It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year, and I’m not talking about the holiday season here, folks.
This weekend, the fireworks of the 2025 NBA playoffs will finally begin. And there are so many great players and fascinating storylines to consider this spring that it boggles the mind.
For example, can the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics go back-to-back? Will the Oklahoma City Thunder or Cleveland Cavaliers cap their respective all-time regular seasons with a title? Is Nikola Jokic’s greatness enough to paper over the Denver Nuggets‘ recent internal turmoil? Is a young Houston Rockets team led by Amen Thompson ready to grow up? After Jimmy Butler’s addition, do Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors have another glorious run in them?
Also, how will the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers fare as potential Eastern Conference dark horses? Is a healthy Kawhi Leonard enough to finally push the Los Angeles Clippers to an NBA Finals run?
The palpable drama here goes on and on and on.
We’re about to get definitive answers to all of these questions over the next couple of months. And I can’t wait to unpack each one as they come our way. Below, we’ve got a general roundtable preview of these NBA playoffs. We’re talking breakout players. We’re talking intriguing and disappointing teams. We’re, of course, making our NBA Finals picks. Don’t you worry, dearest readers. Every important playoff base is covered.
Let’s dive in and see how the For The Win sees the 2025 NBA playoffs shaking out.
1. Who will be the breakout player of these playoffs?
Robert Zeglinski: Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
A candidate for Most Improved Player, Braun was one of the league’s top weapons in transition this season. No, seriously. Only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two MVP-caliber players, were better. Braun is an explosive and smart cutter who knows how to play with Nikola Jokic. He’s also a strong court-tilter on defense, too. He’s about to have A Moment.
Blake Schuster: Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
The Rockets’ center becomes a household name after a stellar regular season. While Houston won’t surprise many opponents at this point, it’s time Sengun gets his due as a premier big man in the West, which he’s going to have to prove game after game to get past the Golden State Warriors and beyond.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Houston can make a powerful statement by moving past Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who are actually playing quite well right now. Thompson is arguably the most athletic player in the NBA and also one of the most versatile. His two-way impact will make him a quick star on the biggest stage of the playoffs.
Michael Sykes: Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
I’m not sure if one can truly be a “breakout player” if they’re an All-Star, but I can’t think of a better candidate for this than Jalen Williams. For the Thunder to reach their true championship potential, he’ll need to take his game to another level as teams work to nullify Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder won’t make it to the conference finals if Williams doesn’t show up this postseason. The West is way too good.
Prince Grimes: Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Holmgren was solid last postseason, but his production was slightly down from the regular season, and the way OKC fizzled out left a lot to be desired. With a true center next to him, he should be much more impactful this go around on a team that should make a real push for the finals.
2. Who is the most intriguing NBA team in this postseason?
Robert Zeglinski: Indiana Pacers
Last year’s Pacers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. This year’s group matured, won three more games, got a lot better on defense, and secured another top-four seed with balanced two-way play over the stretch run of the season. I’m really liking what I see from Tyrese Haliburton and Co., provided they continue to defend like this. I wouldn’t be remotely surprised to see another ECF run.
Blake Schuster: Los Angeles Clippers
Just when you want to count the Kawhi Leonard experiment as a total failure, here come the Clippers making everything interesting again. This team went 19-9 after the All-Star break, improving their scoring by nearly seven points per game on average. There’s not a ton of depth here, but maybe Los Angeles doesn’t even need it if Leonard and Harden are going to ball out. Also, I just really want to see the Intuit Dome’s famed Wall in the playoffs.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Golden State Warriors
This team has the second-best net rating in the NBA since trading for Jimmy Butler, who brings playoff experience and an edge to this roster. While this isn’t the same team that had the two best shooters on the planet with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, they still have a veteran coach in Steve Kerr who knows what he is doing in the postseason.
Michael Sykes: Denver Nuggets
I might’ve picked this team as my most disappointing team, considering the lofty expectations most people had coming into the season. But I’ve decided to place them in the most intriguing slot for one reason and one reason only: Nikola Jokic. He’s the best player in the league in my estimation. I’m interested in seeing if that’s enough to cancel out all the chaos around him.
Prince Grimes: New York Knicks
Before the season, I thought NY had a chance to push the Boston Celtics at the top of the East. Instead, it was Cleveland that popped up out of nowhere, and New York was merely very good, sliding into the No. 3 seed. Regardless, after going all in last offseason, everything the Knicks want is still ahead of them. I’m curious if there’s another gear in this team for the playoffs.
3. Who will be the most disappointing team during these playoffs?
Robert Zeglinski: New York Knicks
There’s something off about this Knicks team, to me. They have the personnel to defend, but were cut up by almost everyone the entire season (at least until the last month or so). They have legitimate offensive stars like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but they sometimes weirdly shrink when the opposing defense gets tighter. These Knicks should be championship-caliber, and instead I’m wondering whether they really might get first-rounded.
Blake Schuster: Milwaukee Bucks
They’re just going through the motions at this point, but I expect we’ll see the Bucks lose in six to the Pacers.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Denver Nuggets
I’m not sure what we’re going to get from a team that just fired its head coach and general manager so late in the season, so I think a first-round exit against a surging and fairly impressive Clippers team is fully on the table. They might have an answer for Kawhi Leonard with Aaron Gordon, but they could struggle to slow down James Harden, who quietly had a fantastic campaign this year.
