2025 NBA Playoffs

First Round of Playoffs

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers (#1) vs Miami Heat (#8)

Cavaliers won 4 – 0

Cleveland CavaliersMiami Heat
Game 1121 (W)100
Game 2121 (W)112
Game 3124 (W)87
Game 4138 (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 CelticsOrlando Magic
Game 1103 (W)86
Game 2109 (W)100
Game 39395 (W)
Game 4107 (W)98
Game 5120 (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 KnicksDetroit Pistons
Game 1123 (W)112
Game 294100 (W)
Game 3118 (W)116
Game 494 (W)93
Game 5103106
Game 6116 (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 PacersMilwaukee Bucks
Game 1117 (W)98
Game 2123 (W)115
Game 3101117 (W)
Game 4129 (W)103
Game 5119 (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 ThunderMemphis Grizzlies
Game 1131 (W)80
Game 2118 (W)99
Game 3114 (W)108
Game 4117 (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 LakersMinnesota Timberwolves
Game 195117 (W)
Game 294 (W)85
Game 3104116 (W)
Game 4113116 (W)
Game 596103 (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 NuggetsLA Clippers
Game 1112 (W – OT)110
Game 2102105 (W)
Game 383117 (W)
Game 4101 (W)99
Game 5131 (W)115
Game 6105111 (W)
Game 7120 (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 WarriorsHouston Rockets
Game 195 (W)85
Game 294109 (W)
Game 3104 (W)93
Game 4109 (W)106
Game 5116131 (W)
Game 6107115 (W)
Game 7103 (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.

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