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NBA
December 5, 2025
Shaun Stack
A high quality NBA Playoffs 2026 printable bracket is a must for NBA fans and bettors who want to track postseason action. On this page, we’ve included a free, printable NBA playoff bracket designed for easy use. You can use this bracket to follow your favorite teams or to make bets on the upcoming postseason.
In addition to the bracket, we’ve explained how the NBA playoffs work and provided analysis on teams likely to make the postseason. If you’re planning to place bets on the playoffs, we will give you a brief overview of betting on games and your available options.
Below is our printable NBA playoff bracket for 2026. It covers the entire postseason, from the opening round to the NBA Finals. Our bracket gives a clear path for both the Eastern and Western Conferences, making it easy to follow along.
Feel free to download or print your copy of the PDF file below and use it to follow along with the playoffs.
Every round from the playoffs is included in our NBA printable playoff bracket. Here is how to use your bracket:
Bonus Tip: Since creating a perfect bracket is rare, you are welcome to print multiple copies of our bracket to make alternate picks as needed.
How the NBA Playoffs WorkIn each conference, ten teams make the NBA playoffs. The top six teams, based on winning percentage, automatically qualify for the playoffs and are seeded by win-loss record.
The next four teams with the best records compete in the Play-In Tournament to determine the final two spots.
There are four rounds in the NBA Playoffs, with each team playing a best-of-seven series to advance:
In each round, the team with the better record has home court advantage, hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7. You can use your NBA printable bracket to follow all of the action. You start by filling in the game qualifiers, and then the winners from each round advance to the next until the ultimate winner is determined in the NBA Finals.
Key Matchups and PredictionsCurrently, the Oklahoma City Thunder is the popular pick to repeat as NBA Champions. They have the best record and seem poised to win it all. In the East, the race looks to be between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. BetMGM favors the Knicks to win the Eastern Conference Finals.
Other teams likely to make the postseason based on their current records include the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs. Beyond these teams, it is a bit too early in the season to make a definite pick on the playoffs.
However, some teams that are likely to at least make the Play-In tournament include the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Golden State Warriors. Since we are not quite at the halfway point of the season, a lot can change for teams in the 6-10 spot in their conference, so you may want to set up multiple printable NBA playoff brackets until we get a better picture of who will make the postseason.
Betting on the NBA PlayoffsWhile many people focus exclusively on picking the eventual winner of the NBA Playoffs, there are many other betting options. You can wager on NBA Futures, such as who will win the Eastern Conference Finals, individual playoff game spreads, game series winners, players’ props, and more.
Use your playoff bracket to identify value opportunities, such as spotting an underdog team with a favorable matchup. Compare your bracket against sportsbook odds to find opportunities to exploit. Additionally, we recommend creating multiple brackets to explore different scenarios, especially as teams are eliminated closer to the playoffs.
To learn more about NBA betting markets, odds, and strategies, visit our NBA betting guide.
A lot will change between now and the start of the playoffs, so bookmark this site and print a new copy of the bracket whenever needed. Visit our NBA blogs for expert insight into postseason matchups and analysis as the playoffs unfold.
We’ve provided everything you need to know about the NBA postseason, including a free 2026 NBA Playoffs printable bracket that you can use to track all the action. You can use this bracket to make predictions, organize your bets on games, and root for your favorite team to victory.
If you’re looking for even more action on the NBA, check out one of our top-rated online sportsbooks. They offer odds on player performances game-to-game, rivalry matchups, and much more.
