The NBA season is winding down, and eight teams remain to compete for the championship.
As the opening round of the playoffs unfolded, plenty stood out. Some players showed their dominance, some showed their struggles, and it was clear which teams are levels above the rest.
Here is a takeaway from each of the first-round series’ winners and losers:
Detroit Pistons beat Orlando Magic in seven games
Pistons: Not ready to compete yet
The Pistons are headed to the second round for the first time since 2007-08, but it doesn’t feel as good as it should. As the one-seed who finished the regular season with 60 wins, they were taken to seven games by the Magic, who looked awful all season.
Detroit nearly went down quick, but managed to embark on a 3-1 comeback to knock off the Magic. The Pistons will now take on the Cavaliers, a team that is much better than Orlando, and the Pistons likely aren’t feeling all too confident.
Many of Detroit’s young stars struggled in the first round, specifically Jalen Duren. He did turn it up somewhat, but didn’t look like his usual self. So, it’s exciting for the Pistons to win their first series in 18 years, but this young roster just isn’t a true competitor yet. It doesn’t mean they won’t be in a couple of years, even though they have a lot of growing to do to show up in the big games.
Magic: Time for a new coach
What a roller-coaster of a season for the Magic. The year featured many highs and some brutal lows, but this first round showed us what this team should be. After a regular season of struggles and constant rumours surrounding the locker room, the Magic came into the post-season and forced the first-place Pistons to Game 7.
The recurring news in Orlando was the problems with head coach Jamahl Mosley, as he struggled to utilize a roster with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane to its full capabilities. It feels easy to scapegoat Mosley because it is true that those players had injuries and didn’t always play their best, but it does feel like a new system would do them well.
A more experienced coach may be able to restructure the offence and find a way to get this team among the East’s best. Since Wagner broke out in 2024-25, it’s felt like the Magic can’t win when he and Banchero are both healthy, which is ridiculous since they are the best two players on the roster. Mosley’s time should be up, and a new coach should find a way to turn Banchero-Wagner into the next powerful duo to take over the NBA.
Philadelphia 76ers beat Boston Celtics in seven games
76ers: Dangerous when healthy
The Philadelphia 76ers finally have their full roster available, and they showed just how dangerous they can be when healthy. The Sixers pulled off the unthinkable and erased a 3-1 series deficit to knock off the two-seed Celtics.
Joel Embiid appears to be back in MVP form at both ends of the court, Tyrese Maxey can score at will, VJ Edgecombe is one of the best rookies in the NBA and Paul George is serving his purpose as a veteran leader. With all these guys playing their A-game, the Sixers look like true competitors in the Eastern Conference.
They now look down the Knicks, and Embiid has the chance to dominate at will against New York’s weak interior defence. The Cameroonian big man is a nightmare matchup for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Celtics: Get ready for next season
This was supposed to be a down year for the Celtics after Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon in the last playoffs and they unloaded aging players in the off-season. However, they didn’t require a reset; the Celtics still finished second in the East, and Tatum made a miraculous early return.
So there’s nothing to be upset about when it comes to this season. They defied all expectations and showed that they are among the league’s best. They now enter the off-season knowing how much depth they have on the roster and can enter 2026-27 at full health, right back in the mix to win a title.
All the Celtics need to do is round out their roster with role players, but as long as they have Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston has nothing to worry about.
New York Knicks beat Atlanta Hawks in six games
Knicks: Holding the momentum
Once the Knicks went down 2-1 to the Hawks, they flicked a switch and completely changed the narrative. They won Games 4-6 to finish off Atlanta in convincing fashion with a 51-point series-clinching victory.
That’ll give the team confidence and enter Round 2 with no fear of what stands in front of them. Especially looking down the 76ers, who needed seven games to knock off the Celtics.
The Knicks held their opponent to the second-fewest points per game (100.3) in the first round and shot a remarkable 49.9 per cent from the field as a team. If Jalen Brunson is on the top of his game and OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges are effective, the Knicks will be a tough out.
