NBA playoff simulation: Thunder favored, but will they win it all?

Who will be crowned NBA champions for the 2025-26 season? That’s the question basketball fans are looking forward to finding out as the playoffs officially got underway on Saturday, April 18.

But for those who can’t wait until the Finals are over in mid-June, we have some clues.

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USA TODAY Sports simulated each series of this year’s playoff bracket 100 different times to come up with an idea of the most likely outcomes.

Starting with ESPN’s Basketball Power Index figures, we built an engine with Microsoft Copilot that ran all 100 simulations at once. And here are the results.

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NBA Play-In Tournament photos showcase final push to the postseason

As the NBA Play‑In Tournament unfolds, every possession carries extra weight with postseason spots on the line.

See the action and emotion from across the tournament as teams battle through high‑stakes games.

Above, LaMelo Ball #1 celebrates with Coby White #3 of the Charlotte Hornets in overtime against the Miami Heat during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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NBA Play-In Tournament photos showcase final push to the postseason

As the NBA Play‑In Tournament unfolds, every possession carries extra weight with postseason spots on the line.

See the action and emotion from across the tournament as teams battle through high‑stakes games.

Above, LaMelo Ball #1 celebrates with Coby White #3 of the Charlotte Hornets in overtime against the Miami Heat during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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NBA Play-In Tournament photos showcase final push to the postseason

Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after scoring and drawing a foul against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 14, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona.

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NBA Play-In Tournament photos showcase final push to the postseason

Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets blocks a shot from Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat in the first half during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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NBA Play-In…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-playoff-simulation-thunder-favored-134031473.html

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Publish date : 2026-04-19 13:40:00

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