2025 NBA playoff bracket: First-round matchups, schedule, game times as Clippers, Pistons get Game 2 wins

The 2025 NBA playoffs are officially underway. The Pacers, Nuggets, Knicks and Timberwolves all got Game 1 wins on Saturday while the Thunder, Celtics, Cavaliers and Warriors were victorious on Sunday as the first round got started. On Monday, the Pistons tied their series with the Knicks at 1-1 and the Clippers did the same with a win over the Nuggets.

The Western Conference is full of intriguing first-round matchups this season. The seventh-seeded and battled-tested Warriors are favored over the second-seeded but relatively inexperienced Rockets -- and that experience showed as Golden State won 95-85 in Houston on Sunday. The Lakers saw the playoff debut of Luka Dončić, who scored 37 points on Saturday against the Wolves, but L.A. was burned inside. The 4-5 matchup between the Nuggets and Clippers could go either way with Nikola Jokić on one side and Kawhi Leonard on the other. Game 1 went to overtime in Denver with the Nuggets prevailing.

In the East, our experts expect it to be a chalky first round. On paper, the Cavaliers and Celtics should be able to take care of business against the Heat and Magic, respectively, and that's exactly what happened to open both series on Sunday. The Knicks lost the season series to the Pistons, but New York is heavily favored to win this best-of-seven matchup and went on a key fourth-quarter run to take Game 1. Bucks-Pacers reignites a rivalry in the 4-5 matchup, but Milwaukee is without Damian Lillard to start the series.

But, as we learn each and every year, anything can happen in the playoffs.

2025 NBA playoff bracket

East first-round matchups

No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 HeatNo. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 MagicNo. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 PistonsNo. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks

West first-round matchups

No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 GrizzliesNo. 2 Rockets vs. No. 7 WarriorsNo. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 TimberwolvesNo. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers

2025 NBA playoffs: First-round schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Saturday, April 19Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95

Sunday, April 20Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85

Monday, April 21Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102

Tuesday, April 22Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks, 7 p.m., NBA TV/fuboGame 2: Thunder vs. Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 2: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m., TNT/Max

Wednesday, April 23Game 2: Celtics vs. Magic, 7 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 2: Cavaliers vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV/fuboGame 2: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max

Thursday, April 24Game 3: Pistons vs. Knicks, 7 p.m., TNT/fuboGame 3: Grizzlies vs. Thunder, 9:30 p.m., TNTGame 3: Clippers vs. Nuggets, 10 p.m., TV TBD

Friday, April 25Game 3: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., ESPN/fuboGame 3: Bucks vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., ESPNU/NBA TV/fuboGame 3: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo

Saturday, April 26Game 3: Heat vs. Cavaliers, 1 p.m., ABC/fuboGame 4: Grizzlies vs. Thunder, 3:30 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 4: Clippers vs. Nuggets, 6 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 3: Warriors vs. Rockets, 8:30 p.m., TV TBD

Sunday, April 27Game 4: Pistons vs. Knicks, 1 p.m., ABC/fuboGame 4: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fuboGame 4: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 4: Bucks vs. Pacers, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max

Monday, April 28Game 4: Heat vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Thunder vs. Grizzlies, Time/TV TBDGame 4: Warriors vs. Rockets, 10 p.m., TNT/Max

Tuesday, April 29*Game 5: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Knicks vs. Pistons, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Pacers vs. Bucks, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD

Wednesday, April 30*Game 5: Cavaliers vs. Heat, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/TV TBD*Game 5: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, Time/TV TBD

Thursday, May 1*Game 6: Magic vs. Celtics, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Pistons vs. Knicks, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Grizzlies vs. Thunder, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV TBD

Friday, May 2*Game 6: Heat vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Bucks vs. Pacers, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Warriors vs. Rockets, Time/TV TBD*Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, Time/TV TBD

Saturday, May 3*Game 7: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Knicks vs. Pistons, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Thunder vs. Grizzlies, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD

Sunday, May 4*Game 7: Cavaliers vs. Heat, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Pacers vs. Bucks, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/TV TBD*Game 7: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, Time/TV TBD

2025 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Tuesday, April 15Magic 120, Hawks 95Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116

Wednesday, April 16Heat 109, Bulls 90Mavericks 120, Kings 106

Friday, April 18Heat 123, Hawks 114 (OT)Grizzlies 120, Mavericks 106

2025 NBA playoffs: Key dates