The second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals.
2-seeds new York Knicks Opened its Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday by defeating the 7-seed philadelphia 76ersTook a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, the No. 1 seed detroit pistons Round out the East bracket on Tuesday against cleveland cavaliers.
in the west, minnesota timberwolvesWho was it Anthony Edwards (left knee injury) back for Game 1, won over 2nd-seed San Antonio Spurs And Victor Vembanyama On Monday. highest ranked oklahoma city thunderthe one who swept phoenix sun In the first round, will begin their series against No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers On Tuesday.
As teams chase the Larry O’Brien Trophy, here’s what matters most in both conferences and what to watch for in all four series.
Go to a series:
knicks-76ers
Spurs-Timberwolves
More Coverage:
Schedules and results | offseason guide
eastern conference
Biggest takeaways from Game 1: maybe the result of game 1 was philadelphia 76ers Coming off an emotional 3-1 rally in the series against boston celtics. or perhaps new York Knicks The guys are getting into real championship shape in these playoffs, with a fourth consecutive blowout win and every game essentially ending before halftime. The sweat equity these Knicks have built up this season was on display when they suppressed the Sixers center joel embiid (When they weren’t moved by desperate hack-a-mitch tactics Michelle Robinson). carl-anthony town Showed he is a matchup nightmare with 17 points (including three 3-pointers), six rebounds and six assists in just 20 minutes; And Jalen Brunson Had a tremendous performance in the first half. freed from feeling atlanta hawks Brunson scored 27 of his 31 points before halftime. –Vincent Goodwill
Game 2: 76ers at Knicks (Wednesday, 7pm ET, ESPN)
What to watch for in Game 2: It was Philadelphia’s shooting that doomed them against New York on Monday. Not only was New York in scorching heat, but Philly missed almost everything – the Sixers made only 41% of their field goals and 37% of their 3s – and the result was an embarrassing defeat. Philadelphia needs to do a much better job on defense Jalen Brunson get more tyreese maxi If he wants Game 2 to look different on Wednesday night, he’s going much earlier. –Tim Bontemps
western conference
Biggest takeaways from Game 1: In theory, despite being the most limited edition, the Timberwolves stole homecourt Anthony Edwards They will be in this series. Nine days after suffering a hyperextension and bone bruise, Edwards returned to the floor and Chris Finch carefully brought him off the bench. Edwards had 18 points on 13 shots in just 25 minutes. He sometimes limped and grimaced, but Edwards generally got on like him and his minutes and usage should only increase from here. It’s a scary proposition for the Spurs, who struggled to score against the Timberwolves’ length and strength. Victor Vembanyama And De’Aaron Fox He shot a combined 10 of 31, missing all 12 of his 3s. –Anthony Slater
Game 2: Timberwolves at Spurs (Wednesday, 9:30 PM ET, ESPN)
What to watch for in Game 2: Backpedaling on defense after drilling a 25-foot stepback jumper keldon johnson With 1:27 left in the first quarter, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards Tell the opponent and everyone else in the Frost Bank Center: “I’m back! I’m back!” Although there is only one day off between Games 1 and 2, Minnesota will gladly take it as Edwards looks to work his way back to full form. Edwards provided meaningful minutes in his first action since Game 4 of the first round. But the four-time All-Star was restricted in minutes. If Edwards emerges from Game 1 without much residual pain and swelling, the Timberwolves will enter Game 2 more optimistic about their chances of stealing another game in San Antonio. As Edwards’ health improves, expect him to become even more dominant as this series goes on.
In the meantime, San Antonio will likely consider establishing Victor Vembanyama Paint more aggressively in Game 2. Of course, the Frenchman set an NBA playoff record with 11 blocks to highlight a stellar performance on defense. But offensively, Wembanyama made 5-of-7 shots, including 0-of-8 from 3-point range. Typically, in the games where Vembanyama thrives, he dominates inside early by knocking down easy buckets before taking his offensive game out to the perimeter. San Antonio needs Wembanyama to give him more paint moving forward, and hopefully that will be a point of emphasis for Game 2. –Michael C. Wright