Hawks: Close, but not there yet
The Hawks gave the Knicks a scare in Round 1, but ultimately came up short. This was expected, based on Atlanta trading franchise cornerstone Trae Young earlier in the season; however, they still did better than expected.
Atlanta has a great core with Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker. All three have star capabilities, but the possibility of adding an established star to the mix should be the main goal of the Hawks’ off-season.
They are slightly weak at guard and centre, but adding to either position will instantly elevate them to among the East’s best alongside the Celtics, Pistons and Knicks.
Cavaliers: Thrive at home
Home-court advantage is no joke for the Cavaliers, who won all four games at Rocket Arena against the Raptors to knock them off in seven games. Cleveland was a different team at home, holding a net rating of 9.2. The team also shot 51.2 per cent at home, in comparison to 41.4 per cent on the road. They additionally improved their three-point percentage by 11.7 per cent in front of their home fans.
Donovan Mitchell was a beast when he was in Cleveland. The star guard dropped 32 and 31 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Meanwhile, over the four home games, he averaged 25.8 points, 3.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds on 50 per cent shooting from the field and 41.9 per cent from three.
The Cavaliers now enter the second round against an inexperienced Detroit Pistons roster, which barely made it past the eight-seed Orlando Magic. The Pistons are guided by Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, two players who are in the playoffs for just the second time. Cleveland can throw Mitchell and James Harden at them to show that experience can make all the difference.
Raptors: Roster needs major adjustments
The Raptors learned some things about their roster in their first-round series loss to the Cavaliers. Scottie Barnes is a star, while Ja’Kobe Walter, Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead are on the road to becoming stars. That is a solid young core to have, but the Raptors need to clear some cap space to build a better roster around these guys.
Jakob Poeltl was practically unplayable the entire series. He failed to score double-digit points in five of the seven contests and was a pylon on defence, looking useless against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Immanuel Quickley didn’t play a single minute due to a hamstring injury, and Shead’s level of play showed he’s expendable. Brandon Ingram missed Games 6 and 7, although he was invisible when he did play, averaging just 12 points per game, in comparison to his 21.5 points per game in the regular season. It’s clear now that Ingram was battling injury, but Toronto needs a higher level of play from its best offensive weapon.
That trio is set to make $92 million next season, just way too much. The Raptors front office needs to consider putting all three players on the trade block to build a more complete roster that desperately needs some shooting. It doesn’t mean they need to move all three, but it should be a priority to find a way to move off at least one of the three before 2026-27.
Oklahoma City Thunder sweep Phoenix Suns
Thunder: Should cruise into the Western Conference Final
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just as good as they were last year, and maybe even better. They decimated the Suns en route to a 4-0 sweep, and that wasn’t even at full strength.
Jalen Williams went down in Game 2 against the Suns with an apparent left hamstring strain, but he could get back into action in the second round. However, they may not even need Williams against a deflated Lakers’ squad lacking Luka Doncic.
The Thunder scored at will against the Suns with 122.8 points per game, while also holding the second-best point differential in the opening round (+17.2). Without Doncic, the Lakers just don’t have the offence to keep up with the reigning champs.
The Phoenix Suns lack star power and don’t seem to be anywhere near competing in the near future. There’s no point in continuing to do the same thing every season and disappointing their fans while Devin Booker continues to age. It’s time for a change.
The Suns need to attempt to move Booker this off-season while he’s in the prime of his career, and should also sell high on Dillon Brooks after a career-best season. Moving these two to add young pieces and possibly get future draft picks is the most logical decision. With the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets and Timberwolves so powerful, there’s no point in wasting time to start the inevitable.
San Antonio Spurs beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games
Spurs: More than just Wembanyama
Yes, Victor Wembanyama is one of the best players alive, but the Spurs have so much more than just the seven-foot-four phenom. When Wembanyama went down with a concussion in Game 2 and the Trail Blazers stole a win, Spurs fans were holding their breath, but there was never a need to worry.
Without Wembanyama, the Spurs dominated in Game 3, led by their dynamic guards Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. The trio combined for 78 in the victory, and the Spurs never looked back. So, obviously, it means a lot to have Wembanyama in the lineup, but in Round 2, the Timberwolves will have to be aware of so much more.
