2025 NBA playoff bracket: First-round matchups, schedule, game times as Thunder, Celtics take 1-0 leads
The 2025 NBA playoffs are officially underway. The Pacers, Nuggets, Knicks and Timberwolves all got Game 1 wins on Saturday as the first round got started. The other four series -- Thunder vs. Grizzlies, Celtics vs. Magic, Cavaliers vs. Heat and Rockets vs. Warriors -- have Game 1s on Sunday.
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. 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. 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 bracketNo. 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 matchupsNo. 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, scoresAll 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: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Monday, April 21Game 2: Knicks vs. Pistons, 7:30 p.m., TNT/MaxGame 2: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
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, scoresAll 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
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