The 2025 NBA playoffs began on Tuesday night, and the Golden State Warriors officially made it to the playoffs. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler led the Warriors to a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in a tense NBA Play-In Tournament game. The Orlando Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the first game on Tuesday and secured the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. The playoff schedule continues with play-in games on Wednesday and Friday, and the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs will begin on Saturday.
In the first round, the Warriors will face the Houston Rockets, and the Magic will play against the reigning champions Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven series. All eight first-round matchups will be known by Friday evening, and four of them were determined at the end of the regular season: New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks in the East, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers in the West.
All eight first-round series will begin this weekend and could last until May 4. The NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 5.
2025 NBA Playoffs Bracket
Eastern Conference First Round Matchups
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Hawks/Bulls/Heat
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Magic
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Pistons
No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks
Western Conference First Round Matchups
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Grizzlies/Kings/Mavericks
No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 Warriors
No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers
2025 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule and Scores
All times Eastern
Tuesday, April 15
Magic 120, Hawks 95
Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116
Wednesday, April 16
Bulls vs. Heat, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN/fubo
Kings vs. Mavericks, 10:00 PM ET, ESPN/fubo
Friday, April 18
Hawks vs. East TBD, Time TBD, ESPN/fubo
Grizzlies vs. West TBD, Time TBD, TNT
2025 NBA Playoffs: First Round Schedule and Scores
All times Eastern
Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks, 1:00 PM, ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 3:30 PM, ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Knicks vs. Pistons, 6:00 PM, ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 8:30 PM, ABC/fubo
Sunday, April 20
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. TBD, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Thunder vs. TBD, Time/Channel TBD
Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/Channel TBD
Monday, April 21
Game 2: Knicks vs. Pistons, 7:30 PM, TNT/Max
Game 2: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 10:00 PM, TNT/Max
Tuesday, April 22
Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks, 7:00 PM, NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Thunder vs. TBD, 7:30 PM, TNT/Max
Game 2: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 10:00 PM, TNT/Max
Wednesday, April 23
Game 2: Celtics vs. Magic, 7:00 PM, TNT/Max
Game 2: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 7:30 PM, NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 PM, TNT/Max
Thursday, April 24
Game 3: Pistons vs. Knicks, Time/TV channel TBD
Game 3: TBD vs. Thunder, Time/TV channel TBD
Game 3: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV channel TBD
Friday, April 25
Game 3: Magic vs. Celtics, 7:00 PM, ESPN/fubo
Game 3: Bucks vs. Pacers, 8:00 PM, ESPNU/NBA TV/fubo
Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 9:30 PM, ESPN/fubo
Saturday, April 26
Game 3: TBD vs. Cavaliers, 1:00 PM, ABC/fubo
Game 4: TBD vs. Thunder, 3:30 PM, TNT/Max
Game 4: Clippers vs. Nuggets, 6:00 PM, TNT/Max
Game 3: Warriors vs. Rockets, 8:30 PM, TV TBD
Sunday, April 27
Game 4: Pistons vs. Knicks, 1:00 PM, ABC/fubo
Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 3:30 PM, ABC/fubo
Game 4: Magic vs. Celtics, 7:00 PM, TNT/Max
Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers, 9:30 PM, TNT/Max
Monday, April 28
Game 4: TBD vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Thunder vs. TBD, Time/TV TBD
Game 4: Warriors vs. Rockets, 10:00 PM, 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. TBD, 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: TBD vs. Thunder, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV TBD
Friday, May 2
*Game 6: TBD 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. TBD, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD
Sunday, May 4
*Game 7: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 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
Key Dates for the 2025 NBA Playoffs
- April 13: Final day of the regular season
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals begin
Jasper Hawthorne