NBA Playoffs 2025: Schedule, format, play-in, where to watch, betting odds, tips and predictions
The NBA season may feel like it’s winding down as we approach the end of the regular season in mid-April, but the fun’s just beginning as the play-in and playoff games now come into focus.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers remain the bookies' favourites to lift the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, but there’s a lot of basketball to play between now and the NBA Finals in June.
It all begins with the NBA play-in tournament, where the number seven to 10 seeds in each conference battle it out for a spot in the playoffs.
In this article, Sports News Blitz NBA expert George Dempsey breaks down everything you need to know about the playoffs and shares his predictions.
When does the NBA play-in tournament take place?
The NBA play-in tournament will take place April 15 through April 18, 2025.
What is the NBA play-in tournament, and how does it work?
The teams that finish seventh to tenth in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference standings will qualify for the play-in tournament.
The tournament begins with a pair of winner-takes-all matches, with the seventh seed hosting the eighth seed and the ninth seed hosting the 10th seed.
As a reward for their superior ranking, the winner of the seventh versus eighth match will advance to the final play-in match, while the loser will receive a second chance.
The loser of the ninth versus 10th match will be eliminated, while the winner advances to face the team getting their second chance.
The fourth and final match of the tournament sees the winner of the seventh versus eighth match play host to the winner of the second-chance match. The winner will advance to the NBA playoffs as the number-eight seed.
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NBA playoff schedule, key dates, where to watch:
The NBA playoffs will begin on April 19 and conclude with the NBA Finals on June 5.
Viewers in the UK can watch the NBA Playoffs on TNT Sports or League Pass, which is also the easiest way for fans based in Europe to watch the action.
For those based in the United States, check with your local provider or refer to the national TV listings included in the full schedule below:
April 13: NBA Regular Season ends
April 15-18: SoFi NBA play-in tournament
April 19: NBA playoffs 2025 begin
May 5-6: Conference Semifinals begin (Could move to May 3/4)
May 20: Western Conference Finals - Game 1 on ESPN (Could move to May 18)
May 21: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 1 (Could move to May 19)
May 22: Western Conference Finals - Game 2 on ESPN
May 23: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 2 on TNT
May 24: Western Conference Finals - Game 3 on ABC
May 25: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 3 on TNT
May 26: Western Conference Finals - Game 4 on ESPN
May 27: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 4 on TNT
May 28: Western Conference Finals - Game 5 on ESPN(if necessary)
May 29: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 5 on TNT (if necessary)
May 30: Western Conference Finals - Game 6 on ESPN (if necessary)
May 31: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 6 on TNT (if necessary)
June 1: Western Conference Finals - Game 7 on ESPN (if necessary)
June 2: Eastern Conference Finals - Game 7 on TNT (if necessary)
June 5: NBA Finals - Game 1 on ABC
June 8: NBA Finals - Game 2 on ABC
June 11: NBA Finals - Game 3 on ABC
June 13: NBA Finals - Game 4 on ABC
June 16: NBA Finals - Game 5 on ABC (if necessary)
June 19: NBA Finals - Game 6 on ABC (if necessary)
June 22: NBA Finals - Game 7 on ABC (if necessary)
Who are the main contenders to win the NBA Playoffs 2025?
The bookmakers have priced the Oklahoma City Thunder as the most likely team to win the playoffs, though the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, are also fancied.
Odds are subject to change and correct at the time of writing.
Oklahoma City Thunder - 17/10
Boston Celtics - 15/8
Cleveland Cavaliers - 5/1
Denver Nuggets - 16/1
Los Angeles Lakers - 17/1
Golden State Warriors - 20/1
New York Knicks - 25/1
Los Angeles Clippers - 50/1
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Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on course to post one of the best net ratings in NBA history.
When teams produce a net rating of 11.5 or greater, they typically win the championship.
Their starting five of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dortz, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein is as strong as any, but it’s their strength in depth that makes them a genuine title contender.
The Thunder have already blown away all of their fellow contenders during a season that has seen them win 60+ games for the first time since the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era in 2012/13.
Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum has led the way again for the defending champions, averaging 27.2 points per game this season.
