In the past, the NBA play -offs were boring, at least according to the skeptics. Disruptions were very little in between, the best team was determined by who had the best individual player, and the best team almost always won. NBA -Fans made four years of the Golden State Warriors vs. The Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. With Kevin Durant in the bay, the dream of NBA parity felt further out of reach than ever before.
NBA history is defined by dynasties, from Russell and Bird’s Celtics to Magic and Kobe’s Lakers to Jordan’s Bulls to Duncan’s Spurs to Curry’s Warriors. That was from the competition, may not have disappeared forever, but if nothing else has been set up for an indefinite period.
NBA parity is here and it is glorious. The competition that you crowned to different champions in each of the last six seasons, with the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, each claiming the title. The last time that happened in the competition history was 1975-1980.
The Celtics will go in the 2025 NBA play-offs in the hope of being the first team that has since Durant and Curry’s Warriors back-to-back championships. Boston is one of the favorites, but the path to a title should be much more difficult than the cakewalk it had last year.
The first round of the NBA play -offs from 2025 starts on Saturday. Let’s make picks for every round series and predict the rest of the bracket.
NBA Playoffs 2025: First round Picks and predictions
The no. 8 Seed in the east and the West must still be determined at the time of publication.
Western conference
Prediction: No. 1 Seed Oklahoma City Thunder Advance in a Sweep.
No. 2 Seed Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 Seed Golden State Warriors: This will be a great series. The rockets have youth, size and athletics on their side. The warriors have the Two Best players in the series in Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, but there is no doubt that Golden State is physically smaller, slower and cracking. I have changed ideas here 10 times. Can Amen Thompson Curry lock up for a whole series as he did in the regular season? Can the rockets score enough in the Half Court without a real star? Will Alpen şengün abuse the small ball -line -up of the Warriors? I expect an immediate classic. Prediction: Warriors in 7.
No. 3 Seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves: It still makes no sense that the Luka has Maid, and that will never do it. This selection still felt too poor after the trade because the lack of a great man of the caliber, but head coach JJ Redick has done excellent work with creative defense solutions. Rudy Gobert is not going to punish the defense of Lakers, and I think La’s Traps could give Anthony Edwards sub trouble. We already know that Jaden McDaniels Luka cannot guard in the play -offs after the Western Conference Finals last year. This also feels like it can be a large Serie Austin Reaps. Prediction: Lakers in 6.
No. 4 Seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Seed Los Angeles Clippers: Another great series. Nikola Jokic runs into all time, ends top-3 in points, rebounds, assists and steals almost 42 percent out of three. The rest of the nuggets is quite little inspiring, and the fact that they have had a new head coach in the last three games does not bring trust. The clippers roll. The Pick-and-Roll of James Harden-Ivica Zubac existed throughout the season. Kawhi Leonard is back and plays a high minute at a high level. The perimeter defenders come after it, and standard Powell can be hurriedly on fire. The clippers have the better team, but believing in them to win this series means that Leonard can stay healthy throughout the road (which has not happened in the play-offs since 2020) and that Harden can overcome his long-standing Playoff demons. The chips are stacked against Jokic here, but if Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordan can perform, I still love their chances. Prediction: Nuggets in 7.
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Seed Cleveland Cavaliers merge in a sweep.
No. 2 Seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Seed Orlando Magic: The magic can be so much better, but their historical lack of shooting and not optimizing the accents of Paolo Banchero has made this a forgetful season. As please orlando, follow the path of the pistons of adding experienced shooters this summer! The Celtics are a Juggernaut, even with the knee of Jaylen Brown now a bit large. Prediction: Celtics in 5.
No. 3 Seed New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Seed Detroit Pistons: The pistons are just a great story, which this year goes from a 14-win team to 44-win team last year. Code Cunningham is ready for his play -off that comes out to cement himself as one of the best guards of the next generation NBA. The Knicks went 0-10 this year against the top 3 teams in the NBA, but the pistons are at that level. New York has at least four of the five best players in the series. This is a great season for Detroit, regardless of how it ends. Prediction: Knicks in 6.
No. 4 Seed Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Seed Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks and Pacers have a beautiful small rivalry, from Game-Ball Gate to the Pacers using a football game to win to regulate the season matchup that Gavem Homecourt Advantage in this series. Damian Lillard is currently out with a blood clot, but it is possible that he played in Suba Point in this series. With lady this feels like a shot. Without him, the pacers simply feel the more complete team with a more explosive attack. The defense of Indiana has improved much since last year, and they have Angouh bodies to try to beat Giannis Antetokounmpo at least a little bit. Can Giannis win this series himself? Just like Jokic versus the clippers, I wouldn’t post it past him, but without a lady the task is just too much. Prediction: Pacers in 6.
NBA Playoffs 2025: predictions for champion and conference final
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There is my entire bracket. Let’s go over the sub of the big themes.
- I love the Warriors in Series against the Lakers, but I would take the Lakers over the rockets. The first-round series in Houston-Golden is such a shot that it feels extra brave to choose the Warriors for the Western Conference Finals, but that is the way I lean.
- Cavs-Pacers Coud are a great second round series in the east. Remember that the Pacers won the final of the Eastern Conference last year, and this team is much better defensive, And You have Tyrese Haliburton at the right time his best ball. I see Cavs-Pacers more competitive than Celtics Knicks. Still I go Cleveland.
- It will be a HAGE transmission if the final of the Eastern Conference is something like than Cavs cellets. I choose Celtics in 7 in an instant classic. Boston, you have the staff to frustrate Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland on attacks while she focuses defensively. This can be a HGE Kristaps Porzingis series to pull Cleveland’s Twin Towers out of the painting. In my opinion, if Porzingis goes with an Insury, this fluctuates to the cavs.
NBA Finals 2025 predictions and picks
I am about Celtics with Thunder in six.
The Thunder has two big questions to me that enter the play -offs:
- Can they continue to force turnover in the defense at a historical pace?
- Can Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren perform as a secondary maker in the Half Court?
Those are big problems. A team like the Lakers with two great ball handlers in Luka Doncic and LeBron James could give OKC Sub Trouble. I think J-DUB and Chet are ready to perform, but the distance can get a little tight when the Thunder plays their two large setup (Holmgren + Isaiah Hartenstein) that they have often used to end the season.
Nevertheless, I am optimistic about the Thunder Schouse I in the greatness of Sha Gilgeous-Alxander, they feel Lession on the three-point shot than last year play-offs), and the ADion of Hartenstein can illuminate the defensive rebound-worries. Keep Alex Caruso fresh for the play -offs should pay large dividends. There is simply no weak link in this defense to attack. If Defense Championships wins (word for Nico Harrison) and superstars you wear over the finish line, OKC has the right combination with Shai (my final MVP -Pick) first.
