2026 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference First-Round Schedule, Tipoff Times and TV Channels

The NBA has released the Western Conference playoff schedule, outlining key dates, venues, and broadcast details for opening round matchups.

by Yagya Bhargava

Athlon Sports

Apr 15, 2026

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates with Magic Johnson West Conference Finals MVP trophy after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five to win the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA Playoffs tip off Saturday, and the path to the Finals is now set.

Once the play-in tournament wraps up Friday, four first-round matchups get underway in each conference. Every series is best-of-seven, and that format holds through all four rounds with no reseeding along the way. Home-court advantage belongs to the team that finished with the better regular-season record. Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 go to the higher seed under the standard 2-2-1-1-1 setup. The NBA Finals are scheduled to begin June 3.

The Western Conference bracket is set, with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs all holding home-court advantage in their respective series.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates with Magic Johnson West Conference Finals MVP trophy after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five to win the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #8 West (Play-In)

Game 1: April 19, 3:30 P.M. – Paycom Center (ABC)
Game 2: April 22, 9:30 P.M. – Paycom Center (ESPN)
Game 3: April 25, 3:30 P.M. – TBD (NBC)
Game 4: April 27, TBD – TBD (TBD)
Game 5: April 29, TBD – Paycom Center (TBD)
Game 6: May 1, TBD – TBD (TBD)
Game 7: May 3, TBD – Paycom Center (TBD)

#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #7 Portland Trail Blazers

Game 1: April 19, 9:00 P.M. – Frost Bank Center (NBC)
Game 2: April 21, 8:00 P.M. – Frost Bank Center (NBC)
Game 3: April 24, 10:30 P.M. – Moda Center (Prime Video)
Game 4: April 26, 3:30 P.M. – Moda Center (ESPN)
Game 5: April 28, TBD – Frost Bank Center (TBD)
Game 6: April 30, TBD – Moda Center (TBD)
Game 7: May 2, TBD – Frost Bank Center (TBD)

#3 Denver Nuggets vs. #6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: April 18, 3:30 P.M. – Ball Arena (Prime Video)
Game 2: April 20, 10:30 P.M. – Ball Arena (NBC)
Game 3: April 23, 9:30 P.M. – Target Center (Prime Video)
Game 4: April 25, 8:30 P.M. – Target Center (ABC)
Game 5: April 27, TBD – Ball Arena (TBD)
Game 6: April 30, TBD – Target Center (TBD)
Game 7: May 2, TBD – Ball Arena (TBD)

#4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #5 Houston Rockets

Game 1: April 18, 8:30 P.M. – Crypto.com Arena (ABC)
Game 2: April 21, 10:30 P.M. – Crypto.com Arena (NBC)
Game 3: April 24, 8:00 P.M. – Toyota Center (Prime Video)
Game 4: April 26, 9:30 P.M. – Toyota Center (NBC)
Game 5: April 29, TBD – Crypto.com Arena (TBD)
Game 6: May 1, TBD – Toyota Center (TBD)
Game 7: May 3, TBD – Crypto.com Arena (TBD)