NBA experts pick which teams will win the second round and claim a spot in the East and West conference finals.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Oklahoma City.
The second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs is underway, with only eight teams remaining in the postseason and set to go head-to-head for a chance to advance to the championship. In the East, the No. 1 Detroit Pistons overcame a 3-1 series deficit to the Orlando Magic and won three straight to advance. The Pistons' Round 2 opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers, also outlasted the Toronto Raptors in a Game 7 win.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers advanced to face the New York Knicks. In the West, the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, made it through their first matchup against the Phoenix Suns unscathed, sweeping them in four games. Oklahoma City will open its conference semifinals series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
The San Antonio Spurs and Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama became the second team to punch their ticket to the second round, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. They'll face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been without star Anthony Edwards since Game 4. After an exciting first round, our NBA experts made their picks for each second-round series -- check out which teams they picked to move on to the conference finals.
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