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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)

          • ESPN
          Apr 30, 2025, 12:57 AM ET

          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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