2025 NBA playoff bracket: First-round matchups, schedule, game times as Thunder advance to second round

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

The 2025 NBA playoffs are in full swing, and the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first team to punch its ticket to the second round. The West’s No. 1 seed finished off a 4-0 sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and await either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Clippers in the second round. Sunday sees a jam-packed schedule with four Game 4s: Knicks-Pistons, Lakers-Timberwolves, Celtics-Magic and Pacers-Bucks are all on the slate. The Knicks won the first game of the day, taking a 3-1 series lead against the Pistons. The Timberwolves, Celtics and Pacers all enter the day with 2-1 series leads and will try to follow suit.

In the East, the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers will try to match the Thunder’s sweep. The Cavs are up 3-0 against the eighth-seeded Heat and can send Miami home on Monday night. Elsewhere, the Golden State Warriors took a 2-1 series lead against the Houston Rockets even without Jimmy Butler on Saturday night. The Nuggets, meanwhile, evened up their competitive series against the Los Angeles Clippers at 2-2 thanks to Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beating putback dunk.

Warriors get superhero showing from Stephen Curry, but unsung heroes quietly save the day

Fifteen teams remain in the battle for the Larry O’Brien trophy, and the field will be whittled down to eight by Sunday, May 4

As the NBA playoffs continue, here is a look at the full bracket, along with results and upcoming schedule. Our experts were in alignment about every first-round series, but, as we learn every year, anything can happen in the playoffs.

2025 NBA playoff bracket

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

2025 NBA playoffs: First-round schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Saturday, April 19

Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98

Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)

Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112

Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95

Sunday, April 20

Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80

Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86

Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100

Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85

Monday, April 21

Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94

Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102

Tuesday, April 22

Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 115

Game 2: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99

Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85

Wednesday, April 23

Game 2: Celtics 109, Magic 100

Game 2: Cavaliers 121, Heat, 112

Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94

Thursday, April 24

Game 3: Knicks 118, Pistons 116

Game 3: Thunder 114, Grizzlies 108

Game 3: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83

Friday, April 25

Game 3: Magic 95, Celtics 93

Game 3: Bucks 117, Pacers 101

Game 3: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104

Saturday, April 26

Game 3: Cavaliers 124, Heat 87

Game 4: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115 (Oklahoma City wins 4-0)

Game 4: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99

Game 3: Warriors 104, Rockets 93

Sunday, April 27

Game 4: Knicks 94, Pistons 93 (New York leads 3-1)

Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo (Minnesota leads 2-1)

Game 4: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., TNT/Max (Boston leads 2-1)

Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max (Indiana leads 2-1)

Monday, April 28

Game 4: Heat vs. Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max (Cleveland leads 3-0)

Game 4: Warriors vs. Rockets, 10 p.m., TNT/Max (Golden State leads 2-1)

Tuesday, April 29

Game 5: Pacers vs. Bucks, 6 p.m., NBA TV/fubo

Game 5: Knicks vs. Pistons, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max (New York leads 3-1)

Game 5: Celtics vs. Magic, 8:30 p.m., NBA TV/fubo

Game 5: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 10 p.m., TNT/Max (Series tied 2-2)

Wednesday, April 30

*Game 5: Cavaliers vs. Heat, 7 p.m., NBA TV/fubo

Game 5: Rockets vs. Warriors, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max

Game 5: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m., TNT/Max

Thursday, May 1

*Game 6: Magic vs. Celtics, Time/TV TBD

*Game 6: Pistons vs. Knicks, Time/TV TBD

Game 6: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV TBD

Friday, May 2

*Game 6: Heat vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD

*Game 6: Bucks vs. Pacers, Time/TV TBD

*Game 6: Warriors vs. Rockets, Time/TV TBD

*Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, Time/TV TBD

Saturday, May 3

*Game 7: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/TV TBD

*Game 7: Knicks vs. Pistons, Time/TV TBD

*Game 7: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD

Sunday, May 4

*Game 7: Cavaliers vs. Heat, Time/TV TBD

*Game 7: Pacers vs. Bucks, Time/TV TBD

*Game 7: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/TV TBD

*Game 7: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, Time/TV TBD

2025 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Tuesday, April 15

Magic 120, Hawks 95

Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116

Wednesday, April 16

Heat 109, Bulls 90

Mavericks 120, Kings 106

Friday, April 18

Heat 123, Hawks 114 (OT)

Grizzlies 120, Mavericks 106

2025 NBA playoffs: Key dates

  • April 13: Final day of regular season
  • April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
  • April 19: Playoffs begin
  • May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
  • June 5: NBA Finals begin

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