He’s been well supported by five others scoring in double digits, including Jaylen Brown with 22.4ppg and Kristaps Porzingis with 19.4ppg.
The Celtics have talked the talk and walked the walk, so they’ll be a tough nut to crack in the playoffs.
The way they can space the floor when everyone is healthy and utilise the duel threat of Porzingis makes them capable of beating anyone and reaching the NBA Finals again.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers weren’t thought of as the likeliest winner of a title at the start of the season.
However, it’s fair to say they have outstanding players in every position, and in the right circumstances, they could win the championship.
With Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen making their mark in the frontcourt and Isaac Okoro guarding the perimeter admirably, the Cavaliers have the eighth-best defensive rating in the NBA at 111.9.
This fearless young team is capable of causing upsets and making a push to the Finals, providing top scorers Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland remain healthy.
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Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Finals in 2023, and in their words, their championship window is still open.
There’s no doubt they’re a threat, but we’re going to say that’s not the case.
This is a team with exceptionally good chemistry, a strong home-court advantage at altitude, and of course, an unbelievably talented big man with playmaking skills in Nikola Jokic.
A record of 47-28 is not the record of a team that goes on to win a title.
They’re 4-7 when the Joker isn’t on the court, and their defensive rating of 115 is nowhere near the standard required.
Los Angeles Lakers
The main reason the Los Angeles Lakers won’t win the NBA Finals is that they’ll need to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder just to get there, before likely facing either Boston or Cleveland.
Those are all tough matchups for the Lakers, who are 1-4 against those teams this season. We also have to consider whether or not LeBron James is going to be fit and firing for every match.
The Lakers don’t have the same depth as the other contenders, even if they do have two generational talents in Luka Doncic and James.
Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry and a healthy Warriors team will always be competitive, but the era of this Warriors group winning titles is long gone.
They won’t be able to find the levels required to win a seven-game series against genuine contenders.
Moses Moody is a solid all-rounder, Jimmy Butler adds a scoring touch to supplement the sensational Curry, and Draymond Green is always a fun watch, be it for the right or wrong reasons.
Although they have beaten the Thunder home and away, the Warriors are 0-5 against the Lakers and Nuggets. They won’t make it to the finals.
New York Knicks
We had high hopes for the New York Knicks when the season began. They were a tough watch early on, but necessary trades made them one of the better scoring teams in the NBA with the addition of Karl Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges.
It was a hard watch seeing Jalen Brunson shoulder 100% of playmaking and scoring responsibility for a period, so better offence was necessary, but at the expense of what the Knicks were good at.
This was a defence that could throttle the opposition and grind out wins. Now it’s a team that allowed 123.1 points per game in February and 110 ppg in March despite playing a very kind schedule.
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Los Angeles Clippers
There’s just no way the Clippers will win it all. They are only featured because we decided the cut-off for contenders was 50/1 and because they’ve been in super form during March.
They produced blowout wins against the likes of the Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks and even the Cleveland Cavaliers, who they ran close during a five-point loss since.
We’ve seen some very good team defence from the Clippers recently, but there just isn’t enough in this squad to make anyone think they can beat the main contenders. Plus, they may have to win the play-in tournament first.
Best betting tips and predictions for the NBA Playoffs 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference - 9/5
The Cavaliers have improved their chances by moving to claim the Eastern Conference in the closing stages of the season. They’re 4.5 games ahead at the time of writing, so they’ll have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Cavs and the Celtics have split four games evenly this season, and we think it’s clear they’ve closed the gap since losing 4-1 in last year’s playoffs. Boston is still the likeliest winner, but this is a nice price.
Thunder to beat Cavaliers in the NBA Finals - 7/1
Working off of the same logic, the Thunder, who are the likeliest winners of the West, will fancy their chances of making light work of the Cavaliers with home-court advantage in the finals.
Donovan Mitchell to be Eastern Conference MVP - 11/4
If the Cavaliers are to make it to the dance, then it’s because Donovan Mitchell shows up and takes control of the Eastern Conference finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be Western Conference MVP - 8/11
This one is self-explanatory.
We’re convinced OKC will win the Conference finals, be it against the Nuggets, Lakers or Warriors, and this man will be the catalyst.
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