The 2025 NBA playoffs are here, and the league has announced the first-round schedule. The Play-In Tournament started on Tuesday with the Warriors and Magic securing the No. 7 seeds in the Western and Eastern Conferences. The full first-round bracket will be finalized on Friday, but we already know six first-round matchups: Celtics vs. Magic, Knicks vs. Pistons, and Pacers vs. Bucks in the East, and Rockets vs. Warriors, Lakers vs. Timberwolves, and Nuggets vs. Clippers in the West. All series begin this weekend, and dates are set for all first-round games.
The postseason is like the NBA`s second season. All the drama from the 2024-25 regular season – big trades, coach firings, social media and player feuds, and Ja Morant`s risky celebrations – are in the past. It was just the beginning, the setup for the real story.
Now it`s time for the 2025 NBA playoffs, which are expected to be very competitive. Most of the top players are healthy, except for those who have been out for most of the year. The standings were very close this season. In the final week, there was a five-way tie in the West. The game between the Clippers and Warriors decided who went directly to the playoffs and who went to the play-in.
While there are a few clear favorites, the playoff field is generally quite open. You could see about eight or nine teams as potential contenders. The Thunder are currently favored to win the championship, but the Celtics are the defending champions.
In the coming weeks, the playoff field will narrow down to the best teams. We will provide coverage every step of the way. Below is the schedule for the 2025 NBA playoffs. Follow CBS Sports for coverage and analysis of all the key moments from this highly anticipated postseason.
NBA Play-In Tournament TV schedule
All times Eastern
Tuesday, April 15
Magic 120, Hawks 95
Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116
Wednesday, April 16
Bulls vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo
Kings vs. Mavericks, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo
Friday, April 18
Hawks vs. East TBD, Time TBD, ESPN/fubo
Grizzlies vs. West TBD, Time TBD, TNT
2025 NBA playoff TV schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks, 1 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 3:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Knicks vs. Pistons, 6 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Sunday, April 20
Game 1: Thunder vs. TBD, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Monday, April 21
Game 2: Knicks vs. Pistons, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
Tuesday, April 22
Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks, 7 p.m., NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Thunder vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
Wednesday, April 23
Game 2: Celtics vs. Magic, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., 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 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 3: Bucks vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., ESPNU/NBA TV/fubo
Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Saturday, April 26
Game 3: TBD vs. Cavaliers, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: TBD vs. Thunder, 3:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 4: Clippers vs. Nuggets, 6 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 3: Warriors vs. Rockets, 8:30 p.m., TV TBD
Sunday, April 27
Game 4: Pistons vs. Knicks, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers, 9:30 p.m., 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 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. 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 2025 NBA playoffs
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals begin
Jasper Hawthorne