The NBA Playoff photo of 2025 has been set, with 16 teams that compete for the championship after the last four places are determined by the play-in tournament. The Boston Celtics dreams of back-to-back championships, but it will not be easy: parity is in full swing with a deep and talented field of contenders. The NBA has had unique champions for the past six years, and that streak could extend another year with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers among the title favorites this year.
The Thunder has drawn up the second best net rating in the NBA history behind the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls by scoring opponents with 12.7 points per 100 Possssions. OKC finished 68-14 to leave Long Insjury to their second best player, big man Chet Holmgren, but goes healthy in the playofs. The Thunder should have a championship-o-bust mentality, but their second round exit allows the rest of the West hopeful to pull up.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have renewed the hope after collecting the Trade Deadline. The Lakers Sumhow landed Luka Doncic in the wildest trade in competition history. The Warriors took Jimmy Butler and cruising since then. Neithher team has to play a traditional center, but each has length and defensively versatile to go along with multiple stars that control the attack. The East -as it will eat on the Celtics versus the CAVS, but we have made several times several times to the Eastern Conference in recent years, including the Indiana Pacers -Run to the Eastern Conference last year.
It is not fully stipulated that the results of the play-in tournament. Read here about how the play-in tournament works here. The Warriors will come across the Memphis Grizzlies for the number 7 seed in the west, with the Orlando magic opposite the Atlanta Hawks for 7th place in the east. The Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings are doing well to forget the 9-10 west to make their way to number 8 seeds, while the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat have similar dreams in the East.
Here the NBA Playoff series 2025 are already determined, starting with the east.
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers versus no. 8 seed winner
No. 2 Boston Celtics versus no. 7 seed winner.
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons
No. 4 Indiana Pacers versus no. 5 Milwaukee Bucks
Here are the Western Conference -Matchups:
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Seed winner
No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 Seed winner
Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
Here is the full play-off bracket and schedule for every first round matchup, plus a look at the play-in tournament.
NBA Playoffs 2025 Bracket
Each series is an best-F-7 in the NBA play-offs of 2025. Here is a look at the play-off bracket, which includes the single-elimination play-in Tournament matchups on the side.
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NBA Playoffs 2025: Start dates, TV times and more
2025 NBA Playoff -schedule
Always east
Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks, 1 p.m., ESPN/FUBO
Game 1: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 3.30 pm, ESPN/FUBO
Game 1: Knicks vs. Pistons, 6 pm, ESPN/FUBO
Game 1: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 8:30 PM, ABC/FUBO
Sunday April 20
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. TBD, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic/Hawks, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Thunder vs. TBD, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors/Grizzlies, Time/Channel TBD
The rest of the NBA Playoffs schedule will be released later this week.
2025 NBA Play-in Tournament schedule
Tuesday, April 15
Wednesday April 16
Friday, April 18
- East 7-8 Loser vs. East 9-10 winner, ESPN
- West 7-8 loser vs. West 9-10 winner, TNT