OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets: Who will win NBA playoff series?
The OKC Thunder will face the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Here’s a breakdown of the matchup.
The second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs is underway.
Only eight teams remain in the battle for the title. That includes heavyweights such as the top-seeded OKC Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers, but it also includes underdogs such as the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves and the No. 7 Golden State Warriors.
Here are the power rankings for all eight second-round playoff teams:
SECOND-ROUND PICKS: Thunder vs Nuggets | Timberwolves vs Warriors | Cavaliers vs Pacers | Celtics vs Knicks
Power rankings for second round of 2025 NBA Playoffs
It took seven games, but experience ultimately prevailed as Golden State beat Houston in the first round.
The Warriors are loaded with veterans such as Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. And they’ll be a tough out these playoffs for any team with their strong defense and ability to close games.
But Golden State’s glaring weakness is that it’s undersized, which Houston took advantage of. So will Minnesota, Denver and OKC, making it hard to envision a deep playoff run.
New York had to fight to earn its 4-2 series win over Detroit in the first round.
The Knicks were led by Jalen Brunson, who averaged 31.5 points and showed why he won this season’s Clutch Player of the Year award with some big-time buckets. He’ll always give them a chance to win.
But New York still isn’t great at defending 3-pointers or protecting the rim. It’ll struggle to make a run in the East against elite offensive teams such as Cleveland, Boston and Indiana.
After cruising to a 4-1 series win over Milwaukee in the first round, Indiana made a statement in Game 1 against Cleveland. It earned a 121-112 win on the road.
The Pacers are playing their best basketball right now. They rank second these playoffs in offensive rating (118.7), and Tyrese Haliburton is running the show with averages of 18.3 points and 11.8 assists.
Indiana can keep up with anyone on the scoreboard, and it should have the league’s attention after its Game 1 win over Cleveland. But its defense is still unreliable, which prevents it from being higher on this list.
- First round: Minnesota Timberwolves 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1
- Second-round opponent: Golden State Warriors
Minnesota dominated the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and secured a 4-1 series win.
It was an impressive performance by the Timberwolves, who can cause problems for their opponent on both ends of the floor. Minnesota is disruptive on defense with its size, and its offense is a handful to contain with Anthony Edwards leading the way.
The Timberwolves are still prone to hurting themselves at times with turnovers and questionable shot selections. But if Minnesota can keep those two things in check, it should be viewed as a real contender.
- First round: Denver Nuggets 4, Los Angeles Clippers 3
- Second-round opponent: OKC Thunder
Denver passed a real test in the first round when it beat a dangerous Los Angeles Clippers team in seven games.
Nikola Jokic didn’t play his best basketball, which is mostly a result of Ivica Zubac’s stellar defense. But he’s still the best player in the world, and the two-man game of Jokic and Jamal Murray is as good as any in the NBA.
Denver also has championship experience with four of its five starters from the 2023 title team still on the roster. But the one starter missing from that bunch is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s now in Orlando, and that absence of an elite perimeter defender could hurt Denver these playoffs.
- First round: Boston Celtics 4, Orlando Magic 1
- Second-round opponent: New York Knicks
The Celtics entered the postseason as the reigning champs, and they’ve looked the part. Boston secured a 4-1 series win over Orlando in the first round despite being without Jrue Holiday (strained right hamstring) for three of those games.
Holiday is now back, giving Boston yet another elite defender. And the Celtics have no trouble putting the ball through the hoop with their All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Injuries are a concern for a Boston team that doesn’t have a ton of depth. But if the Celtics can stay healthy these playoffs, they could be raising another banner.
- First round: Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Miami Heat 0
- Second-round opponent: Indiana Pacers
Cleveland took care of business in the first round by sweeping Miami, and it won those games by an eye-watering average of 30.5 points.
The Cavaliers have an elite offense with a go-to scorer in Donovan Mitchell. And their defense, which is anchored by Defensive Player of the Year winner Evan Mobley, has the size and versatility to handle any matchup.
One thing to monitor is the availability of Darius Garland, who has missed the last three games due to a sprained left big toe. The Cavaliers will need him to be not only available but at his best if they want to win their first championship since 2016.
- First round: OKC Thunder 4, Memphis Grizzlies 0
- Second-round opponent: Denver Nuggets
OKC was the most dominant team in regular-season history based off of point differential (12.9 points per game), and it continued to roll with a first-round sweep of Memphis.
The Thunder is built like a championship team. It has an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league in scoring during the regular season (32.7 points). It has a strong supporting cast that includes Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. It has elite defenders at every position. It has the deepest bench in the NBA.
The only thing OKC doesn’t have is a ton of experience. The Thunder entered this season as the league’s youngest team, which could be a factor if it makes a deep run.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @JTheSportsDude. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
