NBA schedules Finals to start June 3

The NBA has set June 3 as the start date for the 2026 Finals, according to the league’s updated playoff schedule posted Tuesday. The conference finals field is now complete, with the Oklahoma City Thunder facing the San Antonio Spurs in the West and the Cleveland Cavaliers meeting the New York Knicks in the East. The league’s bracket page shows both conference finals underway as the postseason moves toward the championship round. NBA.com said the Finals will air on ABC. ### Which four teams are still playing? The NBA’s official playoff bracket lists Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the Western Conference finals and Cleveland and New York in the Eastern Conference finals. The Thunder entered the West bracket as the No. 1 seed, while the Spurs advanced from the No. 2 line. In the East, the Cavaliers and Knicks are the last two teams remaining. (nba.com) CBS Sports reported Wednesday that four teams remained in the playoffs, identifying the same conference finals matchups. NBC Sports also listed the final four as Thunder, Spurs, Cavaliers and Knicks in its updated bracket coverage. ### When did the league lock in the Finals date? NBA.com published a standalone Finals schedule page on May 12 saying the 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to tip off on Wednesday, June 3. (nba.com) The league repeated that date in its broader playoff schedule update posted May 19, which said the page would be updated each time postseason scheduling was officially announced. (cbssports.com) CBS Sports reported in January that the 2026 Finals would be played on a slightly altered schedule this June. That report said the revised calendar could create a longer gap between the end of the Finals and the NBA Draft. ### What does the schedule show right now? The NBA bracket page shows the Finals beginning on June 3 at 5:30 p.m. (nba.com) Pacific time, with the participating teams still listed as to be determined. The same page shows the conference finals in progress, including New York holding a 1-0 lead over Cleveland and San Antonio holding a 1-0 lead over Oklahoma City as of Wednesday’s bracket display. (cbssports.com) CBS Sports’ playoff tracker said New York had come back to win Game 1 against Cleveland, while its bracket coverage listed San Antonio against Oklahoma City in the West. Those results aligned with the league’s bracket page on Wednesday. ### Which network has the Finals? NBA.com said ABC will be the exclusive broadcaster for the 2026 NBA Finals. (nba.com) ESPN’s playoff schedule page also says the Finals begin June 3 and will be broadcast by ABC. The conference finals are being carried across multiple outlets. The NBA bracket page lists current conference finals windows on ESPN and Peacock/NBC, while the Finals line is assigned to ABC. (cbssports.com) ### What comes next before June 3? The conference finals continue this week, with the Thunder-Spurs and Cavaliers-Knicks series deciding the two Finals berths. (nba.com) NBA.com said its playoff schedule page will continue to be updated as official game scheduling is announced. Game 1 of the Finals is set for June 3, with the matchup still to be determined by the results of those two series. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)