After a weekend full of blowouts, the 2026 NBA playoffs kicked into gear Monday with a pair of thrillers that included upset wins for the No. 6 seeds in each conference. In the East, the Atlanta Hawks pulled off a double-digit fourth-quarter comeback to stun the New York Knicks, and out West, the Minnesota Timberwolves recovered from an early 19-point deficit to take down the Denver Nuggets.
The action will continue Tuesday night with three more Game 2s. Let’s take a look at the schedule and make predictions for each matchup.
NBA playoff schedule: Tuesday, April 21
Odds via FanDuel, all times ET
76ers at Celtics Game 2 prediction
The Celtics destroyed the Joel Embiid-less Sixers by 32 points in Game 1 to record the largest playoff-opening win in franchise history. Boston got a near-triple-double from Jayson Tatum in his playoff return, had six double-digit scorers and held the Sixers to 38.9% shooting.
Without Embiid, the Sixers have little hope in Game 2 or the series as a whole, and the Celtics are massive favorites on Tuesday. Everyone would pick the Celtics straight up, so let’s look at the line instead. The Sixers should be motivated after being embarrassed on Sunday and won’t shoot 0 of 12 on wide-open 3s again like they did in the series opener. Celtics win, but Sixers keep it respectable. Fourteen points is just so many in a playoff game. Pick: Sixers (+14)
Trail Blazers at Spurs Game 2 prediction
Victor Wembanyama, who was named the unanimous 2026 Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, put on a show in his playoff debut in Game 1 against the Blazers. He poured in 35 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter as the Spurs pulled away for a comfortable win.
The Spurs are once again big favorites on Tuesday against a Blazers team that can really struggle to put points on the board. The thinking here is similar to Celtics vs. Sixers. The Spurs are going to win, but can they cover such a big spread against a desperate team that couldn’t buy a shot in Game 1? (The Blazers were 5 of 21 on wide-open 3s). Pick: Blazers (+11.5)
Rockets at Lakers Game 2 prediction
Game 1 of this series felt like a regular-season game in some ways, given all the absences. Kevin Durant was a late scratch for the Rockets with a knee injury, while Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) were both sidelined for the Lakers. In the absence of so much star power, Luke Kennard stole the show and led the Lakers to victory with a playoff career-high 27 points.
Durant’s status is still up in the air — he was listed as a game-time decision on Monday — but there must be some level of confidence that he plays for the Rockets to be 5-point favorites. It’s hard to imagine the Rockets playing worse than they did in Game 1, when they shot 37.6% from the field, and it’s hard to imagine Kennard scoring 27 points again. Assuming Durant plays, the Rockets will even the series. Pick: Rockets (-4.5)
