2025 NBA Playoffs: Schedule, Teams, and how to watch

It's that time of the year when the best basketball will be front and center, as the 2025 NBA Playoffs have arrived. The playoff picture is now set after a long 82-game season, and starting Tuesday, the first eight teams will begin their quest for the NBA title.

In the Eastern Conference, the playoff seeding starts with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics at one and two. The New York Knicks are third, followed by the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons.

The Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat make up the Eastern Conference teams that will begin the playoffs in the Play-In Tournament.

Over in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City and the Houston Rockets are the one and two seeds, respectively. The LA Lakers are third followed by the Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Western Conference Play-in Tournament, meanwhile, will consist of the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks.

The NBA Playoff First Round will begin on Saturday, April 19, where the Pacers face Milwaukee at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The Nuggets and the Clippers will follow at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, while the Knicks turn their attention to the Pistons at 6 p.m. on ESPN, and the Lakers battle Minnesota at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

The top two seeds in both conferences are still awaiting their potential first-round matchups, which will likely take place on Sunday, April 20.

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Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies headline star-studded NBA Play-In Tournament

The NBA Play-In Tournament is the last opportunity for the bottom eight teams on the cusp of the playoffs to cement their chances for a Cinderalla story in the playoffs.

This season, fans will get a chance to see NBA stars like Jimmy Butler, Steph Curry, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis and Trae Young featuring in the tournament.

The Orlando Magic face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on TNT. The Golden State Warriors will follow at 10 p.m. on TNT as they face the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Chicago Bulls play the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, while the Dallas Mavericks battle the Sacramento Kings at 10 p.m. on ESPN.

The eventual seventh seed will face the Houston Rockets and the Boston Celtics in the First Round of the playoffs, and the eighth seed will face the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers.