NBA Playoffs Predictions. Who Actually Has a Chance?

Matthew Walton | Contributing Writer

With the first round of the NBA playoffs all but wrapped up, let's take a deeper dive into the teams that have survived the first round with some honorable mentions to some already eliminated teams that have a lot of potential. As of the writing of this article, two matchups have yet to be decided in the West with the Houston Rockets vs the Golden State Warriors happening tonight and the Denver Nuggets vs the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. As for these series, I have the Warriors taking Game 6 at home and the Clippers taking Game 7 to complete the 3-1 comeback against the Nuggets. Regardless of the outcome of these series, I don’t think it will affect my predictions for the 2nd round too much.

Let’s start with my honorable mentions for some young teams to look out for in the future. In the East I’d like to talk about the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons. The Magic have a great young wing duo in Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero that is reminiscent of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a duo that has proven very successful. The Magic have an incredibly strong defense, ranking at 2nd in the NBA this season, but their weakness lies in 3 point shooting which was the lowest in the NBA this season. If this team can improve upon their 3 point shooting, they will be a force in the coming years. The Detroit Pistons also deserve their flowers after turning one of the worst seasons in NBA history, going 14-68 in 2024, to a playoff spot just a year later. Cade Cunningham is showing flashes of why he was a #1 overall pick in 2021, Ausar Thompson is making strides defensively despite health issues, and Jalen Duren has shown his worth as an elite rebounder, rim protector and interior scorer. This team will only get better in the next few years as they gain more experience. As for the West, a noteworthy team is the Houston Rockets. This is a tremendous young team that finished as the 2nd seed in a brutal Western Conference. With homegrown prospects built straight from the draft like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, this is a team with a great future and plenty of draft picks from Brooklyn and Phoenix. Look out for the Rockets in the years to come, this team could be a powerhouse.

As for the teams that were not mentioned, the Milwalkuee Bucks seem like a dumpster fire following the injury to Damian Lillard and uncertain future of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Miami Heat are left without a direction for the first time in a decade. After trading away superstar Jimmy Butler to the Warriors at the deadline, Miami’s roster seems fragmented without a star to take them past the first round. The Memphis Grizzlies should have serious concerns surrounding Ja Morant’s future and need to find a new head coach after firing their previous one towards the end of the regular season. The Nuggets vs Clippers series has yet to end but regardless of whoever makes it to the 2nd round, both teams have wildly different concerns to address this offseason. The Los Angeles Lakers have potentially the most interesting offseason as they desperately need to add the correct pieces to capitalize on the end of LeBron James career, but also build around the future face of the franchise Luka Doncic. With the right moves, specifically at the Center position, I will be interested to see what the Lakers look like next season.

Finally on to the teams that we actually care about, the ones who made it to the second round. We will start in the East with an interesting matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers vs the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland was one of the most well rounded teams this year, following a scoring surge from key pieces like Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and a breakout season for runner-up sixth man of the year Ty Jerome. Garland and Donovan Mitchell form a deadly backcourt with both guards having the ability to create their own shot, get a tough bucket, or to draw in opposing defenses to set their teammates up for a high percentage look. Fueled by a 2nd best in the NBA 38.3% from three point range for the season, the Cavaliers finished with the best offensive rating in the league.

Defensively, this team is anchored by their frontcourt of the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Mobley, and elite rebounder and lob threat, Jarrett Allen. Evan Mobley is quick on his feet for his size, giving him the ability to guard 1-5 on the court effectively. When Mobley gets sucked out to the perimeter on a switch, you can count on Allen to lock down the paint with elite blocking ability and incredible defensive rebounding percentage. Rounding out the lineup we have the Small Forward. Whether it is wing stopper Deandre Hunter, who was acquired in a late season trade, or a high percentage 3 point shooter in Max Strus, Cleveland has options for whatever they need in the moment at this position.

