NBA Playoffs First Round Recap: Two 3-1 Comebacks, Three Game 7s, and the Most Dramatic Round in Years
The NBA First Round Produced Three Game 7s and Two Historic Comebacks
The 2026 NBA Playoffs first round is complete, and it delivered one of the most dramatic opening rounds in league history. Three Game 7s. Two teams overcoming 3-1 deficits — the first time that’s happened in the same round in NBA history. And a viewing audience that shattered records, with the Celtics-76ers Game 7 averaging 11 million viewers on NBC and Peacock.
Here’s how every series played out and what it means for the second round.
The 76ers Shock Boston — The Biggest Upset of the Round
The seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers did what only 13 teams in NBA history have done: they came back from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series. And they did it on the road in Game 7, beating the second-seeded Boston Celtics 109-100.
After getting demolished 123-91 in Game 1 and falling behind 3-1 after a 128-96 Game 4 blowout, the 76ers looked dead. Joel Embiid was hobbling. The supporting cast was inconsistent. Nobody gave them a chance.
Then Philly rattled off three straight wins — 113-97 in Game 5, 106-93 in Game 6, and the clincher in Game 7. It was the first time a 7-seed eliminated a 2-seed since 2023, and it sent shockwaves through the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics blew a 3-1 lead for just the second time in franchise history. For a team with championship pedigree, this collapse raises serious questions about their core’s ability to close out series.
The Pistons’ Historic Comeback
Detroit’s path to the second round was equally dramatic — and equally unlikely. After dropping Games 3 and 4 in Orlando to fall behind 3-1, the Pistons stormed back.
Game 6 produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in playoff history. Detroit trailed by 24 points before mounting a furious rally, fueled by Cade Cunningham’s 32 points and Tobias Harris’s 30 (including 5-of-7 from three). Orlando scored just 19 second-half points — the fewest in a playoff half in NBA history.
Cunningham was the story of the series. His 32 points and 12 assists in the clinching Game 7 cemented his status as one of the most dangerous young players in basketball. Just two years removed from that record-setting losing streak, the Pistons are legitimate contenders.
The Knicks Survive Atlanta in Six
New York’s series against the Hawks went six games, but the final two weren’t close. After Atlanta evened the series at 2-2 with gutsy road and home wins, the Knicks responded with a 126-97 blowout in Game 5 and a 140-89 demolition in Game 6. Karl-Anthony Towns’ Game 6 triple-double with just one made field goal tied an NBA record. The Knicks’ 25 three-pointers in Game 4 tied a playoff record.
New York is heading to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year, and they look like the most complete team in the East.
The West: Thunder Sweep, Wolves and Spurs Go Seven
Oklahoma City dispatched Phoenix in four games, continuing their perfect first-round record. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was dominant throughout, and the Thunder’s depth proved overwhelming.
The Lakers eliminated Houston in five games after LeBron and Bronny James connected on the first father-son assist in NBA playoff history — a lob for a reverse layup in Game 3 that will live forever in highlight reels. Houston did steal Game 5 at home, but the Lakers’ experience proved decisive.
The Spurs-Blazers series was the West’s wildcard. Victor Wembanyama set a single-game playoff record with 12 blocks in Game 1, but San Antonio needed a Game 4 comeback — overcoming a 15-point deficit, the first team in playoff history to win a game by 15+ after trailing by 15+ — to eventually close out Portland in six.
The Timberwolves upset the third-seeded Nuggets in six games, with Anthony Edwards asserting himself as a bona fide superstar. Denver’s inability to close out games at home proved fatal.
Second Round Preview
The conference semifinals are set: Pistons vs. Cavaliers and Knicks vs. 76ers in the East. Thunder vs. Lakers and Spurs vs. Timberwolves in the West.
Every series has a marquee matchup. Cunningham vs. Donovan Mitchell. Brunson vs. Embiid. SGA vs. LeBron. Wembanyama vs. Edwards. This is the NBA at its best.
The signal: The first round set the table. The second round is where legacies are made. Don’t miss a single game — subscribe now.
The Numbers That Defined the Round
Let’s put this first round in proper historical context, because the numbers are staggering.
Two teams came back from 3-1 deficits in the same round — the Pistons against Orlando and the 76ers against Boston. That has never happened before in NBA history. The previous record was one such comeback per round, which has happened multiple times but never two simultaneously.
