2026 NBA playoffs: Japanese Convention first-round takeaways

The 2026 playoffs are underway, and our NBA insiders have you ever coated for each recreation within the march to the Finals. Which high seeds are cruising and which may very well be at risk of a first-round upset? Which stars are shining and which gamers are breaking by means of on the playoff stage?

Because the Japanese Convention playoffs proceed, this is what issues most and what to look at in all 4 collection.

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Sport 1: Magic 112, Pistons 101
Sport 2: Pistons 98, Magic 83
Sport 3: Magic 113, Pistons 105

Largest takeaway from Sport 3: The Magic aren’t going away. In actual fact, they’ve been the more durable, extra bodily crew for almost all of this collection — particularly within the paint. And that’s extremely regarding for Detroit.

However maybe extra troubling is that Desmond Bane‘s 3-point shot is lastly falling on this collection. Bane, who shot simply 3-for-15 from 3 throughout the primary two video games, buried his first six triples earlier than ending with 25 factors. This is the reason the Magic despatched 4 first-round picks and went all in to get Bane; to house the ground and unencumber the within for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Banchero did a little bit of every part with 25 factors, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. However it was Wendell Carter Jr. who set an early tone by outplaying each Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, getting below Stewart’s pores and skin and fouling out Duren late within the recreation. Carter had 14 factors and 17 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass. With Duren struggling once more, Cade Cunningham, who had been terrific within the first two video games, missed 12 of his first 17 photographs and had a playoff career-worst eight turnovers within the first three quarters. However he scored 12 of his 27 factors within the fourth and helped spark a 26-8 run that erased a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and pushed the Pistons up one with 2:52 remaining. However Wagner scored 5 straight factors and Detroit by no means recovered.

The Pistons are actually in a 2-1 gap to the eighth seed, and the Magic proceed to appear like a very completely different crew since demolishing the Charlotte Hornets within the play-in to succeed in the playoffs. — Ohm Youngmisuk

Sport 4: Pistons at Magic (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)

What to look at in Sport 4: Over the subsequent two days, the Pistons should rediscover their physicality, smothering protection and swagger that made them the highest crew within the East. Exterior of seven blocks within the first quarter of Sport 2 and the 30-3 run within the third quarter that received them that recreation, the 60-win Pistons have largely been absent for a lot of this collection. That they had a fourth-quarter run that gave them the transient lead Saturday, however the Magic responded instantly.

The Magic are additionally giving the Pistons a dose of their very own medication with physicality contained in the paint, smothering and annoying protection and a grinding effort on offense to get into the paint or to the free throw line to beat any lack of taking pictures they could have. They usually have a hyped dwelling crowd fueling them.

Duren hasn’t regarded just like the first-time All-Star he was this season. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff even shook up his rotation early within the third quarter by changing Duren with Paul Reed after Banchero drove in for a dunk. The Pistons need to discover a method to unclog the paint and make extra photographs to assist Cunningham. However because it has been on this collection with Orlando, every part begins with protection and physicality. The Pistons simply snapped the longest dwelling playoff drought in historical past at 11 video games by successful Sport 2. They do not need to need to return dwelling for Sport 5 dealing with elimination in the event that they fall behind 3-1. — Youngmisuk

Sport 1: Celtics 123, 76ers 91
Sport 2: 76ers 111, Celtics 97
Sport 3: Celtics 108, 76ers 100

Largest takeaway from Sport 3: Boston has, for the higher a part of a decade, been carried to 1 playoff win after one other by the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. And on Friday in South Philly, that is what occurred once more. It was a 10-point run by Brown — starting with a steal and organising a Derrick White bucket on a quick break, then scoring eight factors in a row himself — that gave Boston separation for a ultimate and decisive time late within the fourth quarter. Tatum hit a pair of huge 3-pointers to slam the door and provides Boston again home-court benefit on this best-of-seven affair. — Tim Bontemps

Sport 4: Celtics at 76ers (Sunday, 7 p.m., ET, NBC/Peacock)

What to look at in Sport 4: The potential return of Joel Embiid? The famous person heart received upgraded to uncertain on Thursday and wasn’t absolutely dominated out till a few hours earlier than Friday’s tipoff. With one other 48 hours to heal earlier than Sport 4, the door is open for Embiid to probably make his return for the primary time since present process an emergency appendectomy over two weeks in the past. Past that, we have seen this collection be dictated by Boston’s shotmaking, with nice taking pictures video games carrying the Celtics in Video games 1 and three (each wins) and a tough one resulting in a Sport 2 loss. So which taking pictures model of the Celtics will present up? — Bontemps

Sport 1: Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113
Sport 2: Cavaliers 115, Raptors 105
Sport 3: Raptors 126, Cavaliers 104

Largest takeaway from Sport 3: This was a famous person efficiency from Scottie Barnes on each ends of the ground. He led all scorers with 33 factors, including 11 assists and 5 rebounds all whereas hounding each Donovan Mitchell and James Harden defensively. RJ Barrett was a viable co-star, including 33 factors and pulling down six 3’s. They’re the third Raptors duo with at the least 30 factors in a playoff recreation in franchise historical past (Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry, 2019, and DeMar DeRozan and Lowry, 2016).

In the meantime, the Cavs star duo struggled. Mitchell shot 7-for-16 for 15 factors and Harden went 5-of-13 for 18 factors. Toronto received robust performances from up and down the roster, together with 22 factors off the bench from Collin Murray-Boyles and 4 3’s from Jamison Battle, who did not play within the first two video games of the collection. The 2 mixed (36) to outscore Mitchell and Harden (33). — Jamal Collier

Sport 4: Cavaliers at Raptors (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN)

What to look at in Sport 4: The Raptors responded to get again within the collection and now the stress shifts again to the Cavs to claim themselves in Sport 4 on Sunday in a collection they dominated by means of the primary two video games. Toronto attacked Cleveland’s weaker defenders extra relentlessly in Sport 3, searching mismatches and forcing Harden to work defensively. And the Raptors have been aggressive, sending double-teams on the Cavs’ finest gamers Thursday evening as Mitchell, Harden and Evan Mobley struggled taking pictures from the sphere. The Cavs are dealing with adversity for the primary time throughout this playoff run. Let’s examine how they reply to it. — Collier

Sport 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102
Sport 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106
Sport 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108

Largest takeaway from Sport 3: The Atlanta Hawks are doing every part they will to make life uncomfortable for the New York Knicks, and they’re succeeding. From the onset, they grabbed early leads and had the Knicks combating from behind all evening.

The Knicks have been solely surviving, first with Jalen Brunson, then OG Anunoby. However it was Atlanta that was the determined crew, particularly Jonathan Kuminga, who was opportunistic on offense and repeatedly getting out within the open ground. He and the Hawks sensed a chance and seized it. Now the Knicks are at a spot they do not like being: on the ropes. — Vincent Goodwill

Sport 4: Knicks at Hawks (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)

What to look at in Sport 4: Extra Miles McBride for the Knicks. It is clear Mikal Bridges hasn’t discovered his means on this collection, and Mike Brown does not have a lot persistence for him proper now. He was a minus-24 in 20 minutes of taking part in time and was pulled early within the second half, solely taking part in a pair extra minutes later. McBride hit essential 3-pointers to drag the Knicks again to inside placing distance. — Goodwill