Tim Bontemps Apr 15, 2026, 07:00 AM ET Close Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what's impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast. Tuesday night kicked off the start of the NBA postseason , when the Portland Trail Blazers secured the 7-seed in the West playoffs and the Charlotte Hornets won an overtime thriller to avoid elimination in the battle for the East's final playoff spot. But while numerous storylines will play out during the two-month trek to decide the 2026 champion, this is a good opportunity to take stock of what just took place across every franchise's 82-game regular season. It has been an eventful 2025-26, full of superlative performances, shocking trades and surprises up and down the league standings.…