Explore the latest developments concerning 2026 NBA Playoff.
2026 NBA Playoff Picture, Bracket, Standings Entering NBA Cup Finals
Don't let the calendar fool you. As we hit the mid-December mark in the NBA, the sample size is getting too big to ignore. The pretenders are fading, the contenders are separating, and the anomalies are starting to look real.
On the eve of the NBA Cup Finals, it seems like just the right time to take stock of how the league is fairing. Keep reading to see what the NBA playoff picture would look like if the season ended today:
Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Knicks conquer Cup, laud poise under 'pressure'
LAS VEGAS — There wasn't champagne popping for the New York Knicks, but there was a sense of accomplishment as they clinched the NBA Cup over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
The Knicks believe how they won the Cup title mattered more than the actual act of winning, as their come-from-behind 124-113 win could be a harbinger for down the line.
"During the course of the year, you try to find situations to put pressure on your group," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "This is a single-elimination tournament when you get to a certain point. Every game counts. There's pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are."
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OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson combine for 53 points in NBA Cup win
OG Anunoby (28) and Jalen Brunson (25) couldn't miss from the field, scoring 53 points and leading NY to the NBA Cup Championship
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