Both No. 1 seeds have swept their way into Round 2 of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
The top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder were the first teams to advance to the conference semifinals following four-game sweeps in the opening round. The Thunder eliminated the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, while the Cavs bounced the No. 8 Miami Heat with a historic 55-point rout on Monday.
Cleveland and OKC will next be looking to book their first trips to the conference finals in several years. The Cavs haven’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since their 2018 NBA Finals run, while the Thunder’s last Western Conference Finals appearance came in 2016.
So, when will the Cavs and Thunder continue their chases for the Larry O’Brien Trophy? And who could their next playoff opponents be? Here’s what we know about the conference semifinals:
When does Round 2 of the NBA playoffs start?
The second round is scheduled to get underway from Monday, May 5, to Tuesday, May 6, according to the NBA. But those start dates could be moved up to Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, depending on when first-round series conclude.
Do the NBA playoffs reseed teams?
The NBA playoffs follow a bracket format and do not reseed teams after the first round. That means the Cavs and Thunder will meet the winner of the 4-5 matchup in their respective conferences, regardless of other first-round results.
What are the Round 2 matchups in the NBA playoffs?
Here’s a look at the conference semifinal matchup possibilities:
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Cavaliers vs. winner of No. 4 Indiana Pacers-No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks
- Winner of No. 3 New York Knicks-No.6 Detroit Pistons vs. winner of No. 2 Boston Celtics-No. 7 Orlando Magic
Western Conference
- No. 1 Thunder vs. winner of No. 4 Denver Nuggets-No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
- Winner of No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers-No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. winner of No. 2 Houston Rockets-No. 7 Golden State Warriors
What’s NBA playoff schedule for Round 2?
The NBA hasn’t released any series schedule details for Round 2. This section will be updated as more information is announced.
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