The 2024–2025 NBA season is drawing to a close with the highly anticipated playoffs. Started on April 19, the 2025 NBA playoffs will conclude by June 22, 2025, according to the official NBA website. The first round of the playoff is already ended in the Eastern Conference, and the Western Conference teams are yet to be concluded for the semifinals.
History of the NBA Playoffs
The NBA Playoffs have a rich history that dates back to the inception of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949. At the beginning of the season, all 30 conference teams fought to secure playoff qualification. Every year, the top teams from the Eastern and Western conference divisions engage in elimination contests known as the playoffs. After winning the competition, the organization receives the NBA championship trophy, which bears the name of the late NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien. The 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament started on April 15 to 18, 2025, and on 19th April 2025, the NBA playoffs opening round started. Usually the NBA playoffs begin in the 2nd or 3rd week of April and last until mid-June.
During the first NBA Championship in 1949, the Minneapolis Lakers claimed victory by defeating the Washington Capitols through six games. Since its inception, the playoff system has developed to feature increased teams and match-up phases. Throughout the NBA's early years, the playoffs accepted eight teams but restricted the postseason to two rounds before 1967's league expansion doubled the number of teams and elongated the playoff span to three rounds. With four newly formed teams in 1975, the NBA expanded to 18 franchises while the postseason schedule developed to four playoff series.
The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships, i.e., 18. Other successful teams include the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Golden State Warriors. Some of the greatest players in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, have made their mark on the playoffs and contributed to the rich history of this iconic tournament.
NBA Playoffs: Rules, Format, and Gameplay
All selected teams from both conferences receive due seeding alignment (the conference teams with better regular-season win rates get placed in superior positions). The conferences will select their first six teams based on regular-season NBA win percentages, so the team with the highest winning percentage receives the first selection. The selection of the 7th and 8th teams will be based on the play-in tournament, which was introduced in 2021.
During the NBA Play-In tournament, each conference consists of its seventh through tenth finishing teams from regular season play. Seven and eight-place ranked teams will compete in a single game before ninth and tenth-place teams start a separate game. The winner of the game between the seventh and eighth-place teams earns the seventh seed in the playoffs, while the loser gets another chance to secure the eighth and final playoff spot by playing the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth-place teams. The loser of the second game is eliminated from playoff contention.
After the eight teams qualified from both the Eastern and Western conferences, the NBA playoffs started. The NBA playoff comprises a series of elimination games played by the top teams from the Eastern and Western conferences. The playoff format has evolved, but typically involves a best-of-seven series in each round, with the winner of each series advancing to the next round until the NBA championship is ultimately won. The teams follow a set protocol for competition, beginning with the regular season leader versus the bottom-place team, followed by team ranking two-to-two, and continuing toward the top of each conference standings. The teams then play a best-of-seven series until one team wins four games and advances to the next round.
The gameplay during the NBA playoffs is similar to that of the regular season, with a few minor differences. The NBA playoff games tend to be more intense and competitive, with players giving their all to secure a win. Moreover, teams may adjust their game plan and player rotations based on their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, making for more strategic and exciting games.
Top Teams to Watch in NBA Playoffs 2025
| Eastern Conference Standings | Western Conference Standings |
| 1. Cleveland Cavaliers | 1. Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2. Boston Celtics | 2. Houston Rockets |
| 3. New York Knicks | 3. Memphis Grizzlies |
| 4. Milwaukee Bucks | 4. Denver Nuggets |
| 5. Indiana Pacers | 5. Los Angeles Lakers |
| 6. Miami Heat | 6. Los Angeles Clippers |
| 7. Orlando Magic | 7. Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 8. Detroit Pistons | 8. Golden State Warriors |
Most Memorable Moments in NBA Playoffs History
“The Block’’- In the final seconds of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, LeBron James' chase-down block on Andre Iguodala helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first championship in franchise history.
"The Flu Game"- In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan made history by scoring 38 points while suffering from the flu.
Top Players to Watch in NBA Playoffs 2025
Shai Gilegous-Alexander
Nikola Jokic
- Giannis Antetekounmpo
Jalen Brunson
Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell
Anthony Edwards
Stephen Curry
LeBron James
Jayson Taytum
Best NBA Playoff Rivalries
This legendary rivalry between the two historic clubs in NBA history has seen the two teams meet a record 12 times in the NBA Finals.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, these two teams had a strong rivalry that included some of the most physical play in NBA history.
