The Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics enter the 2025 NBA playoffs as the top championship contenders. Here’s more on the postseason format and bracket to reach the NBA Finals.
The 82-game NBA regular season is in the books and the 2025 playoffs are almost here.
Once the NBA’s play-in tournament is complete to begin the postseason, 16 teams will remain in the league’s bracket to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals and a championship. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the title favorites after putting together the best record in the league this season, but the defending champion Boston Celtics and Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers also stand out above the postseason pack, according to oddsmakers.
There’s plenty of star power behind them, with LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers set to face Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Western Conference first-round series, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks get a first-round rematch against the Indiana Pacers. Throw in Nikola Jokic vs. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in the first round ‒ plus Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors lurking in the play-in tournament ‒ and the next few months have the potential for plenty of drama.
Here’s a breakdown of the 2025 NBA playoffs before the start, including this year’s format, bracket, final standings and how to watch the postseason, beginning with the play-in tournament:
When do the NBA playoffs start?
The 2025 NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin with first-round series starting on either Saturday, April 19 or Sunday, April 20 following the conclusion of the play-in tournament.
NBA playoffs format 2025
The 2025 NBA playoffs will once again feature eight teams from each conference, with the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds decided by the play-in tournament. The first round features four best-of-seven game series in the Eastern and Western Conferences, with the winners advancing to play in a best-of-seven conference semifinal series. The conference semifinals will begin May 5-6, but can move up to May 3-4.
The best-of-seven Eastern and Western Conference finals are slated to follow after that on May 20 and 21 but can be moved up to May 18 and 19. The two conference champions meeting in the 2025 NBA Finals starting with Game 1 on Thursday, June 5. The eventual NBA champion will need to win at least 16 postseason games.
2025 NBA Playoffs bracket, schedule
Eastern Conference
No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 seed (play-in tournament team)
- Game 1: Sunday, Time TBD
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 seed (play-in tournament team)
- Game 1: Sunday, Time TBD
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 3 seed New York Knicks vs. No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons
- Game 1: Saturday, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks
- Game 1: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
Western Conference
No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (play-in tournament team)
- Game 1: Sunday, Time TBD
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 2 seed Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 seed (play-in tournament team)
- Game 1: Sunday, Time TBD
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 3 seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves
- Game 1: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 seed Los Angeles Clippers
- Game 1: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Game 2: TBD
- Game 3: TBD
- Game 4: TBD
- Game 5: TBD*
- Game 6: TBD*
- Game 7: TBD*
*if necessary
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The tournament involves the teams ranked seventh through 10th in each conference. The games will determine the seventh and eighth seeds, the final two playoff teams in each conference bracket. It is considered a separate event in between the regular season and playoffs and runs from Tuesday, April 15 through Friday April 18.
Round 1 games are scheduled on April 15 and 16 with Round 2 games in each conference set for April 18. The NBA playoffs begin a day later.
2025 NBA Play-In Tournament bracket, schedule
Tuesday, April 15
- Eastern Conference: No. 7 Orlando Magic (41-41) vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (40-42), 7:30 ET on TNT
- Western Conference: No. 7 Golden State Warriors (48-34) vs. No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies (48-34), 10 p.m. on TNT
Wednesday, April 16
- Eastern Conference: No. 9 Chicago Bulls (39-43) vs. No. 10 Miami Heat (37-45), 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Western Conference: No. 9 Sacramento Kings (40-42) vs. No. 10 Dallas Mavericks (39-43), 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
How to watch NBA playoffs 2025: Dates, TV and streaming update
The 2025 NBA playoffs will be broadcast nationally by ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV. The play-in tournament games will be televised by TNT and ESPN. NBA playoff and play-in games on TNT can also be streamed with Max and Sling TV. Games that appear on ABC and ESPN can be streamed with Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
Watch the NBA playoffs with Fubo
NBA playoffs 2025 final standings
Eastern Conference
(c): Team has clinched conference. (x): Team has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Team has clinched play-in spot. (o): Team eliminated from playoff contention.
Western Conference
(c): Team has clinched conference. (x): Team has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Team has clinched play-in spot. (o): Team eliminated from playoff contention.