As for the Indiana Pacers, they continue to surprise me with a high powered offense led by Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton is a pure playmaker and a passing savant that we haven't seen since the great John Stockton. This pairs nicely with Myles Turner who is an elite rim protector and constant lob threat, yet can still stretch the floor like the best of them averaging a career high 39.6% from 3 point range this season. Pascal Siakam, who was sent to Indiana early in 2024, has already played a part in a championship run before and finally had a full season to mesh with the team. Siakam brings offensive firepower to the starting lineup being able to score in bunches from every place on the court, and is also averaging a career high in 3 point percentage at 38.9%. The Pacers are not a team that is front loaded with talent on the surface, but a rise from the younger players off the bench helps to keep opponents on their toes for all 48 minutes of the game. TJ McConell is a great bench creator, while Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker impact the game from beyond the arc.

I believe that this matchup should be competitive each game, but ultimately I have the Cavs winning in 5 or 6 games. Cleveland is strong in every aspect of their game with great offense, defense, and bench strength. The Pacers have a superpowered offense, but their defense lacks the strength to stop the speeding train that is Cleveland.

The next matchup in the East is between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. Fresh off a title run, Boston has kept the main parts of their roster intact. The defensive backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White continue to hound ball handlers with turnovers and great shot contests. The superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to work in tandem excelling at exactly what they have in years prior. This duo remains absolutely lethal in everything on both sides of the ball. If you forget about one star for too long to focus on the other, you will pay the price dearly. Finally we have the Unicorn himself, Kristaps Porzingis. Elite level rim protection, limitless range three point shooting and a deadly post-up game, Porzingis has plenty of tools in his arsenal to keep opposing teams guessing. The Celtics bench does not deserve to go unmentioned as 2025 Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard has taken leaps in every aspect of his game this season. From more than the classic half court buzzer beater that he has become iconic for, Pritchard has an underrated ability to grab offensive rebounds and defend when necessary for his size. Sam Hauser and Al Horford are also integral pieces to this championship team, bringing tremendous strengths off the bench. This team is deep, and the strengths of the top teams in this league like the Celtics, Cavaliers and Thunder are how deep they are with talent. Playoff games are won when the glue guys perform. This team is primed for a repeat.

Actually securing that repeat is gonna take some hard work as the Knicks have been playing great basketball as of recently. Jalen Brunson is letting his superstar status show, Karl-Anthony Towns continues to excel offensively, and Josh Hart has taken leaps this season in every statistical category. This team has other great players such as Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride and limited minutes of Mitchell Robinson. Coming into the playoffs however, I felt like this team was gassed. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for his low man rotations and the overworking of star players in the regular season. The Knicks struggled against the Pistons and with Brunson averaging 40 minutes per game in the first round, the wear and tear will eventually catch up with them. I don’t believe the Knicks will be able to stand on the shoulders of an exhausted Jalen Brunson for long. Just like the Cavaliers, I’ve got the Celtics taking this one in 5 or 6 games.

On to the Wild West where the Oklahoma City Thunder take on either the Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers. This is why I don’t think whoever makes it out of that series matters at all, they will both fall to the titan that is OKC in the next round anyways. The Thunder is headlined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has had a superstar season, leading one of the youngest teams to the #1 overall record in the NBA while also putting up an MVP caliber season himself. Gilgeous-Alexander is my pick to win the 2025 Regular Season MVP and the Thunder have carried on the momentum he has built into this postseason. This team isn’t a one man wrecking crew either, with multiple all-stars, and all-defensive players to complete their stacked roster, the Thunder are the favorite to win it all this year. Fueled by the #1 defensive rating, #3 offensive rating, and 1st overall net rating, this team has star power with the bench depth to back it up. With a starting lineup that consists of multiple franchise changing players and a bench with players that would be starters on any other team, OKC finished with the best record in the NBA, 16 games ahead of the 2nd seed in the West. This team has no weaknesses, and I have them running through whoever their opponent is in the second round.

