two straight wins in this series, forcing a Game 7. Orlando was 23 minutes away from advancing to the second round, up 62-38 and cruising with 11:11 left in the third quarter. But then, slowly, the Magic vanished and Detroit used a 42-10 run and third-string center Paul Reed to change things inside defensively to snatch Game 6. At one point, Orlando missed 23 consecutive shots, the most consecutive missed shots by any team in a playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98), according to ESPN Research.
Biggest takeaway from Game 6: There’s no point in beating down the Hawks when you can wait for them to not show up. That’s what the Knicks did, crushing Atlanta’s spirit with three consecutive blowouts in Games 4-6. Thursday’s clincher featured the most physical defense the Knicks have played this series as they readied themselves for the next round, which could be a rematch with the Boston Celtics. It was a 51-point spread after a parade of Hawks turnovers, with OG Anunoby continuing his torrid play. He outscored Atlanta by himself at one point in the first half. Karl-Anthony Towns had yet another triple-double. The Knicks’ past three games have at least shown they’re ready for the next challenge and the second round. — Vincent Goodwill
Joel Embiid gets the best of Jaylen Brown for a Sixers’ bucket (0:27)Joel Embiid gets the best of Jaylen Brown for a Sixers bucket (0:27)
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For Boston, meanwhile, it’s a remarkable change in fortunes for a team that was ticketed for the conference semifinals after routing Philadelphia in Game 4. But after Embiid’s dominance inside changed the series over the last three games — and Jayson Tatum was forced to sit out Game 7 with left knee stiffness — it will be a big summer for Boston to try to get creative and find a way to improve its talent level and take another crack at a deep playoff run. — Tim Bontemps
Round 2 opponent: Winner of Celtics-76ers series (Celtics lead 3-2)
Joel Embiid gets the best of Jaylen Brown for a Sixers bucket (0:27)