NBA Locker Vision just dropped the jersey matchups for the 2026 Play-In Tournament, and we have thoughts on every single one.
We have a simple philosophy when it comes to playoff uniforms. Wear your home whites at home. Wear your color or alternate on the road. That's it. The playoffs are supposed to feel different, and when teams go traditional with their jerseys, it adds to the atmosphere.
We're scoring each matchup on a 2-point scale:
- 2 points if both teams make the right jersey choice
- 1 point if one team gets it right
- 0 points if both teams get it wrong
Let's get into it.
Game 1: Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets
via NBA Locker Vision
This game gets the full two points. Both teams did exactly what you should do in the playoffs.
Charlotte is going with their normal home whites, which is the right call. The Spectrum Center crowd in white or teal t-shirts is going to look great on TV. The Heat are going with their Icon Edition black jersey on the road, which is their typical away look. We wouldn't have minded if they went with the red either. We're equal on both of those. This is a great matchup.
Score: 2 / 2
Game 2: Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns
via NBA Locker Vision
This is typical for the Suns. They go with the black Statement Edition jersey at home in the playoffs, and they've been doing this for a few years now. It infuriates us, but part of it is a little more okay because this is just their tradition at this point. We don't love the black jerseys at home, but at least it feels like playoff vibes because they're sticking with what they always do in the postseason.
The Blazers are going with their Statement Edition red jerseys on the road. That's a nice choice. At least we're getting color on color here, which makes it a fun visual. The Blazers have the second choice on jerseys, so we're not going to hold anything against them. They did their part.
Score: 1 / 2
Game 3: Golden State Warriors at LA Clippers
via NBA Locker Vision
We hate this. Zero points.
The Clippers, as usual, are making a terrible decision for a franchise that doesn't have any tradition. They're wearing their Icon Edition blue at home instead of going white. And because of that, the Warriors are put in a pigeonhole. They can't wear their blue away jersey because it clashes. They can't wear their black jersey because that clashes too. They're pretty much forced into their white Association Edition, which is supposed to be a home jersey.
This is the exact opposite of what playoff basketball should look like. We wish the Clippers would just go white at home so the Warriors could come in wearing their Icon Edition blues. That's what this matchup should be.
Score: 0 / 2
Game 4: Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers
via NBA Locker Vision
The Sixers are going with their Classic Edition black throwback jersey at home, on their throwback court. Typically we hate the black jersey and wearing non-white at home, but this is an alternate that they've been rocking at home throughout the season. The retro jerseys are nice, so we're not going to kill them for it.
The Magic are going with their Association Edition whites. We would have liked it if Orlando countered with a blue jersey so we'd get some color on color, but it would be hard to differentiate blue and black on the court, so they kind of have to go white for contrast. We get it.
Score: 1 / 2
Play-In Tournament Scorecard
Four out of eight points for the Play-In Tournament. Not great. The Hornets and Heat set the bar, and then the Clippers single-handedly dragged the average down. We'll continue updating this throughout the first round and the rest of the 2026 NBA Playoffs as Locker Vision releases more jersey matchups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NBA Locker Vision? NBA Locker Vision is the league's official tool that reveals which jerseys each team will wear for upcoming games. It shows the exact uniform edition (Association, Icon, Statement, City, Classic) for both teams ahead of tipoff. Fans can also shop each jersey directly through Locker Vision.
What jerseys are the NBA teams wearing in the 2026 playoffs? The jersey matchups for the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament have been released via Locker Vision. The Hornets are wearing home whites against the Heat's black Icon jerseys, the Suns are in black Statement jerseys against Portland's red, the Clippers are wearing blue Icon jerseys at home against the Warriors in white, and the Sixers are in their Classic Edition black throwback against the Magic's white jerseys.
Why do NBA teams wear black jerseys at home in the playoffs? Some teams like the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers choose to wear their Statement or Classic Edition dark jerseys at home during the playoffs as a way to create a distinct postseason atmosphere. While the traditional standard is white at home, the NBA's uniform system allows home teams to choose any of their available jersey editions first.
How does the NBA decide which jerseys teams wear? The home team selects their jersey first, and then the visiting team picks a jersey that provides enough visual contrast. This is why teams on the road sometimes end up in unexpected jerseys, like the Warriors wearing white away from home when the Clippers choose blue at home.
Will you update this for the NBA Playoffs first round? Yes. We will continue to grade every jersey matchup as Locker Vision releases them throughout the 2026 NBA Playoffs, including the first round, conference semifinals, conference finals, and the NBA Finals.
Jersey matchups updated as released by NBA Locker Vision. We'll keep grading them all postseason.