The 2025 NBA playoffs are underway, with the first-round schedule finalized. Best-of-seven series tipped off on Saturday. Sixteen teams are competing after the Heat and Grizzlies secured the No. 8 seeds in the East and West, respectively, on Friday in the Play-In Tournament. Four first-round series began on Saturday: Pacers vs. Bucks, Nuggets vs. Clippers, Knicks vs. Pistons, and Lakers vs. Timberwolves.
The remaining four series – Thunder vs. Grizzlies, Celtics vs. Magic, Cavaliers vs. Heat, and Rockets vs. Warriors – will start Game 1 on Sunday.
The postseason marks the NBA`s second season. All the drama from the 2024-25 regular season – blockbuster trades, coach firings, social media and player podcast feuds, and Ja Morant`s controversies – is now history. It was merely a prologue to the real story.
Here we are. The 2025 NBA playoffs have begun and are poised to be among the most competitive in recent memory. Most stars are healthy, except for those who missed much of the year (sorry, Philadelphia). The standings were exceptionally close. The final week saw a five-way tie in the Western Conference. The Clippers vs. Warriors game decided playoff seeding, sending Los Angeles to the playoffs and Golden State to the play-in.
While some clear favorites exist, the playoff field is generally open. Eight or nine teams could be considered legitimate contenders. The Thunder (championship favorites at +180 odds) and Cavaliers were top teams all season, but the Celtics enter as reigning champions.
Over the next few weeks, the field will narrow to the elite. We will follow every step. Below is the schedule for the 2025 NBA playoffs.
2025 NBA Playoffs Schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday, April 19
- Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
- Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
- Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
- Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
Sunday, April 20
- Game 1: Thunder vs. Grizzlies, 1:00 PM, ABC/fubo
- Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic, 3:30 PM, ABC/fubo
- Game 1: Cavaliers vs. Heat, 7:00 PM, TNT/Max
- Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 PM, TNT/Max
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. Grizzlies, 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. Heat, 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: Grizzlies 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: Heat vs. Cavaliers, 1:00 PM, ABC/fubo
- Game 4: Grizzlies 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: Heat vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD
- *Game 5: Thunder vs. Grizzlies, 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: 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
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