NBA Playoffs 2025: Bracket Breakdown and Play-In Tournament Highlights
Playoff Format and Structure
The 2025 NBA Playoffs use a standard knockout bracket. Each round is a best-of-seven series, meaning a team must win four games to move on. Before the playoffs start, the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament (April 15-18) decides the 7th and 8th seeds for each conference.
The playoff structure progresses through:
- First Round (Began April 19)
- Conference Semifinals (Scheduled to begin May 5-6, but could move up to May 3-4)
- Conference Finals (Set to begin May 20-21, with possible advancement to May 18-19)
- NBA Finals (Scheduled to commence on June 5)
Current Playoff Bracket
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Play-In Tournament Results
The Play-In Tournament determined the final playoff seeds:
Eastern Conference:
- Magic 120, Hawks 90 (Orlando advanced as the 7th seed)
- Heat 109, Bulls 90
- Heat 123, Hawks 114 (OT) (Miami advanced as the 8th seed)
Western Conference:
- Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116 (Golden State advanced as the 7th seed)
- Mavericks 120, Kings 106
- Grizzlies 120, Mavericks 106 (Memphis advanced as the 8th seed)
Current Series Results and Key Games
Eastern Conference
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat
- Series: tied 0-0
- Game 1: Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 PM ET
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic
- Series: Celtics lead 1-0
- Game 1: Celtics rallied past Magic amid a Jayson Tatum injury scare
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
- Series: Knicks lead 1-0
- Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
- Key Moment: Knicks went on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter
(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks
- Series: Pacers lead 1-0
- Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
- Key Factor: The balanced Pacers attack overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 36-point effort.
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies
- Series: Thunder lead 1-0
- Game 1: Thunder dominated in a historic victory
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors
- Series: tied 0-0
- Game 1: Sunday, April 20 at 9:30 PM ET on TNT
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
- Series: Timberwolves lead 1-0
- Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
- Key Performers: Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid combined for 48 points for Minnesota; Luka Doncic scored 37 points in his Lakers playoff debut
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) LA Clippers
- Series: Nuggets lead 1-0
- Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
- Key Moment: Russell Westbrook hit a clutch 3-pointer to help Denver overcome a 15-point deficit.
Standout Performers
Eastern Conference
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks) After a slow start in Game 1, he connected on five of seven shots in the fourth quarter, earning praise from coach Tom Thibodeau, who said, “I think he grabbed his cape.”
- Pascal Siakam (Pacers)—Led Indiana with 25 points and 7 rebounds in their victory over Milwaukee.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) – Posted 36 points and 12 rebounds but couldn’t prevent Milwaukee’s loss.
- Jaylen Brown (Celtics) Despite ongoing right knee issues, his performance remains crucial for Boston’s title defense.
Western Conference
- Russell Westbrook (Nuggets)—Delivered clutch plays in overtime, including a decisive three-pointer in Denver’s comeback win.
- Nikola Jokić (Nuggets)—Showcased leadership by rallying his team despite adversity.
- Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid (Timberwolves) combined for 48 points in Minnesota’s dominant win over the Lakers.
- Luka Dončić (Lakers)—Scored 37 points in his playoff debut with Los Angeles, though his team was ultimately defeated.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)—The MVP front-runner led Oklahoma City to a dominant Game 1 win.
Expert Predictions and Analysis
Eastern Conference Predictions
- Cleveland Cavaliers are unanimously favored to advance past Miami
- Boston Celtics are unanimously predicted to defeat Orlando
- New York Knicks are heavily favored against Detroit (8-3 split among experts)
- Indiana Pacers are favored over Milwaukee (majority pick)
Western Conference Predictions
- Oklahoma City Thunder are unanimously expected to defeat the Memphis
- Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors is considered the most competitive series, with experts almost evenly split in their predictions
- Los Angeles Lakers are heavily favored over Minnesota (despite Minnesota’s Game 1 win)
- Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers is viewed as another close series with a slight advantage for the Clippers.
Key Storylines and Expectations
- Celtics’ Title Defense – Boston is looking to become the first repeat champion since 2018, with their path starting against Orlando.
- Thunder’s Emergence – Oklahoma City completed one of the best regular seasons in franchise history and is considered a strong championship contender.
- Injury Concerns – Several key players are managing injuries, including Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Damian Lillard (Bucks), and Jayson Tatum, who had an injury scare in Game 1.
- Lakers’ New Star – Luka Dončić’s playoff performance with the Lakers is a major storyline, especially as they face early challenges against Minnesota.
Upcoming Key Games
Sunday, April 20, 2025
- (1) Thunder vs. (8) Grizzlies at 1:00 PM
- (2) Celtics vs. (7) Magic at 3:30 PM
- (1) Cavaliers vs. (8) Heat at 7:00 PM
- (2) Rockets vs. (7) Warriors at 9:30 PM
Monday, April 21, 2025
- (3) Knicks vs. (6) Pistons at 7:30 PM
- (4) Nuggets vs. (5) Clippers at 10:00 PM
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
- (4) Pacers vs. (5) Bucks at 7:00 PM
- (1) Thunder vs. (8) Grizzlies at 7:30 PM
- (3) Lakers vs. (6) Timberwolves at 10:00 PM
Finals Outlook
Based on expert analysis and early performances, the most likely NBA Finals contenders appear to be:
Eastern Conference
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Boston Celtics
- New York Knicks
Western Conference
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
The Thunder currently have the best odds to win the 2025 NBA Championship at +170, followed by the Boston Celtics.
The 2025 NBA Playoffs are just getting underway, with many exciting matchups and storylines still developing. Stay tuned for more action as the first round continues and teams battle for a chance at the NBA championship.