NBA playoff takeaways: Pistons pull away for Game ...
Key takeaways
- The second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western conference semifinals.
- The No. 2-seeded New York Knicks opened their East series Monday by beating the 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers to take a 1-0 series lead.
- In the West, the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who had Anthony Edwards (left knee injury) back for Game 1, stole a win over the 2-seed San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama on Monday.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western conference semifinals.
The No. 2-seeded New York Knicks opened their East series Monday by beating the 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers to take a 1-0 series lead. Meanwhile, the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons pulled away for a Game 1 win Tuesday over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the other East series.
In the West, the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who had Anthony Edwards (left knee injury) back for Game 1, stole a win over the 2-seed San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama on Monday. The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round, started their series against the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.