The 2026 NBA playoffs are scheduled to start on April 18, 2026 (following the play‑in games in mid‑April).

When Do NBA Playoffs Start? (Quick Scoop)

Key Dates for 2026

  • Regular season ends: April 12, 2026.
  • Play‑In Tournament: April 14–17, 2026 (SoFi NBA Play‑In).
  • NBA Playoffs start: April 18, 2026.
  • NBA Finals projected start: June 3 or June 5, 2026, depending on source.

Some schedule overviews also list April 19, 2026 as the playoff start date, reflecting a one‑day shift depending on how they count the end of the play‑in and first full slate of series.

How This Fits Recent Seasons

  • The league keeps a similar rhythm: regular season wraps in mid‑April, then a short window for play‑in, then the playoffs tip almost immediately.
  • For example, the 2025 playoffs began on April 19 after a mid‑April play‑in, mirroring what we see slated for 2026.

In other words, if you’re planning around “when do NBA playoffs start,” mid‑April is the sweet spot, with April 18, 2026 as the specific target date for this season.

Mini FAQ

Do the play‑in games count as playoffs?
Officially they’re a separate mini‑tournament that determines the final two seeds in each conference, but they happen right before and feel like a soft launch to the postseason.

How many teams make it?
Six teams per conference qualify directly, and two more per conference come through the play‑in, for a total of 16 playoff teams.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.