The Thunder Are Built to Embarrass Everyone and the Suns Have No Answer

The 2026 NBA Playoffs are almost here, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are walking in as the defending champs with one mission: dominate. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company aren't just favored in their first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns, they're expected to turn this into a four-game clinic. The Suns are facing an overwhelming favorite, and honestly, there's little they can do to stop what's coming. Look for four blowouts as Oklahoma City potentially does some load management and still wins every game with ease.

The East Is Wide Open, But Boston's Got Answers

The Eastern Conference looks like chaos on paper, but the Boston Celtics are the ones nobody wants to face. They're taking on the Philadelphia 76ers in a battle of old rivals, and the Celtics are favored to win it in four straight. Jayson Tatum went down with an Achilles injury last season, but he worked hard to return late in the year and is just finding his stride. Now that Boston has won the Atlantic and claimed the second seed, the Sixers and Joel Embiid are staring down insurmountable odds. The Celtics are expected to dominate this series without even breaking a sweat.

The Knicks have bigger dreams. They've got firepower from Jalen Brunson and determination from Jason Hart, but questions linger about Karl-Anthony Towns' ability under pressure. The Atlanta Hawks had a great second-half surge led by CJ McCollum and are primed to be a pesky opponent. New York should still advance to the second round, but expect Atlanta to push it to six games before bowing out.

The Detroit Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference and are favored to beat the Orlando Magic in five. Orlando finally got healthy for the first time all season after winning the Play-In tournament to grab the eighth seed, and they could give Detroit a test. But the Pistons' power should be too much to overcome.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the best starting fives in the East but lack depth off the bench. They're facing the overlooked Toronto Raptors, who have a deeper rotation and could pull off an upset. For Cleveland to advance in six, Donovan Mitchell needs to take his game to another level and be the best player on the floor.

The West Is Thunder's League Right Now

Out West, Denver is playing their best basketball as the season ended and looks poised for a long run. The Minnesota Timberwolves made it to the Western Conference Finals the past two seasons, but their bench struggled all year, making them a poor matchup for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Denver's winning this in five.

The San Antonio Spurs returned to the postseason and are facing the Portland Trail Blazers, who overachieved all season and won the Play-In. Victor Wembanyama is emerging fast as one of the top players in the NBA, and a big series from Wemby should help the Spurs make quick work of Portland in five games.

The Houston Rockets are favored over the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The Lakers are limping into the playoffs likely without Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves, and LeBron James is no longer capable of winning a series on his own with a bench that's among the worst in the NBA. Kevin Durant is well past his prime, but the Rockets have enough to advance with ease.

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