PREDICTIONS FOR THE NBA 2026 PLAYOFF SEASON.

Written by Ollie Weisstub, 12/11/2025.

NBA way-too-early power rankings for the 2025-2026 season

An article with bold takes on what will happen by the end of the season written by Ollie Weisstub to NBA fans

Every Guaranteed Playoff Spot in the Eastern Conference and Team Record Predictions:

#1 Seed - New York Knicks - 58-24

While this is coming from a Knicks fan, the Knicks were already the #2 seed last year with a top 5 offense and the 14th best defense in the whole NBA. The Knicks lost in the conference finals last season, arguably due to a lack of depth and being outcoached. The Knicks over the offseason addressed those two issues, by making major role-players to the bench such as Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Marjon Beauchamp. They also fired head coach Tom Thibideau who was known for his lack of bench utilization and overplaying of the same 5-6 guys. Now with a new coach, offensive dynamic and an improved roster the Knicks almost have an expectation to be the #1 seed in their conference even though they haven’t gotten off to the blazing start other teams have so far.

#2 Seed - Cleveland Cavaliers - 56-26

The Cleveland Cavaliers are arguably the only team in the east which can rival the Knicks elite starting 5 and depth, and while they had a surprisingly quick exit in the playoffs last year they finished with an incredible 64-18 record. I predict they take a step back this year even with their young roster because they lost a significant bench piece in Ty Jerome, who was the runner up for 6MOTY. While I do like the addition of Lonzo Ball who they acquired for Isaak Okoro, the Cavs have so far looked very dependant on their star Donovan Mitchell, have had injury concerns, and Evan Mobley hasn’t taken the star leap some may have expected. While the Cavs have still had a pretty solid start to the year despite this, I am going to say they aren’t quite the #1 team in the conference but it will be close.

#3 Seed - Detroit Pistons - 51-31

The Detroit Pistons have so far emphasized elite ball movement and defense, with Cade Cunningham showing he can be considered a superstar. The Pistons have gotten off to a blazing hot start so far this year sitting currently at the 1 seed, mainly because of their physicality and defense being the best rebounding team in the whole NBA. I think this team isn’t going to maintain this great start but I do think they will be one of the 3 best teams in the weaker eastern conference.

#4 Seed - Philadelphia 76ers - 49-33

The Philadelphia 76ers are currently 5-3, with 3 of the first 4 wins for this team having followed trailing by double digits in the 4th quarter. The 76ers haven’t been an elite defense or shooting the ball particularly well so far, and knowing their injury history it is risky to say they will be the 4th best team in the East, but so far Tyrese Maxey has looked like an MVP candidate, VJ Edgecombe has looked like a real contributor and ROTY candidate, and Jared Mccain who looked elite in his few games as a rookie is returning. This team is currently the 2nd ranked offensive team in the NBA with Joel Embiid playing awfully, and knowing how good Embiid could be for them this team has one of the higher ceilings in the East which is why I have them at 4.

#5 Seed - Milwaukee Bucks - 48-34

The Milwaukee Bucks supporting cast has defied expectations so far, with leaps from guys like Ryan Rollins having a full on breakout year making his case for the MIP and Cole Anthony fitting well as an efficient scorer and facilitator. Originally, many people would have said Giannis barely would lead this supporting cast to the playoffs but so far the Bucks have had a great record playing with a relatively difficult schedule beating teams like the Cavs, Knicks, Warriors and on fire Bulls. I don’t think this team can enter top 3 conversations yet because so far Giannis has been averaging a totally unsustainable stat line playing absolutely out of his mind, and it would be unfair to say that this holds up all season long.

#6 Seed - Orlando Magic - 46-36

Originally, I would have said the Magic could sneak into the 3 seed and they were one of the best teams in the conference, but so far this season they have just been awful. This team's biggest issue going into the year was their 3 point shooting, and the big fix was meant to be Desmond Bane, who was acquired for the Magic with 5 first round picks. This expensive trade has so far looked like a bad deal for the Magic with Bane averaging a career low in nearly every stat, and the Magic's shooting still being a huge issue. So far Paolo Banchero is putting up numbers almost identical to his rookie statline, as he has been super inefficient. I think the Magic can bounce back from their bad start this year with such an elite defense and high upside from young players and land the 6 seed in the East stealing the last guaranteed playoff spot.

