2026 NBA Playoffs Second Round: Thunder Sweep Lakers, Knicks Sweep Sixers, Spurs Take 3-2 Lead

The 2026 NBA playoff second round has produced two sweeps and two tightly contested series. The Oklahoma City Thunder — the defending champions — dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games, becoming the first defending champions since LeBron James' 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers to sweep both their first and second round series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closed out the series with a 35-point performance, his highest of the series, while Austin Reaves had a strong 27-point outing but missed a potential tying three-pointer with eight seconds left. LeBron James, potentially playing his final game as a Laker or in the NBA entirely, scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a losing effort.

In the East, the New York Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers in dominant fashion, capping the series with a 144-114 blowout in Game 4. The Knicks drilled 25 three-pointers in that game, tying the all-time NBA playoff record, in a performance that showcased their remarkable collective cohesion. The sweep propels them into a conference semifinal matchup where their 0-3 regular season record in Detroit looms as a potential complication.

Victor Wembanyama is putting on a historic postseason show for the San Antonio Spurs. In Game 5's 126-97 blowout over Minnesota, Wembanyama posted 21 points and 11 rebounds in just the first half — becoming the first player this postseason to record a 20-point double-double in a single half. He singlehandedly outscored the entire Timberwolves team 16-11 at one point in the first quarter. He is now just the second player in tracked history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks over his first nine career playoff games, joining Hall of Famer David Robinson. The Spurs support cast delivered too: De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson combined for 56 points, and San Antonio scored 68 points in the paint — their second highest such total in a playoff game since 1998.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons are locked in a back-and-forth battle, now tied 2-2. Cleveland stormed back in Game 4 on a 22-0 run to open the second half, with Donovan Mitchell erupting for 21 third-quarter points after scoring just four in the first half. Mitchell and James Harden combined for 67 points as a backcourt duo, while Evan Mobley added five blocks, three steals, and a stunning plus-30 plus/minus. Detroit's Cade Cunningham struggled with five turnovers, Jalen Duren was ineffective with just eight points and two rebounds, and Ausar Thompson posted a disastrous minus-27 in 19 minutes. Game 5 heads back to Detroit on Wednesday.