First Round of Playoffs
Eastern Conference
Cleveland Cavaliers (#1) vs Miami Heat (#8)
Cavaliers won 4 – 0
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Miami Heat | |
| Game 1 | 121 (W) | 100 |
| Game 2 | 121 (W) | 112 |
| Game 3 | 124 (W) | 87 |
| Game 4 | 138 (W) | 83 |
Highlights:
- The Cavaliers won by a combined 122 points in the series, setting a new NBA record for largest total margin of victory in a playoff series, breaking the previous record set by Denver over New Orleans in 2009.
- In Game 4, Cleveland led by as many as 60 points, resulting in the fourth-biggest playoff win in NBA history (55 points).
- The Cavaliers matched an NBA record by taking a 43-17 lead after the first quarter of Game 4, tying the record for largest first-quarter playoff lead.
Boston Celtics (#2) vs Orlando Magic (#7)
Celtics won 4 – 1
| Boston Celtics | Orlando Magic | |
| Game 1 | 103 (W) | 86 |
| Game 2 | 109 (W) | 100 |
| Game 3 | 93 | 95 (W) |
| Game 4 | 107 (W) | 98 |
| Game 5 | 120 (W) | 89 |
Highlights:
- Defending champions Boston continued their playoff dominance, picking up where they left off after winning their record-breaking 18th championship in 2024.
- The Celtics’ defense contained Magic stars Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, holding Orlando under 100 points in four of the five games.
- Boston has now advanced past the first round for the 11th consecutive season, extending the longest active streak in the NBA.
New York Knicks (#3) vs Detroit Pistons (#6)
Knicks won 4 – 2
| New York Knicks | Detroit Pistons | |
| Game 1 | 123 (W) | 112 |
| Game 2 | 94 | 100 (W) |
| Game 3 | 118 (W) | 116 |
| Game 4 | 94 (W) | 93 |
| Game 5 | 103 | 106 |
| Game 6 | 116 (W) | 113 |
Highlights:
- The series featured four consecutive games decided by 3 or fewer points (Games 3-6), only the second time this has happened in NBA playoff history.
- Detroit’s Game 2 victory was their first playoff win since 2008, snapping the longest playoff win drought in league history.
- Cade Cunningham’s emergence as a playoff performer was evident, highlighted by his 33-point, 12-rebound performance in their Game 2 victory.
Indiana Pacers (#4) vs Milwaukee Bucks (#5)
Pacers won 4 – 1
| Indiana Pacers | Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Game 1 | 117 (W) | 98 |
| Game 2 | 123 (W) | 115 |
| Game 3 | 101 | 117 (W) |
| Game 4 | 129 (W) | 103 |
| Game 5 | 119 (W – OT) | 118 |
Highlights:
- The Pacers won their second consecutive first-round series against the Bucks, further establishing their recent dominance over Milwaukee.
- Game 5 featured a dramatic overtime finish, with Indiana overcoming a late deficit to clinch the series.
- Tyrese Haliburton continued his playoff rise, delivering a game-winning layup in the series-clinching Game 5.
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder (#1) vs Memphis Grizzlies (#8)
Thunder won 4 – 0
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Memphis Grizzlies | |
| Game 1 | 131 (W) | 80 |
| Game 2 | 118 (W) | 99 |
| Game 3 | 114 (W) | 108 |
| Game 4 | 117 (W) | 115 |
Highlights:
- Oklahoma City’s 51-point margin in Game 1 (131-80) was the largest in a playoff game since 2009.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander solidified his MVP case with consistent dominant performances, including 31 points and 8 assists in Game 3.
- The Thunder became the first team to advance in the 2025 playoffs, continuing their impressive season after finishing with the NBA’s best regular-season record.
LA Lakers (#3) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (#6)
Timberwolves won 4 – 1
| LA Lakers | Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Game 1 | 95 | 117 (W) |
| Game 2 | 94 (W) | 85 |
| Game 3 | 104 | 116 (W) |
| Game 4 | 113 | 116 (W) |
| Game 5 | 96 | 103 (W) |
Highlights:
- Minnesota eliminated the Lakers for the second consecutive postseason.
- In Game 5, Rudy Gobert set personal playoff records with 27 points and 24 rebounds (including 9 offensive).
- The Timberwolves won despite shooting an abysmal 7-for-47 (14.9%) from three-point range in the series-clinching game, the worst 3-point shooting percentage in a playoff game in NBA history (minimum 40 attempts).
- Only 16.9% of the Lakers’ points in the series came in the fourth quarter (85 of 502), the lowest percentage by any team in any playoff series in NBA history.
Denver Nuggets (#4) vs LA Clippers (#5)
Nuggets won 4 – 3
| Denver Nuggets | LA Clippers | |
| Game 1 | 112 (W – OT) | 110 |
| Game 2 | 102 | 105 (W) |
| Game 3 | 83 | 117 (W) |
| Game 4 | 101 (W) | 99 |
| Game 5 | 131 (W) | 115 |
| Game 6 | 105 | 111 (W) |
| Game 7 | 120 (W) | 101 |
Highlights:
- This was the first series of the 2025 playoffs to reach Game 7, making it the 26th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a Game 7 (last postseason without a Game 7 was 1999).
- Game 4 featured a historic moment when Aaron Gordon made what the NBA called “the first known game-winning buzzer-beater putback dunk in NBA playoff history”.
- Gordon’s dunk came off a missed three-pointer from Nikola Jokić with less than one second remaining, turning a tied game into a Nuggets victory.
- This marked the second time Denver has eliminated both LA teams (Lakers and Clippers) in the same postseason.
Golden State Warriors (#7) vs Houston Rockets (#2)
Warriors won 4 – 3
| Golden State Warriors | Houston Rockets | |
| Game 1 | 95 (W) | 85 |
| Game 2 | 94 | 109 (W) |
| Game 3 | 104 (W) | 93 |
| Game 4 | 109 (W) | 106 |
| Game 5 | 116 | 131 (W) |
| Game 6 | 107 | 115 (W) |
| Game 7 | 103 (W) | 89 |
Highlights:
- In Game 7, Buddy Hield delivered a breakout performance with 33 points, including 8 three-pointers, leading Golden State to victory.
- Hield’s 9 made threes in Game 7 tied for the 4th-most in a playoff game in NBA history.
- This marked the seventh instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2010, and 2023.
- With Houston forcing a Game 7 against the Warriors, this became the first playoffs since 2020 to feature two Game 7’s in the first round.