The NBA playoffs are not known for upsets. We're used to seeing the mega superstars competing in the latest rounds. Major upsets, storybook performances from underappreciated players seem so rare that one such experience in a postseason makes for some of the most unforgettable moments in recent memory.
Whether it was Tyrese Haliburton leading the No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals and taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in 2025 or Jimmy Butler taking the No. 8 seed Miami Heat to the Finals in 2023, these surprises turn ordinary postseasons into unforgettable ones. And this year, it seems like we've got a lot of them.
Although only one team – the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder – has advanced to the second round, there are a myriad of upsets on the horizon that I can say with near certainty very few people saw coming. Here are the five biggest surprises of the 2026 NBA postseason thus far:
Biggest surprises of the 2025-26 NBA postseason
5) Where did Marcus Smart come from?
Even without Kevin Durant for most of the series, no one expected the Lakers to get out to a 3-0 series lead. But that is made much easier when someone like Marcus Smart, who shot under 40% during the regular season, scores 46 points combined in Games 2 and 3.
Smart averaged less than 10 points per game during the regular season and only scored more than 20 points three times. Now, in the postseason, we've seen him do it twice in just four games. And considering the combined point differential in those games was just 11 points, with one of those games going into overtime, Smart's out-of-nowhere performances certainly caught the Rockets by surprise.
4) CJ McCollum taking over for Atlanta
Considering that CJ McCollum started just 25 games for the Atlanta Hawks this year, it's kind of shocking that he's been the one that helped elevate the team over the Knicks in Games 2 and 3 of their series.
While the series is still tied 2-2, McCollum has been a breath of fresh air and a pivotal reason the Hawks have any wins in this series at all. Not only is he shooting over 50% from the field, but he's only had one game with fewer than 20 points.
Considering how hot the Hawks ended the season, there were many fans who believed they'd put up a good fight or even upset the Knicks in Round 1. However, most of those fans believed the performances needed would come from All-Star Jalen Johnson, 2026 Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker or midseason trade acquisition Jonathan Kuminga. Seeing 34-year-old McCollum continue to give the Knicks' postseason woes was not on very many bingo cards, but it's certainly been great to watch.
3) LeBron James turning back the clock
Marcus Smart isn't the only Laker turning heads, LeBron James at 41 years old is another veteran who's turning back the clock against Houston. Despite the absence of both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, James has taken command of this Lakers' team and dominated the Houston Rockets through four games.
The 22-time All-Star was two rebounds away from a triple-double in Game 1 and just four assists from another in Game 3. Unsurprisingly, his worst performance of the series thus far wound up being the only Lakers' loss.
2) Ayo Dosunmu and the Minnesota Timberwolves
Though the Minnesota Timberwolves were a popular sleeper pick to emerge from the West, their opening round matchup against the Denver Nuggets was still immensely tough, and many fans wouldn't have been surprised to see them lose the series.
Now, if we were to tell those same fans that Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo would go down with injuries in Game 4, they'd all probably assume the series would be over in six games maximum. However, even in a worst case scenario for Minnesota, this series will go seven games.
That same Game 4 that saw Edwards and DiVincenzo go down gave Dosunmu the avenue to take over. He did exactly that, notching 43 points, the most in a single game this postseason. Though Dosunmu was considered a great midseason acquisition for Minnesota at the time, no one could've expected him to be the catalyst for the Timberwolves' 3-1 series lead over the Nuggets.
Though that lead didn't last long and Denver wound up winning Game 5 handedly, the Timberwolves have put themselves in terrific position to take down Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets despite the absence of two critical players. They have Dosunmu to thank for that.
1) The Detroit Pistons' disappearance
This was obvious from the get-go, but it really could be considered either the Pistons' disappearance or the Magic's sudden surge.
The former is more likely the case though. While many fans believed the Pistons were more built for the regular season than postseason, nobody expected them to fall apart so quickly. Between increased turnovers and inconsistent offensive production, the Pistons have made it difficult for themselves to win.
In Game 4 alone, the Pistons committed 20 turnovers which led to 23 points for the Magic. If the Pistons could cut that number down to their game average figure from the regular season (15.1), the Magic would've scored approximately 17 points off turnovers, a six-point difference. Lo and behold, the Magic won Game 4 by six points.
With stars like Jalen Duren and Asuar Thompson all underperforming as well, it's been easy for Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane to take over. Since 2013, only one No. 1 seed has lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs: the 2023 Milwaukee Bucks. They lost in five games to the Miami Heat. History might be repeating itself in 2026.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoffs rankings: 5 biggest surprises of first round thus far
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