Key dates left in the NBA season: when does season end, Play-In start, Playoffs begin

There is a rare break in action for NBA players who are enjoying their final bit of R&R before starting the final stretch of the season. The All-Star Game was a success, and now that the NFL season is done, it’s the NBA´s time to shine.

League landscape after ASG

A lot of people don’t switch over to the NBA until after the NFL season is over, and if that’s the case, let’s catch you up on what’s been happening in the NBA over the last four months. The Detroit Pistons have continued their incredible turnaround that started with a playoff run last year. They are now the top team in the Eastern Conference, leading the 2nd placed Boston Celtics by 5.5 games.

The Celtics have been without Jayson Tatum who tore his achilles in the playoffs last year, but they are still looking like a force to be reckoned with in the East this season. The Knicks and the Cavs are in the running, but the Indiana Pacers have fallen off the map after their run to the NBA Finals last year. They are 15-40 and have the second worst record in the East.

In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder had a spectacular start to their title defense season, winning 24 of their first 25 games. Since then they are 18-12 and have come down to Earth a bit in the last couple months. The San Antonio Spurs are second, led by Victor Wembanyama and cast of rising stars around the Frenchman. Nikola Jokic missed a month of the season with a knee injury but he is back and has the Denver Nuggets in third place in the West. Houston, the LA Lakers and Minnesota are in spots 3-6 while Golden State is drifting in Play-In position without Jimmy Butler who tore his ACL earlier this year.

Play-In starter mid April

Now that we are all caught up, lets look forward. The season restarts after a week’s respite for the All-Star festivities on Thursday evening. That will start a two month sprint to the finish line to which culminates on April 12th.

The top six teams of each respective conference will advance to the first round of the playoffs while the teams in the 7th-10th place will have to get through the Play-In which begins on April 14th and ends on April 17th. The NBA Playoffs will begin the day after, and will run until through early June when the Eastern and Western Conference Finals come to an end.

• April 12: Regular season ends (All 30 teams play)
• April 13: Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET)
• April 14-17: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
• April 18: NBA Playoffs begin
• May 10: 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
• June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
• June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
• June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
• June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

The last two teams standing will meet for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3rd, and that will run to June 19th should the series go to a Game 7. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be looking for a back-to-back title bid, while the rest of the teams in the league will be looking to lift the Larry O´Brien Trophy come early June.

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