Outside of the Thunder, there might not be a deeper roster than the Spurs, and it feels almost certain we’re heading toward an Oklahoma City-San Antonio West final.
Trail Blazers: The future is bright
The Trail Blazers went down quite easily at the hands of the Spurs, but Portland fans have a lot to look forward to. They boast a plethora of young stars who are on the verge of becoming all-stars and maybe even superstars.
Deni Avdija is a building block for the future. In the opening round, he averaged 22.2 points, six rebounds and 4.6 assists on 44.9 per cent shooting. He did have a couple of bad showings in Games 2 and 3, but this was his first taste of post-season action. Come next season, he could be one of the best league-wide with this experience under his belt.
In addition to Avidja, the Blazers have Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. This roster will continue to develop, and the Blazers’ front office should enter the off-season excited for 2026-27.
Los Angeles Lakers beat Houston Rockets in six games
Lakers: LeBron is still elite
No matter how old he is, LeBron James truly might be the greatest player in NBA history. He proved that yet again as he guided the Lakers past the Rockets despite missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves appearing only in Games 5 and 6.
James averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals while playing 38.7 minutes a night. Even with his strong showing, the Lakers now have to face the reigning NBA champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s easy to expect the Thunder to dominate a Doncic-less Lakers squad, but James won’t go down without a fight.
Even at 41, James still has the capabilities to fully take over a game and get a victory for his squad, no matter who he’s up against. So, the Thunder can’t enter Round 2 too confidently — they must remember he’s called The King for a reason.
Rockets: Durant solved nothing
For the second straight season, the Rockets have been eliminated in the first round. This wasn’t expected whatsoever after the off-season acquisition of Kevin Durant, but that clearly didn’t change much. Yes, Durant did appear in just one game in the series, but this loss could’ve been predicted all season.
The Rockets have a lot of good players, but their cohesiveness just wasn’t there all campaign, and they never really figured out how to play as a unit. Durant came in to lead an offence that struggled at times, but the roster beyond him lacks elite scoring capabilities. So it might be nice to have Durant, but he’s getting older, and injuries have become an issue, so he can’t take over like he once did.
Houston’s front office needs to take a serious look at the roster this off-season, and it may make the most sense to move Durant again. Ship out the aging star and get a haul to reshape the roster and get the team over the hump of mediocrity.
Minnesota Timberwolves beat Denver Nuggets in six games
Timberwolves: A true contender when healthy
The Timberwolves knocked off the Nuggets in convincing fashion in Round 1, but they lost some key players along the way. Donte DiVincenzo will be out a long time with a reported ruptured Achilles, and Anthony Edwards is week-to-week with a knee injury.
DiVincenzo is the Wolves’ starting point guard, while Edwards is the face of the franchise. Minnesota was able to finish off without the duo, but they missed only Games 5 and 6. When Round 2 begins, the Wolves will have to take down the two-seed Spurs without two of their best, which just doesn’t seem feasible.
It’s disappointing to think that the Wolves’ season will likely end due to injuries, but it’s encouraging to see how they dominated Denver through the first few games at full strength. Management should remember those games instead of how they will fare against the Spurs to prepare for next season.
Nuggets: Time for some change
The Nuggets need to enter the off-season prepared to make some changes, and should be beyond disappointed in how they went out this year. From going down 3-1 to the Wolves and then not being able to make a comeback despite Minnesota being extremely shorthanded.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray averaged a combined 49.5 points per game in the series, but they shot 19.4 and 26.2 per cent from three, respectively. Beyond those two, nobody averaged more than 14.2 points and appeared ready to compete in the post-season. This has become a recurring issue with the Nuggets; they have not built a roster with enough talent around Jokic to compete as they have in the past.
The Nuggets’ management needs to have some difficult conversations, and it should be time to move Murray, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun. Moving these players for younger options and going through a minor retool could give Denver the chance to get Jokic a second championship in his prime.