NBA playoffs 2025: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights - ESPN

The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs tips off Saturday, and fans can expect an action-filled playoffs after a memorable regular season.

After a historic season of dominance, the Cleveland Cavaliers have claimed the No. 1 seed in the East. But not far behind them are the defending champions Boston Celtics in the No. 2 spot, led by Jayson Tatum and reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.

In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to rumble after commanding the No. 1 seed for a second straight season behind MVP hopeful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The final seeding came down to the last day of the regular season, as the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed the No. 6 seed to avoid the play-in.

Before any of these top-tier teams take the court, however, the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in each conference will have to be decided in the play-in tournament, starting Tuesday.

After the play-in tournament concludes on Friday, the 16-team NBA playoffs begin on Saturday with four games, followed by and four more on April 20. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and face off in a best-of-seven series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-seven, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have home-court advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2025 NBA Finals, which tip off June 5 on ABC and the ESPN App.

MORE: Play-in tournament coverage | Offseason guides

TBD

Game 1: Play-in winner at Cleveland
Game 2: Play-in winner at Cleveland
Game 3: Cleveland at play-in