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

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          Brian Windhorst: The Celtics are the favorites to win the title (2:31)

          Brian Windhorst and Kendrick Perkins explain why they have the Celtics as the favorites going into the playoffs. (2:31)

          • ESPN
          Apr 13, 2025, 09:00 PM ET

          The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs tips off Saturday, and fans can expect an action-filled playoffs after a memorable regular season.

          After a historic season of dominance, the Cleveland Cavaliers have claimed the No. 1 seed in the East. But not far behind them are the defending champions Boston Celtics in the No. 2 spot, led by Jayson Tatum and reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.

          In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to rumble after commanding the No. 1 seed for a second straight season behind MVP hopeful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The final seeding came down to the last day of the regular season, as the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed the No. 6 seed to avoid the play-in.

          Before any of these top-tier teams take the court, however, the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in each conference will have to be decided in the play-in tournament, starting Tuesday.

          After the play-in tournament concludes on Friday, the 16-team NBA playoffs begin on Saturday with four games, followed by and four more on April 20. 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).

          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.

          MORE: Play-in tournament coverage | Offseason guides

          EASTERN CONFERENCE

          TBD

          Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs. TBD (8)

          Game 1, Sunday: Play-in winner at Cleveland
          Game 2: Play-in winner at Cleveland
          Game 3: Cleveland at play-in winner
          Game 4: Cleveland at play-in winner
          Game 5 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Cleveland
          Game 6 (if necessary): Cleveland at play-in winner
          Game 7 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Cleveland

          More:

          TBD

          Boston Celtics (2) vs. TBD (7)

          Game 1, Sunday: Play-in winner at Boston
          Game 2: Play-in winner at Boston
          Game 3: Boston at play-in winner
          Game 4: Boston at play-in winner
          Game 5 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Boston
          Game 6 (if necessary): Boston at play-in winner
          Game 7 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Boston

          More:

          New York Knicks (3) vs. Detroit Pistons (6)

          Game 1, Saturday: Detroit at New York, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
          Game 2: Detroit at New York
          Game 3: New York at Detroit
          Game 4: New York at Detroit
          Game 5 (if necessary): Detroit at New York
          Game 6 (if necessary): New York at Detroit
          Game 7 (if necessary): Detroit at New York

          More:

          Indiana Pacers (4) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (5)

          Game 1, Saturday: Milwaukee at Indiana, 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
          Game 2: Milwaukee at Indiana
          Game 3: Indiana at Milwaukee
          Game 4: Indiana at Milwaukee
          Game 5 (if necessary): Milwaukee at Indiana
          Game 6 (if necessary): Indiana at Milwaukee
          Game 7 (if necessary): Milwaukee at Indiana

          More:

          WESTERN CONFERENCE

          TBD

          Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. TBD (8)

          Game 1, Sunday: Play-in winner at Oklahoma
          Game 2: Play-in winner at Cleveland
          Game 3: Oklahoma at play-in winner
          Game 4: Oklahoma at play-in winner
          Game 5 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Oklahoma
          Game 6 (if necessary): Oklahoma at play-in winner
          Game 7 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Oklahoma

          More:

          TBD

          Houston Rockets (2) vs. TBD (7)

          Game 1, Sunday: Play-in winner at Houston
          Game 2: Play-in winner at Houston
          Game 3: Houston at play-in winner
          Game 4: Houston at play-in winner
          Game 5 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Houston
          Game 6 (if necessary): Houston at play-in winner
          Game 7 (if necessary): Play-in winner at Houston

          More:

          Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (6)

          Game 1, Saturday: Timberwolves at Lakers, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
          Game 2: Timberwolves at Lakers
          Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves
          Game 4: Lakers at Timberwolves
          Game 5 (if necessary): Timberwolves at Lakers
          Game 6 (if necessary): Lakers at Timberwolves
          Game 7 (if necessary): Timberwolves at Lakers

          More:

          Denver Nuggets (4) vs. LA Clippers (5)

          Game 1, Saturday: Clippers at Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
          Game 2: Clippers at Nuggets
          Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers
          Game 4: Nuggets at Clippers
          Game 5 (if necessary): Clippers at Nuggets
          Game 6 (if necessary): Nuggets at Clippers
          Game 7 (if necessary): Clippers at Nuggets

          More: