The 2025 NBA playoffs have tipped off.
The last two playoff berths were awarded last Friday as the play-in tournament wrapped up, with the 10th-place Miami Heat making play-in history with an overtime win against the eighth-place Atlanta Hawks and the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies cruising past the Dallas Mavericks to grab the No. 8 playoff seed out West.
The playoffs began over the weekend with all eight first-round series playing their first game.
With the 16-team bracket underway, here's a look at the first-round matchups, schedule, and more to know:
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When do the NBA playoffs start?
The playoffs began on Saturday, April 19.
How do the NBA playoffs work?
First-round matchups in each conference are No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5. All postseason series are best of seven where the higher seed has home-court advantage in Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Do the NBA playoffs reseed teams?
The playoffs follow a bracket format and don't reseed teams after the first round. That means, for instance, the winner of a 1-8 matchup will meet the winner of a 4-5 matchup in Round 2, regardless of the other first-round results.
What teams are in the NBA playoffs?
The six automatic playoff berths in the East were claimed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. The Orlando Magic and the Heat then joined the field via the play-in.
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves secured top-six spots before the Golden State Warriors and the Grizzlies advanced through the play-in.
What are the NBA playoff matchups?
Here's a look at the bracket:
Eastern Conference
1. Cavaliers
8. Heat
4. Pacers
5. Bucks
3. Knicks
6. Pistons
2. Celtics
7. Magic
Western Conference
1. Thunder
8. Grizzlies
4. Nuggets
5. Clippers
3. Lakers
6. Timberwolves
2. Rockets
7. Warriors
What's the schedule for the first round of the NBA playoffs?
Here are the schedule details for each first-round series ( * = if necessary):
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Heat
- Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100
- Game 2: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112
- Game 3: Cavaliers at Heat -- Saturday, April 26, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 4: Cavaliers at Heat -- Monday, April 28, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 5*: Heat at Cavaliers -- Wednesday, April 30, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 6*: Cavaliers at Heat -- Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Heat at Cavaliers -- Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Magic
- Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86
- Game 2: Celtics 109, Magic 100
- Game 3: Celtics at Magic -- Friday, April 25, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 4: Celtics at Magic -- Sunday, April 27, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Magic at Celtics -- Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 6*: Celtics at Magic -- Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Magic at Celtics -- Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pistons
- Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
- Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
- Game 3: Knicks at Pistons -- Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 4: Knicks at Pistons -- Sunday, April 27, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 5: Pistons at Knicks -- Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 6*: Knicks at Pistons -- Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Pistons at Knicks -- Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks
- Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
- Game 2: Pacers 123, Bucks 115
- Game 3: Pacers at Bucks -- Friday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV/ESPNU
- Game 4: Pacers at Bucks -- Sunday, April 27, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Bucks at Pacers -- Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 6*: Pacers at Bucks -- Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Bucks at Pacers -- Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD
Western Conference
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 Grizzlies
- Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
- Game 2: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
- Game 3: Thunder at Grizzlies -- Thursday, April 24, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 4: Thunder at Grizzlies -- Saturday, April 26, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 5*: Grizzlies at Thunder -- Monday, April 28, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 6*: Thunder at Grizzlies -- Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Grizzlies at Thunder -- Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 2 Rockets vs. No. 7 Warriors
- Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
- Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
- Game 3: Rockets at Warriors -- Saturday, April 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 4: Rockets at Warriors -- Monday, April 28, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 5: Warriors at Rockets -- Wednesday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 6*: Rockets at Warriors -- Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Warriors at Rockets -- Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
- Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
- Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
- Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves -- Friday, April 25, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 4: Lakers at Timberwolves -- Sunday, April 27, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 5: Timberwolves at Lakers -- Wednesday, April 30, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 6*: Lakers at Timberwolves -- Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Timberwolves at Lakers -- Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD
No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers
- Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
- Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
- Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers -- Thursday, April 24, 10 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- Game 4: Nuggets at Clippers -- Saturday, April 26, 6 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 5: Clippers at Nuggets -- Tuesday, April 29, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
- Game 6*: Nuggets at Clippers -- Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
- Game 7*: Clippers at Nuggets -- Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD
Where to watch and stream games in the 2025 NBA playoffs
First-round games will air nationally across ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV.
ESPN and ABC broadcasts can be streamed on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
TNT broadcasts can be streamed on TNTDrama.com, the TNT app and Max.
NBA TV broadcasts are available to stream on NBA.com and the NBA app.
What are the 2025 NBA playoff dates?
The second round is slated to get underway May 5-6, though those start dates could be moved up to May 3-4. The conference finals will start as early as May 18-19 and as late as May 20-21.
When are the 2025 NBA Finals?
The Finals are scheduled to start Thursday, June 5, with a potential Game 7 slated for Sunday, June 22.
Editor's note: The original version of this story was published on April 11.
