2026 NBA playoffs first-round series odds: Lakers go for sweep, but Rockets are favored

LeBron James and the Lakers go for a first-round sweep on Sunday. Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images Share article30The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of elimination and the Detroit Pistons are in a hole against a No. 8 seed. The first round of the NBA playoffs has had its fair share of surprises. Orlando went up 2-1 on the Pistons with a win in Game 3 while Denver lost for the second time in Minnesota, this time despite Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo not playing a big role in the game due to injuries. On Sunday, the quadruple-header features three home teams (Toronto, Portland, Philadelphia) trying to even things while the Los Angeles Lakers go for a sweep in Houston. This is a look at the odds for all eight first-round series in the NBA playoffs. It will be updated daily throughout the playoffs, as the odds to win each series will shift with results. Series odds: Pistons -125, Magic +105 The Pistons won 60 games in the regular season, but they don’t look like that team right now. The Magic won Game 3 113-105 to regain the lead in the series. Orlando did so while limiting Cade Cunningham to 8-for-23 from the field with nine turnovers. This is after Cunningham had seven turnovers in Detroit’s Game 2 win. Detroit is still favored to advance, albeit by a slim margin, and is favored by 3.5 points in Game 4 so hope is not lost for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Before the playoffs, the sportsbooks were skeptical of the Pistons’ chances. They were fourth in the odds to grab the East’s spot in the NBA Finals. So far, that skepticism has appeared justified. If Detroit is going to grow up into a real contender, Monday’s Game 4 feels like a must win. Series odds: Celtics -1400, 76ers +850 Jayson Tatum’s return from an Achilles injury has been remarkable. He may not be quite peak Tatum, but he is already playing at an All-Star level. Tatum’s contested pull-up 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds of Friday’s Game 3 sealed a crucial road win for Boston. Tatum’s shot put the Celtics up six in a 108-100 win. He and Jaylen Brown each scored 25 points. In a tight fourth quarter in a tied series, Boston’s shot makers came up with the plays needed to regain the series lead. Philadelphia will now have to win in Boston again to advance. The Celtics were favored to win the series even after losing Game 2, but are once again overwhelming favorites after the Game 3 win. Series odds: Knicks -220, Hawks +180 The Knicks were in such control of Game 4 in Atlanta, it seems odd they were down 2-1 in the series in the first place. New York cruised 114-98 in a near must-win on the road to even the series. With the win, the Knicks regained home-court advantage and turned the best-of-seven series in to a best-of-three with two of those at Madison Square Garden. New York has been reinstalled as the favorite to advance after the Hawks were favored following Game 3. Karl-Anthony Towns had a triple-double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) and the Hawks shot just 10-for-41 from 3-point range. The Knicks had their backs against the wall and played like their season depended on that win. Can Atlanta respond or have the Knicks figured out how to beat this team? Series odds: Cavaliers -900, Raptors +600 Desperately in need of a win on Thursday, the Raptors used a 16-0 run late in the fourth quarter to put Game 3 away. Toronto won 126-104 to defend home court and ensure a return trip to Cleveland. Cleveland’s high scorer was James Harden with only 18 points. Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley shot a combined 4-for-21 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Toronto got 33 points each from RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes. The Cavs are favored by 3.5 points for Game 4 and remain clear favorites to advance, but Toronto at least kept things interesting. It really becomes a series if Toronto evens things up on Sunday. Series odds: Thunder -20000, Suns +6500 Ho hum, just another Thunder playoff win by double digits. Oklahoma City won Game 3 in Phoenix 121-109 to move to 3-0 in a series that has been bereft of major drama, The Suns led by nine in the first quarter, but the Thunder gradually regained control and led for the entire second half. With the series at 3-0, it’s just a matter of time before OKC advances. The Thunder are favored by 10.5 points in Game 4. Series odds: Spurs -1600, Trail Blazers +900 No Wemby, no problem. The Spurs won on the road while Victor Wembanyama sat out Game 3 with a concussion. Spurs fans can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their team can not only win without Wembanyama, but there is now also less reason to rush him back. It shouldn’t be overlooked that the Spurs were able to win a playoff game on the road without their franchise cornerstone. As the Spurs push to win it all, showing the supporting cast is still a playoff-level team is a good sign for the Spurs’ status as true title contenders. Stephon Castle scored 33 points, and rookie Dylan Harper had 27 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Castle is 21 years old, and Harper is 20. Throw in 22-year-old Wemby, and it’s easy to see why the Spurs should only continue to get better. Scary. Will the Spurs give Wemby more time, knowing they already have regained home-court advantage? Series odds: Timberwolves -155, Nuggets +130 Donte DiVincenzo got hurt after a minute and didn’t return. Anthony Edwards got hurt late in the second quarter and didn’t return (and was 1-for-8 from the field before the injury). No problem. Ayo Dosunmu has got this. If you didn’t know who Dosunmu was before this game, now you know. The Timberwolves got the former Illinois guard from the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline and he dropped 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting and led Minnesota to a 112-96 win in Game 4. Minnesota has the Nuggets on the brink of elimination… but who will the Timberwolves have for the rest of the series? DiVincenzo’s lower leg injury looked bad and Edwards’ appeared to hyperextend his knee. The series score says Minnesota is in full control of this series, but the odds say it’s still close and those injuries are why. Does Dosunmu have another big game in him if the Wolves are down two starters? Series odds: Lakers -1400, Rockets +850 In a first round that has seen a number of higher seeds labor, the Lakers are the first team to take a 3-0 series lead. The Lakers weren’t even favored to advance at the start of the series. After Friday’s overtime win in Game 3, the Lakers can take their time with the injured Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. What a luxury. LeBron James had a steal and a 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds to tie the game, and the Lakers ended up winning in overtime. The 41-year-old is still adding legendary plays to his collection. Things are impossibly bleak for the Rockets, who were without Kevin Durant for the second game this series. If Durant gets healthy before the Lakers’ pair, Houston may have a shot at a comeback, but it’s a steep mountain at this point. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms