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NBA playoffs 2025: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights

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Haliburton wins it for Pacers in final seconds after Trent Jr. fumble (0:53)

After Gary Trent Jr. fumbles a pass out of bounds, Tyrese Haliburton takes charge with a smooth lay-in in the final seconds to clinch the series. (0:53)

The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs tips has begun, and fans can expect an action-filled postseason.

Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and face off in a best-of-seven series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-seven, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have home-court advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed the No. 1 seed in the East and advanced to the second round after sweeping the No. 8 Miami Heat. The Cavs will now face the No. 4 Indiana Pacers, who eliminated the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The No. 2 seed Boston Celtics continue their title defense after also only needing five games to oust the No. 7 seed Orlando Magic. The Celtics await the winner of the series between the No. 3 New York Knicks and the No. 6 Detroit Pistons.

In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder landed the No. 1 seed for a second straight season behind MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and and became the first team to advance to the second round after sweeping the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies. Finishing at No. 2 were the Houston Rockets, one of the season's most improved teams. LeBron James and Luka Doncic led the Los Angeles Lakers to a No. 3 seed, while three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets clinched the No. 4 seed. The LA Clippers finished at No. 5, followed by the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves.

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2025 NBA Finals, which tip off June 5 on ABC and the ESPN App.

Each series picked through the Finals | Offseason guides

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers win series over (8) Miami Heat, 4-0

Game 1, April 20: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100
Game 2, April 23: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112
Game 3, April 26: Cavaliers 124, Heat 87
Game 4, April 28: Cavaliers 138, Heat 83

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2:03
Stephen A.: It's time for Pat Riley to move on

Stephen A. Smith says it's time for a change in Miami and questions whether Pat Riley is still the right person to lead the Heat's front office.

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(2) Boston Celtics win series over (7) Orlando Magic, 3-2

Game 1, April 20: Celtics 103, Magic 86
Game 2, April 23: Celtics 109, Magic 100
Game 3, April 25: Magic 95, Celtics 93
Game 4, April 27: Celtics 107, Magic 98
Game 5, April 29: Celtics 120, Magic 89

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1:52
Jayson Tatum ensures Celtics close out the Magic

Jayson Tatum's 35 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists lead the Celtics to a series-clinching win over the Magic.

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(3) New York Knicks lead (6) Detroit Pistons, 3-2

Game 1, April 19: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
Game 2, April 21: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
Game 3, April 24: Knicks 118, Pistons 116
Game 4, April 27: Knicks 94, Pacers 93
Game 5, April 29: Pistons 106, Knicks 103
Game 6, May 1: New York at Detroit (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 7, May 3 (if necessary): Detroit at New York (TBD)

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0:19
Cade Cunningham fades away to drop in an and-1

Cade Cunningham pulls up for a fadeaway jumper and knocks it down while drawing contact for the Pistons.

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(4) Indiana Pacers win series over (5) Milwaukee Bucks, 4-1

Game 1, April 19: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
Game 2, April 22: Pacers 123, Bucks 115
Game 3, April 25: Bucks 117, Pacers 101
Game 4, April 27: Pacers 129, Bucks 103
Game 5, April 29: Pacers 119, Buckers 118 (OT)

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0:48
Giannis on postgame scuffle: 'I've won a championship; they haven't'

Giannis Antetokounmpo says it's important to be "humble" in victory after he got into it with Pacers players and Tyrese Haliburton's father postgame.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder win series against (8) Memphis Grizzlies, 4-0

Game 1, April 20: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
Game 2, April 22: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
Game 3, April 24: Thunder 114, Grizzlies 108
Game 4, April 26: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115

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0:18
SGA sends OKC into the second round with a game-sealing jumper

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hits a sweet jumper to complete OKC's sweep over the Grizzlies.

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(7) Golden State Warriors lead (2) Houston Rockets, 3-1

Game 1, April 20: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
Game 2, April 23: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
Game 3, April 26: Warriors 104, Rockets 93
Game 4, April 28: Warriors 109, Rockets 106
Game 5, April 30: Golden State at Houston (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 6, May 2 (if necessary): Houston at Golden State (TBD)
Game 7, May 4 (if necessary): Golden State at Houston (TBD)

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0:45
Warriors hang on at the buzzer as VanVleet's 3 falls short

The Warriors take a 3-1 series lead over the Rockets after a big defensive stop on the final play.

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(6) Minnesota Timberwolves lead (3) Los Angeles Lakers, 3-1

Game 1, April 19: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
Game 2, April 22: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
Game 3, April 25: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104
Game 4, April 27: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113
Game 5, April 30: Minnesota at Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 6, May 2 (if necessary): Los Angeles at Minnesota (TBD)
Game 7, May 4 (if necessary): Minnesota at Los Angeles (TBD)

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0:34
Ant Edwards cooking again in 4th with back-to-back buckets

Anthony Edwards takes over late with two tough finishes to fire up the Timberwolves.

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(4) Denver Nuggets lead (5) LA Clippers, 3-2

Game 1, April 19: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
Game 2, April 21: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
Game 3, April 24: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83
Game 4, April 26: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
Game 5, April 29: Nuggets 131, Clippers 115
Game 6, May 1: Denver at LA (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 7, May 3 (if necessary): LA at Denver (TBD)

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0:17
Nuggets fans go wild after Jamal Murray's massive jam

Jamal Murray breaks away to the basket and throws down a huge dunk that sends Nuggets fans into a frenzy.

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