Every Guaranteed Playoff Spot in the Western Conference and Team Record Predictions:

#1 Seed - Oklahoma City Thunder - 69-13

There really is not much to say here about the Thunder, coming off a championship and 68 win season last year the Thunder have started off with the best record in the NBA at 9-1, missing time from potential all star Jalen Williams as well as potential all star and DPOY candidate Chet Holmgren, this team has looked as good or even better than what we expected so far and anything less than a 1 seed, 65 wins and a championship could be considered disappointing for the Thunder.

#2 Seed - Denver Nuggets - 60 - 22

The Denver Nuggets are my sleeper pick to win the championship this season, with Nikola Jokic and the best team built around him ever, possibly better than the 2023 roster where they won a championship. Last season, the Nuggets had one of the toughest playoff situations a team could have and took the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to 7 games with injuries. Since then they have added the best backup center they have ever seen behind Jokic in Jonas Valancunis, and traded Michael Porter Jr who was not reliable for Cameron Johnson while bringing back a member from the title squad in Bruce Brown. Not to mention Aaron Gordon is looking like one of the best role players we have seen in a while putting up the most efficient 50 point game of all time in his first game and sustaining an incredibly efficient 20 ppg start to the year. While this team hasn’t had an incredible start, with Jokic arguably having a below-average start scoring wise and Cameron Johnson looking quite bad this team is the definition of a championship contender, and I believe they will prove it in the regular season.

#3 Seed - Los Angeles Lakers - 56-26

So far, the Lakers have gotten off to the second best start in the NBA playing difficult teams left and right, with Luka Doncic having the most historical start to a season possibly ever. Luka through his first 5 games is averaging 40 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists on solid efficiency and has made his teammates look much better, with Jake LaRavia shooting the ball incredibly well and Denadre Ayton looking elite in the pick and roll with Luka (most of the time). The Lakers have started the season this well missing time from Luka and without a single minute of Lebron James on the floor, with Austin Reaves taking a shocking leap and even looking like an MVP candidate as the first option in games without Luka and Lebron.

#4 Seed - Houston Rockets - 55-27

The Houston Rockets last season were the second team in one of the most competitive Western conferences of all time, and they had one major issue, they didn’t have a go-to scorer. Over the off season, they traded their two worst starters in the playoffs for the greatest go-to scorer of all time, Kevin Durant. While Kevin Durant is old, he has still had a solid start to the year giving the Rockets exactly what they needed. With leaps from young guys like Sengun and Amen Thompson the Rockets have been incredible, but unfortunately being the biggest starting lineup in the NBA comes with the price of lacking shooting and ball handling, as Freed Vanvleet’s ACL tear leaves the Rockets without a much needed true point guard. If the Rockets can figure out their issue of ball handling and trade for a very good point guard to fill VanVleet's spot before he returns, this team could be the Thunders biggest rival.

#5 Seed - San Antonio Spurs - 55-27

The San Antonio Spurs were supposed to be a team that had a chance at the playoffs, but so far this year they are 6 and 2 through a slightly below average schedule in terms of difficulty. Wembanyama throughout his first 5 games looked like an easy MVP and DPOY candidate, leading the spurs to a 5-0 start before he started playing slightly worse with bad games against the Suns and Lakers who the Spurs still ended up beating. The Spurs have looked elite so far with Wemby looking scary, and they are doing this without their 3 best players playing being 21 or under as their second best player De’Aaron Fox is currently injured.

#6 Seed - Minnesota Timberwolves 54-28

So far this year Anthony Edwars has been averaging 25 points per game on amazing efficiency, with multiple 30 point games including 2 40 point games. Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels have kept this team elite defensively and their depth including Naz Reid, Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson has proven to work. Even though this team has had a sub-par start, I believe its main competitors for the #6 spots are the Warriors and Blazers, and to me the Blazers don’t have the star power the Wolves do and the Warriors are too old with too many uncertainties to beat out this team for the final spot.