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Hoops fans won't have to wait until next March to fill out brackets with the arrival of the 2026 NBA playoffs bracket challenge. The premise is the same as the college version as you'll make NBA picks on who will advance through each round. However, with your NBA bracket picks, you also make NBA predictions on how many games each series will last. Once the play-in tournament completes the NBA playoffs bracket, the postseason will start in earnest on Saturday with four Game 1s, followed by the remaining series openers on Sunday. OKC is the +100 favorite to repeat as champs, per the latest NBA futures odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, but the Thunder were pushed to seven games in multiple series last year. 

The respective No. 2 seeds, the Celtics (+550) and Spurs (+550), are next in line, while the East's top-seeded Pistons are at +1800, behind the Nuggets (+1200) and Cavaliers (+1300). The Lakers, who will not have Luka Doncic (hamstring) or Austin Reaves (oblique) slot in at +25000. F Before making any NBA bracket picks, be sure to check out the 2026 NBA playoff predictions from SportsLine expert Mike Barner.

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Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He's also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there's anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it's him.

Barner's expertise has been on full display lately as he enters Friday's action in the 2026 NBA playoffs on a 101-60 run (+2926) on NBA picks. He is coming off a dominant 2024-25 NBA season, finishing 239-178-2 and returning $3,209 to $100 bettors. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, he has analyzed the 2026 NBA bracket from all angles and just locked in his coveted picks and series predictions. He is only sharing his NBA picks and analysis at SportsLine.

Top 2026 NBA bracket predictions

We can tell you one of Barner's series picks is the third-seeded Knicks to defeat the No. 6 Hawks in six games in the East's first round. New York won two of three regular-season matchups and have won five of the last six meetings overall. However, the Hawks have greatly improved since trading for CJ McCollum, and their 19-5 record since Feb. 22 is the third-best in the league. Yet, he's the only Hawks rotation player with significant postseason experience, so while Atlanta will make this a competitive series, the Knicks being familiar with this type of atmosphere gives them the edge. Additionally, New York won its first round series in each of the last two years in six games.

"The Hawks caught fire over the second half of the season, vaulting from a Play-In contender all the way into the sixth seed. They are a long team that can give Jalen Brunson trouble, especially with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker leading their defense at guard. However, they don't have the superstar scorer to turn to late in a close playoff game. The Knicks should still advance." Barner told SportsLine. See more predictions at SportsLine.

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How to make 2026 NBA playoff bracket picks

Barner has locked in his NBA picks for every series and is predicting multiple upsets in both the East and West playoff brackets. See what they are over at SportsLine.

Who advances through the NBA playoffs bracket, and how many games does each series last? Visit SportsLine now to get Mike Barner's picks for the NBA bracket 2026, all from the expert who has crushed his NBA picks, and find out.

2026 NBA Finals winner odds

See picks at SportsLine.

Odds via FanDuel (subject to change)
Oklahoma City Thunder +100
San Antonio Spurs +500
Boston Celtics +500
Denver Nuggets +1200
Cleveland Cavaliers +1300
Detroit Pistons +1800
New York Knicks +2200
Houston Rockets +7000
Minnesota Timberwolves +8000
Charlotte Hornets +10000
Atlanta Hawks +12500
Philadelphia 76ers +20000
Los Angeles Lakers +25000
Portland Trail Blazers +75000
Phoenix Suns +75000
Orlando Magic +75000
Golden State Warriors +75000