It's Playoff Time! Brackets, Odds, and Predictions for NBA Playoffs 2025

The wait is finally over. It's the NBA 2025 playoff time, and I can't remember a season with a more shocking turn of events going into the postseason.

We barely came to our senses from the bewildering Luka trade to the Lakers when the Nuggets, another A side having an underwhelming season so far, dropped the bomb and fired the head coach Mike Malone a week before the NBA playoffs. For their part, the Warriors overcame the Play-in hoodoo but will need a lot more than Steph & Jimmy's heroics to overcome Houston. In fact, all three sides are having a tough match-up in Round 1, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them go out early.

But I'm getting too ahead of myself. Before we call a jump-all and dig into the juiciest match-ups of the first round, let's quickly go through the NBA playoff bracket.

2025 NBA Playoff Bracket Breakdown

With the Play-in tournament coming to a close, we have a complete picture of the NBA 2025 Playoff bracket. In the East, the Orlando Magic handed a comprehensive defeat to the Hawks and scheduled a meeting with the champ in Boston. On the other hand, the Warriors needed every bit of the combined 75 points from Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry (38+37) to overpower the Grizzlies. Mavericks and Heat had no trouble dispatching Kings and Bulls in their respective play-in ties.

The complete NBA playoff bracket looks like this:

Best Round 1 Match-up of 2025 Playoffs

I'll be the first to admit major partiality towards the Western Conference, but once again, the best Round 1 match-ups of the 2025 NBA Playoffs come from the West.

Nuggets vs Clippers

The Nuggets and Clippers showdown is giving me the most goosebumps and it's crazy to think that one of these teams will have to pack their bags. On the Mile High hand, there's the home-court advantage, and MVP Nikola Jokic is having another unbelievable season averaging a triple-double. On the other hand, the Clippers with Kahwi Leonard and James Harden are the most in-form team in the whole NBA, winning 9 of their last 10. The teams have split two games apiece during the regular season and it's tough to separate them at this point. The Stake odds are also split at 1.90.

To my mind, this tie is a battle of the attacks. Aaron Gordon is the only natural cover for Kawhi, but that takes him away from the low defending positions where he's most at home. Jokic having to meet the shooters outside leaves the inside too vulnerable for my liking. But Jokic will also have a field day in attack, and it might be enough to power through LA. The odds on the Serbian getting 29+ points in the first game are 1.88 at BC.Game.

Lakers VS. Timberwolves

Another unpredictable toss-up is between the Lakers and the T-Wolves. The teams are also split during the regular season, but the Laker's outlook with sharp-shooting Luka is a significant shift from the Lakers with Anthony Davies manning the lane.

The top story of this cracking fixture is the debut playoff of one Luka Dončić in the purple-and-gold. In fact, the Slovenian was Minnesota's executioner in the Western Conference Finals last year when he drilled that nasty 3-point dagger over Gobert that probably haunts the Timberwolves to this day.

As for Minnesota, they're going to need Anthony Edwards to step up his game and take the mantle as one of the best players in the world. Their defense is also among the best in the entire league with defensive juggernauts in Gobert and McDaniels.

The most important factor in this match-up could be the size advantage in the lane. It is a matter of how well LeBron and Hachimura cover for Jaxson Hayes and still have enough in their tanks to produce in the offense. But the new look Lakers with Luka and LeBron may be too big to fail this early. The Stake odds of 1.50 lean in this direction.

NBA 2025 Early Predictions

Now we're getting to the fun part—talking about end-game predictions with no accountability whatsoever. On a more serious note, we haven't had a postseason this riddled with maybes and what-ifs since, well, last year. But you get the point.

Let me come clean first. I feel so bad talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics—the two favorites to win it all this late in the text. That only goes to show what a cracking postseason we're having.

OKC is having a dream season. They went for 68:14 with 40 wins by 15+ margins, which is a record in NBA history. They're the Playbet favorites for the Western Conference at 1.70, while star man Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also the favorite to win this year's MVP despite Jokic averaging triple-double. I just can't see anyone beating OKC in four in the West.

Similarly, the champs Boston Celtics are at 1.68 (Playbet) to breeze through the Eastern Conference, but they have a slightly tougher odds runner-up in Cleveland Cavaliers (2.85). It will take something special to repeat the success of last year, but I'd be willing to back them from a safe distance, considering they're all a year older, wiser, and have the confidence that comes with a chip. My dark horse? It’s the Lakers if they go past Minnesota. If not, then the GSW and playoff Jimmy.