The team they eventually face won’t go down without a fight however. My pick to take on the tall task of the Thunder is the LA Clippers, who have been remarkable this season with James Harden turning back the clock to show flashes of his MVP self again, Kawhi Leonard has finally been able to be healthy for his first postseason in years, and Ivica Zubac has take leaps and bounds in his game both offensively and defensively. The Clippers have a serviceable bench and a defense ranking 3rd best in the league, but ultimately going to game 7 against the Nuggets is going to leave them tired. A hungry and well rested OKC will strike at them hard and fast. I have the Thunder advancing in 5 games.

The next matchup out of the West is the Minnesota Timberwolves vs the Golden State Warriors. Minnesota has looked fantastic this season, and after suffering a brutal loss in the conference finals last year they have committed to building around young superstar Anthony Edwards. The departure of Karl-Anthony Towns and acquisition of Julius Randle and Donte DiVencenzo benefitted the Wolves by increasing their bench depth without leaving any holes positionally. Randle fits perfectly into the Timberwolves defensive scheme and he has also meshed great on offense as he has improved upon both 3 point percentage and field goal percentage with the Wolves this season. Donte DiVencenzo has also been an invaluable piece for this team, bringing 3 point shooting and defense from off the bench. Their opponents are no pushover however as the Warriors have been dominant since the acquisition of Jimmy Butler. Don’t let their 7th seeding fool you, this is a completely different team since the trade deadline. Golden State was 23-8 in the regular season since trading for Butler and have carried this momentum straight through the play-in tournament and the first round. The defensive prowess of both Butler and Draymond Green pairs nicely alongside the 1 man army that is Steph Curry. Golden State is already an underrated team when it comes to this series and could give the Wolves some series trouble. At times Golden State has the offensive spark to break through a superb Wolves defense but the Warriors have a tall task in shutting down Anthony Edwards. He has been absolutely electric in every game so far for Minnesota, and there is no clear answer for his prowess. I think the series could go either way, but ultimately I believe the older core of Golden State falls to Edwards as the Wolves make their return to the Conference Finals.

Now to the Eastern Conference Finals where the superpowered Cavaliers face the Celtics. This is going to be a cinematic matchup that could easily go to game 7. During the regular season the Cavs and Celtics went 2-2 against each other with each game being decided by less than 10 points. I predict this series will be a dogfight to see who comes out on top, with nail biting final moments and big plays from both teams. There are great matchups in every single position in this series, with Evan Mobley set opposed to Jayson Tatum and the Celtics best defensive backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White set against the best offensive backcourt in the league of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Even the 6th man of the year candidates get to duke it out to see who can bring more of an impact off the bench. This is a series I have going to 7 games, and surprisingly I have the Cleveland Cavaliers coming out on top.

Back to the West for the Conference Finals. With what will most likely be another nail biter matchup, Anthony Edwards and the Wolves take on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder. Similarly to the East matchup, these teams went 2-2 against each other with 3 of the 4 games being decided by less than 10 points. This will be the battle of the defenses, with the winner being decided on whoever can break through the others' bulletproof scheme first. Overall the Thunder slightly outclass the Wolves in both offensive and defensive power, with their bench also being slightly superior. I have the Wolves falling in the conference finals again, with the Thunder taking this series in 6 games that could also easily go to 7.

Now it is the NBA Finals, the culmination of a team's entire season. It's either perform on the biggest stage or go home in despair. This year's matchup will come between the #1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the West and the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the East. Both of #1 seeds in their respective conference have not met in the finals since 2008. As for the series, both teams are evenly matched with stellar offensive ratings, defensive ratings, deep benches, and multiple All-NBA caliber players going head to head. It will be an unbelievable battle to see who is really the best. Will the best offense be able to step up their defense to slow the Thunder down? Will the best defense be able to shut down Clevelands super powered offense? We won’t know the answer to these questions for another month, however I have the Thunder being crowned NBA champions over the Cavaliers in 6 games that could easily go to 7. This would close the curtain on the Cavaliers best season since the LeBron era. Do not worry, the Cavs will be back next year. Unfortunately, the lights were just too bright on this one. We will let Oklahoma City rejoice in their victory, for now.