NBA Playoffs 2025: Bracket, start dates, TV times, matchups, and scores for first round

The 2025 NBA Playoff picture is set, with 16 teams competing for the championship after the final four spots are determined by the play-in tournament. The Boston Celtics are dreaming of back-to-back championships, but it won’t be easy: parity is in full swing with a deep and talented field of contenders. The NBA has had a unique champion each of the last 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 put up the second-best net rating in NBA history behind the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls by out-scoring opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions. OKC finished 68-14 despite a long injury to their second best player, big man Chet Holmgren, but heads into the playoffs healthy. The Thunder should have a championship-or-bust mentality, but their second round exit last year leaves the rest of the West hopeful to pull an upset.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have renewed hope after acing the trade deadline. The Lakers somehow landed Luka Doncic in the wildest trade in league history. The Warriors grabbed Jimmy Butler, and have been cruising ever since. Neither team has a traditional center playing big minutes, but each has length and defensive versatility to go along with multiple stars driving the offense. The East seems like it will come down to the Celtics vs. the Cavs, but we’ve seen sleepers make Cinderella runs to the Eastern Conference Finals several times in recent years, including the Indiana Pacers’ run last year.

The bracket won’t be fully determined until the results of the play-in tournament. Read about how the play-in tournament works here. The Warriors will face the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 7 seed in the West, with the Orlando Magic facing the Atlanta Hawks for the 7th spot in the East. The Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings make up a forgettable 9-10 West trying to backdoor their way into the No. 8 seed, while the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat have similar dreams in the East.

Here are the 2025 NBA Playoff series already determined, starting with the East.

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 seed winner

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons

No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks

Now here’s the Western Conference matchups:

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed winner

No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers

Here’s the full playoff bracket and schedule for every first round matchup, plus a look at the play-in tournament.

Every series is a best-of-7 in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Here’s a look at the playoff bracket, which includes the single-elimination play-in tournament matchups on the side.

All times Eastern

• Game 1: TBD at Cavaliers (Sun. April 20, 7 ET, TNT)

• Game 2: TBD at Cavaliers (Wed. April 23, 7:30 ET, NBA TV)

• Game 3: Cavaliers at TBD (Sat. April 26, 1 ET, TNT)

• Game 4: Cavaliers at TBD (Mon. April 28, TBD)

• Game 5: TBD at Cavaliers (Wed. April 30, TBD)*

• Game 6: Cavaliers at TBD (Fri. May 2, TBD)*

• Game 7: TBD at Cavaliers (Sun. May 4, TBD)*

• Game 1: Magic at Celtics (Sun. April 20, 3:30 ET, ABC)

• Game 2: Magic at Celtics (Wed. April 23, 7 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Celtics at Magic (Fri. April 25, 7 ET, ESPN)

• Game 4: Celtics at Magic (Sun. April 27, 7 ET, TNT)

• Game 5: Magic at Celtics (Tue. April 29, TBD)*

• Game 6: Celtics at Magic (Thu. May 1, TBD)*

• Game 7: Magic at Celtics (Sat. May 3, TBD)*

• Game 1: Pistons at Knicks (Sat. April 19, 6 ET, ESPN)

• Game 2: Pistons at Knicks (Mon. April 21, 7:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Knicks at Pistons (Thu. April 24, TBD, TNT)

• Game 4: Knicks at Pistons (Sun. April 27, 1 ET, ABC)

• Game 5: Pistons at Knicks (Tue. April 29, TBD)*

• Game 6: Knicks at Pistons (Thu. May 1, TBD)*

• Game 7: Pistons at Knicks (Sat. May 3, TBD)*

• Game 1: Bucks at Pacers (Sat. April 19, 1 ET, ESPN)

• Game 2: Bucks at Pacers (Tue. April 22, 7 ET, NBA TV)

• Game 3: Pacers at Bucks (Fri. April 25, 8 ET, ESPNU/NBA TV)

• Game 4: Pacers at Bucks (Sun. April 27, 9:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 5: Bucks at Pacers (Tue. April 29, TBD)*

• Game 6: Pacers at Bucks (Fri. May 2, TBD)*

• Game 7: Bucks at Pacers (Sun. May 4, TBD)*

• Game 1: TBD at Thunder (Sun. April 20, 1 ET, ABC)

• Game 2: TBD at Thunder (Tue. April 22, 7:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Thunder at TBD (Thu. April 24, TBD, TNT)

• Game 4: Thunder at TBD (Sat. April 26, 3:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 5: TBD at Thunder (Mon. April 28, TBD)*

• Game 6: Thunder at TBD (Thu. May 1, TBD)*

• Game 7: TBD at Thunder (Sat. May 3, TBD)*

• Game 1: Warriors at Rockets (Sun. April 20, 9:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 2: Warriors at Rockets (Wed. April 23, 9:30 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Rockets at Warriors (Sat. April 26, 8:30 ET, ABC)

• Game 4: Rockets at Warriors (Mon. April 28, 10 ET, TNT)

• Game 5: Warriors at Rockets (Wed. April 30, TBD)*

• Game 6: Rockets at Warriors (Fri. May 2, TBD)*

• Game 7: Warriors at Rockets (Sun. May 4, TBD)*

• Game 1: Timberwolves at Lakers (Sat. April 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)

• Game 2: Timberwolves at Lakers (Tue. April 22, 10 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves (Fri. April 25, 9:30 ET, ESPN)

• Game 4: Lakers at Timberwolves (Sun. April 27, 3:30 ET, ABC)

• Game 5: Timberwolves at Lakers (Wed. April 30, TBD)*

• Game 6: Lakers at Timberwolves (Fri. May 2, TBD)*

• Game 7: Timberwolves at Lakers (Sun. May 4, TBD)*

• Game 1: Clippers at Nuggets (Sat. April 19, 3:30 ET, ESPN)

• Game 2: Clippers at Nuggets (Mon. April 21, 10 ET, TNT)

• Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers (Thu. April 24, TBD, NBA TV)

• Game 4: Nuggets at Clippers (Sat. April 26, 6 ET, TNT)

• Game 5: Clippers at Nuggets (Tue. April 29, TBD)*

• Game 6: Nuggets at Clippers (Thu. May 1, TBD)*

• Game 7: Clippers at Nuggets (Sat. May 3, TBD)*

Wednesday, April 16

Friday, April 18