Michael Sykes: Milwaukee Bucks
For a team with two All-Stars and one of the best three players in the world, being a No. 5 seed in this lowly Eastern Conference feels way below Milwaukee’s standard. Giannis Antetokounmpo is too good. This team should be better.
Prince Grimes: Minnesota Timberwolves
The trajectory of the Wolves after reaching the conference finals last year seemed to be towards an NBA Finals berth. Today, they look like nothing more than a first-round exit. The worst part about it is that it was partly self-inflicted, with the foolish trade of Karl-Anthony Towns.
4. Who is the biggest threat to the Thunder in the West?
Robert Zeglinski: Los Angeles Lakers
I still have my doubts about the Lakers’ defense holding up over two months. But between Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, arguably no one in the entire playoff field is better suited to matchup hunt: a prerequisite for success in the postseason. The Thunder are not accustomed to their rabid defense being selectively targeted by elite creators. And I think it’ll show.
Blake Schuster: Los Angeles Lakers
There’s a long way to go before OKC has to meet the Lakers, but do you really want to face LeBron and Luka with a trip to the Finals on the line? No, sir. You do not.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Los Angeles Lakers
I’ll take the three-headed beast of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves over any other team in the Western Conference except the Thunder. It might be challenging for Los Angeles to win the West with Jaxson Hayes as their only true big man capable of playing significant minutes on the roster. But if Doncic and James are both playing well, good luck.
Michael Sykes: Los Angeles Clippers
I understand everyone reflexively taking the Lakers here, but I think the Clippers are a much better matchup. They have so many defenders to throw at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Ivica Zubac is a legitimate presence down low on the glass. Kawhi Leonard is in his Michael Jordan bag again. If he’s healthy (which is a HUGE if), this team is a viable championship contender.
Prince Grimes: Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic bounced the Thunder last year, and he can absolutely do it again this year with LeBron James flanking him.
5. Who is the biggest threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in the East?
Robert Zeglinski: Indiana Pacers
Indiana has the vaunted combination of top-end talent and stellar depth. If you’re not already on the Pacers’ hype train, there’s still plenty of room aboard.
Blake Schuster: Detroit Pistons
Always worry about a team that doesn’t know any better (complimentary). Detroit had a terrific regular season and is playing with plenty of house money as a young, developing team.
Bryan Kalbrosky: New York Knicks
The idea of any team somehow getting past the Cavaliers or the Celtics in the East is fairly improbable right now. But the Knicks have the most talented roster, so I’ll take them with at least the best fighting chance. Maybe they get some absurdly hot performances from Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, and Mikal Bridges.
Michael Sykes: Indiana Pacers
The Cavs and Celtics are really the only true threats to each other. But if I have to pick a team outside of those two, it’d be the Pacers. They finished the season strong and had an excellent second half of the year as Tyrese Haliburton got healthier. He’s looking like a legitimate top 10 player these days.
Prince Grimes: New York Knicks
If the Knicks are healthy, which they appear to be right now, I think they’re the third-best team in the East. Even with injuries throughout the season, they finished the year with the conference’s third-best net rating. And their lack of depth is less worrisome in the playoffs.
6. Who will win the 2025 NBA Finals?
Robert Zeglinski: Cavaliers over Lakers in 6 (Donovan Mitchell Finals MVP)
Between Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and a fantastic bench led by Ty Jerome, no one has more offensive problem-solvers than the Cleveland offense. If they need a stop, it doesn’t get much better than funnelling guards to a frontcourt led by DPOY candidate Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. These Cavs are stacked, revitalized, and incredibly well-coached. And they never stop coming. I find it hard to believe they won’t simply overwhelm whoever they play in the Finals.
Blake Schuster: Thunder over Celtics in 7 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Finals MVP)
Vibes matter in the playoffs, and OKC has all of them. Oh, and talent. Talent matters, but OKC has all of that, too. Is SGA the new face of the NBA? Maybe!
Bryan Kalbrosky: Thunder over Cavaliers in 5 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Finals MVP)
Oklahoma City casually had one of the best regular seasons we have seen in NBA history, and people aren’t really talking about just how dominant they were this season. They fixed some of the issues that plagued them last postseason by adding Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, and the development of Chet Holmgren and other young players, like Jalen Williams, will lead SGA to win NBA Finals MVP.
Michael Sykes: Thunder over Cavaliers in 6 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Finals MVP)
I understand the general lack of faith people have in the Thunder. It’s the same lack of faith people had in the Celtics last year — maybe even a bit worse. This is an OKC team that hasn’t accomplished anything. They’ve never been to the mountaintop and fallen. They haven’t even come close, really. This is also a very young team, and young teams are generally hard to trust. However, it’s the best team in the NBA by a considerable margin. Usually, when teams are this dominant, they win it all. So I’ll keep my faith in OKC here and pick them to go all the way.
Prince Grimes: Celtics over Thunder in 6 (Jayson Tatum Finals MVP)
I hate it too. But Boston has simply been biding its time for this moment, to make one last title run before some tough roster decisions. They’re going to run through the East and catch a battered Thunder team that had to slug its way through the West. This time, Jayson Tatum takes home the MVP trophy.
