NBA Playoffs 2025: Celtics, Cavaliers, Thunder Lead Charge as Conference Semis Begin
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Celtics, Cavaliers, Thunder Enter Round Two As Favourites
Oklahoma City Thunder: Coming into the second round of the Playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the favourites to win the NBA Championship this season, as they were the best team during the regular season with a record of 68-14.
The Thunder were excellent in the opening round as they swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0, but they are set to face a much sterner assignment here against the Nuggets. Perhaps the only concern for MVP favourite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and co is that they were not really tested in the first round and may need Game 1 to settle.
The first match between OKC and Denver is set for Monday night, and our Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets prediction suggest that the Thunder is the team to beat in this one.
Boston Celtics: The defending champions enter the second round following a 4-1 series win over the Orlando Magic, where they were led by Jayson Tatum, who averaged 36 points per game over the final three games after missing Game 2 with a wrist injury. He also made an incredible 37 free throws over the final three matches.
Notably, given that Orlando have one of the best defences in the league, the Celtics attempted far fewer shots from beyond the arc. However, that should increase significantly against New York, who they beat 4-0 during the regular series, with three wins coming by double-digit margins.
Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers held off Boston for top spot in the Eastern Conference this season (64-18) and carried that form into the Playoffs, where they eased past the Miami Heat 4-0, which means they are well-rested heading into their series against the Indiana Pacers.
However, Cleveland are on the back foot after getting stunned in Game 1 on Sunday, which they lost 121-112 at home. What was evident in that loss was the absence of Darius Garland, who has now missed three games with a toe sprain. Still, the Cavs only lost consecutive games three times this season, so a response should be expected in Game 2.
Timberwolves, Pacers, Warriors Form Chasing Pack
Minnesota Timberwolves: Outside of the top three, the Minnesota Timberwolves are now the fourth-favourite to win the Championship this season, according to most of the best online betting sites. They ended the season very well to avoid the Play-In tournament and knocked out LeBron James and Luka Doncic’s Lakers in five games in the first round.
The driving force behind this Minnesota side is Anthony Edwards, who averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game against the Lakers, and if the likes of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert can provide him support, it would not come as a shock to see the Timberwolves in the Western Conference final again this season.
Indiana Pacers: After a slow start to the season, the Indiana Pacers ended the campaign on an upward trajectory and were a class above the Milwaukee Bucks in round 1, winning the series in five games before a hot start to steal Game 1 from the Cavs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday night despite Donovan Mitchell putting up 33 points.
The Pacers' biggest strength is their offence, and that was evident in the first match of the series when they made 53% of shots from the field and drained 19 of 38 from beyond the arc, while Cleveland converted just nine of 38 from long range.
Additionally, Indiana are extremely well-balanced, with all five of their starters ending the first match against the Cavs in double-digits, while Tyrese Haliburton continues to be the creative spark in the side, averaging an excellent 11.8 assists per game in this year’s Playoffs to date.
Golden State Warriors: The Warriors are back in the Western Conference semi-final for only the second time since going all the way to the title in 2022, but they took the long route to get here, having to duke it out over seven games to get past the Houston Rockets in the first round following a Play-In tournament victory over the Grizz.
Having already played eight times in the postseason is certainly far from ideal for the aging legs of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but Jimmy Butler has been sensational since joining the franchise, and his performances have given Warriors fans hope that they could be in with dark horse’s chance of another run to the final.
Nuggets, Knicks Considered NBA Playoff Outsiders
Denver Nuggets: It feels almost crazy to list the Denver Nuggets as an outsider when they have Nikola Jokic performing at roughly the same level he did in his three MVP seasons, but the odds are what they are because they are facing the Thunder, who have hardly put a foot wrong this season.
Additionally, the Nuggets have been through a lot in recent months, firing their head coach and GM just before the postseason despite finishing the season with a record of 50-32. They also went the distance against the Clippers in the last round, meaning their first Game against OKC will come just 48 hours after their last.
New York Knicks: The New York Knicks were involved in a tough battle against the pesky Pistons in the first round, but managed to get the job done in six games, with Jalen Brunson leading them to victory. Brunson averaged 31.5 PPG in the first round and drained a series-winning three in Game 6 en route to 40 points.
However, New York struggled mightily against Boston in the regular season, losing the series 4-0, with three of those defeats coming by double-digit margins. The C’s have a top-five rated offence and defence and won 61 games this year - if they can nullify Brunson as they did during the regular season, the Knicks could find themselves in big trouble.