The Celtics’ collapse was particularly historic. Boston became just the 14th team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 lead. They had been 48-1 all-time when leading a series 3-1. The Game 7 loss at home sent shockwaves through the franchise and raised immediate questions about the coaching staff and core roster’s ability to close.
Philadelphia’s Game 7 road win was the defining moment. The 76ers became just the eighth team in NBA history — and the first 7-seed — to come back from 3-1 down and win a Game 7 on the road. Joel Embiid, who had been questionable for most of the series with his recurring injury concerns, delivered when it mattered most.
Detroit’s comeback was equally dramatic but differently constructed. The Pistons’ Game 6 comeback from 24 points down was the largest comeback by a team facing elimination on the road in NBA playoff history. Orlando’s second-half collapse — just 19 points in the final two quarters — was the fewest points scored in a playoff half ever.
Cade Cunningham was the story of the entire round. His Game 7 performance (32 points, 12 assists, plus-29) against the team that had him on the ropes three days earlier cemented his status as one of the most clutch young players in basketball. He leads all playoff scorers through the first round.
The Viewing Audience Showed Up
The ratings told the story of a first round that captured the national imagination. The Celtics-76ers Game 7 averaged 11 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched first-round Game 7 in NBA history.
The viewership surge was attributed in part to the elimination of first-round regional broadcasts — a significant change for the 2026 season. With NBC taking over a portion of the coverage previously held by TNT, more games were available on over-the-air television, dramatically expanding the potential audience.
It’s validation for the NBA’s new media deals and a reminder that when the product is compelling, the audience will show up. And this first round was as compelling as anything the league has produced in years.
The Teams That Fell Short
The Boston Celtics’ collapse will be dissected all summer. This was a team with championship experience, home-court advantage, and a 3-1 lead. The fact that they couldn’t close out a 7-seed raises fundamental questions about their mental toughness and roster construction.
The Orlando Magic pushed Detroit to the brink but couldn’t deliver the knockout punch. Paolo Banchero was outstanding throughout the series — his 38 points in Game 7 on 14-of-25 shooting was a star-making performance even in defeat. The Magic’s future is bright, but the blown 24-point lead in Game 6 will sting for years.
The Denver Nuggets, the No. 3 seed, fell to Minnesota in six games. Nikola Jokic was his usual brilliant self, but Denver’s inability to win close games at home proved fatal. Anthony Edwards’ emergence as a take-over scorer gave the Timberwolves an alpha they’d been missing in previous playoff runs.
The Houston Rockets lost in five to the Lakers, but the Game 5 win on their home floor (which ended LeBron’s all-time franchise record of 40-1 when leading a playoff series 3-1) showed this team has fight. Kevin Durant’s knee issues limited his effectiveness, and a healthy KD might have made this a very different series.
The LeBron-Bronny Moment
In Game 3 of the Lakers-Rockets series, LeBron James lobbed an alley-oop to his son Bronny James for a reverse layup. It was the first father-son assist in NBA playoff history — a moment that transcends basketball and enters the realm of pure sporting mythology.
Whether or not this is LeBron’s final season, that play will be replayed for decades. It represents everything LeBron has accomplished: the longevity, the skill, the family legacy, and the ability to create moments that define eras.
Setting the Table for Round 2
The second-round matchups couldn’t be more compelling:
Pistons vs. Cavaliers features Cunningham’s ascendant Pistons against Mitchell and Harden’s experienced Cavs. Detroit’s five-game winning streak (dating to the Orlando comeback) gives them momentum, but Cleveland’s home-court dominance is a real factor.
Knicks vs. 76ers is a rematch of sorts — New York’s clinical execution against Philadelphia’s never-say-die spirit. The Knicks were dominant in the regular season series, but the 76ers just proved they can come back from anything.
Thunder vs. Lakers pits the defending champions against LeBron’s final act. OKC is the overwhelming favorite, but nobody counts out LeBron in a playoff series.
Spurs vs. Timberwolves features Wembanyama’s 12-block playoff debut against Edwards’ scorer’s mentality. This is the future of the Western Conference — and possibly the future of the NBA — battling it out in a seven-game series.
This postseason is delivering on every possible level. The stories, the performances, the drama — it’s all there. And we’re just getting to the good part.
