One Week Left and the Playoff Picture Is Still Wide Open: 19 of 20 Seeds Up for Grabs

The final week of the 2025-26 NBA regular season is here, and the postseason tips off next Tuesday. Here's the thing: only one seed has been clinched. That's it. Nineteen of the twenty playoff spots are still up for grabs, and this week's matchups are going to settle which teams make the dance and which teams watch from home.

The playoff picture is coming into focus fast. There are 12 games this week with major playoff implications, and every one of them matters. Teams are scrambling to lock down their spots, making moves on the fly. The Hawks just signed former Pacers center Tony Bradley to bolster their inside depth for the playoff run. Alexander-Walker is getting his chance to shine with the Hawks. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry's return with the Warriors is getting people talking about whether Golden State has hope down the stretch.

The East Gets Tight

The Pistons are fending off East foes in what's shaping up to be a wild race. The top 5 teams in the East are clashing, with the Hawks hosting the Knicks in a matchup that could swing seeding positions. Gilgeous-Alexander and Brown were named Players of the Week, and these guys are the ones dragging their teams to the postseason.

Standout Performances This Week

Cooper Flagg had a monster performance with 45 points, catching fire in a way that's grabbing everyone's attention. The young talent across the league is making noise as teams make their final pushes.

The 2026 Playoff Picture bracket is being updated nightly as seeding positions shift. If the regular season ended right now, the East and West brackets would look drastically different than they might after next week. That's how tight this is.

One more week. Twelve games that matter. Nineteen seeds on the line. This is why we watch.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.