So, here's the thing. If you’re asking who is in the finals in nba right now, you might be a few months early to the party—or you're still thinking about that wild series last June.
As of January 18, 2026, nobody is "in" the Finals yet. We’re currently in the thick of the regular season, about halfway through the 82-game grind. The actual 2026 NBA Finals won't tip off until June 5, 2026.
But if you want to know who is likely to be there, or who the reigning champs are, that’s where things get interesting. Last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally broke through, taking down the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game thriller to win the 2025 title. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed the Finals MVP, and honestly, they look like they’re ready to do it all over again.
The current frontrunners for the 2026 NBA Finals
Right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the heavy favorites to return to the Finals. They aren't just winning; they're dominating. They’re sitting at the top of the Western Conference with a 35-7 record.
It’s scary how young they are.
But the West is a meat grinder. You’ve got Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets hovering right behind them. Then there's the Victor Wembanyama factor. The San Antonio Spurs have leaped from a "rebuilding" project to a genuine contender faster than anyone expected. Wemby is basically a cheat code at this point, and the betting markets are starting to price the Spurs as a top-three threat to win the whole thing.
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In the Eastern Conference, it’s a bit of a chaotic mess—in a good way. The Detroit Pistons are the surprise of the year. After years of being a basement dweller, they are currently the number one seed in the East. Imagine telling a Pistons fan two years ago they’d be leading the conference in mid-January. It sounds like a fever dream, but Cade Cunningham has turned into a legitimate superstar.
Why the Indiana Pacers are the ultimate wildcard
You can't talk about who is in the finals in nba conversations without mentioning the Pacers. They were the runners-up last year. Most people thought it was a fluke. "Oh, they had an easy path," or "The Celtics were injured."
Well, the Pacers are still here.
Pascal Siakam has been playing like an All-NBA lock, and Tyrese Haliburton’s gravity as a playmaker makes that offense nearly impossible to stop when it’s clicking. Even though they’ve had some regular-season stumbles, they have that "playoff DNA" now. They know what it takes to get to June.
The 2026 NBA Playoff Schedule: Mark Your Calendars
If you're trying to plan your life around the postseason, here is how the 2026 road to the Finals looks:
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- April 12, 2026: Regular season ends.
- April 14–17, 2026: The Play-In Tournament. This is where the 7th through 10th seeds fight for their lives.
- April 18, 2026: The real NBA Playoffs begin.
- May 20, 2026: Conference Finals start.
- June 5, 2026: Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The teams nobody is talking about (But should be)
The New York Knicks are always in the headlines, but this year the hype feels justified. Jalen Brunson is the heartbeat of that city. They’ve built a roster specifically designed to take down the giants. They are currently the 3rd seed in the East and have the defensive grit to make a deep run.
Then there’s the Houston Rockets.
Nobody really expected the Rockets to be this competitive this soon, but their young core has matured. They’re currently sitting in the 6th spot in the West, but they’ve beaten the Thunder twice this season. In a seven-game series, they are the team nobody wants to see in the first round.
The Boston Celtics are the big question mark. They’re the 2nd seed right now, but they’ve dealt with nagging injuries to Jayson Tatum. If they’re healthy by May, they are arguably the only team with the talent to match up with OKC. But "if" is a big word in sports.
How the 2026 Finals will be decided
The NBA hasn't changed the format. It's still a best-of-seven series. The team with the better regular-season record gets home-court advantage.
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Currently, that would be the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Playing at the Paycom Center in June is a nightmare for opposing teams. That crowd is loud, and the Thunder play with a pace that exhausts older teams like the Lakers or the Warriors—both of whom are currently fighting just to stay in the Play-In picture.
Speaking of the Lakers, LeBron James is still doing LeBron things, but the depth just isn't there. They’re hovering around the 5th seed. Unless they make a massive trade before the deadline in February, it's hard to see them surviving the Gauntlet of the West.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the curve on who is in the finals in nba this year, stop looking at the standings and start looking at the injury reports. The second half of the season is where the fatigue sets in.
- Watch the February Trade Deadline: This is when the "almost" contenders will sell their future for a chance at a ring. If the Knicks or Nuggets pull the trigger on a big wing defender, their Finals odds will skyrocket.
- Monitor the Play-In Race: The 7th and 8th seeds in the West are currently a dogfight between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors. One of those legendary teams might not even make the playoffs.
- Track Victor Wembanyama's Minutes: The Spurs are being careful with him. If they "unleash" him in March, San Antonio could easily slide into a top-two seed.
The road to the 2026 NBA Finals is wide open. While OKC looks like the team to beat, the resurgence of Detroit and the dominance of Denver mean we’re likely heading toward one of the most unpredictable Junes in recent memory. Keep an eye on the standings as we head into the All-Star break in Los Angeles next month.