The 2025 NBA playoffs have arrived, and the league has released the full schedule for the first round. The Play-In Tournament got started on Tuesday night with the Warriors and Magic both clinching the No. 7 seeds in the West and East, respectively. With those results, we now know six of the eight first-round playoff matchups: Celtics-Magic, Knicks-Pistons and Pacers-Bucks in the East, and Rockets-Warriors, Lakers-Timberwolves and Nuggets-Clippers in the West. Every series begins this weekend, and dates have been determined for all first-round games.
The postseason has become the NBA’s second season. All of the drama from the 2024-25 NBA regular season — the blockbuster trades, the stunning coach firings, the social media and player podcast feuds, the increasingly dangerous celebrations of Ja Morant — is in the rearview mirror. It was just prologue, the setup before the real story began.
Now we’re here. The 2025 NBA playoffs are at hand, and they’re primed to be some of the most competitive the league has seen in quite some time. The field, at least for now, is reasonably healthy. Aside from the ones that have missed most of the year (sorry, Philadelphia), the stars are seemingly ready to go. The standings were as tight as ever. Entering the final week, there was a five-way tie in the Western Conference standings. Clippers vs. Warriors was the final game of the regular season, and it sent Los Angeles to the playoffs and Golden State to the play-in.
While a few obvious favorites stand out, the playoff field is, generally, pretty open. You could talk yourself into eight or nine legitimate contenders. The Thunder (who are the championship favorites with +170 odds at FanDuel) and Cavaliers were the two best teams all season long, but the Celtics enter the postseason as the reigning champs.
In the coming weeks, that 20-team field will be whittled down to the best of the best. We’ll be with you every step of the way. Below is the schedule for the 2025 NBA playoffs, starting with the first round, which is now set. Follow along with us here at CBS Sports as we cover and analyze all of the biggest moments from one of the most anticipated postseasons the NBA has ever seen.
NBA Play-In Tournament TV schedule
All times Eastern
Tuesday, April 15
Magic 120, Hawks 95
Warriors 121, Grizzlies 116
Wednesday, April 16
Bulls vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo
Kings vs. Mavericks, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo
Friday, April 18
Hawks vs. East TBD, Time TBD, ESPN/fubo
Grizzlies vs. West TBD, Time TBD, TNT
2025 NBA playoff TV schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks, 1 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 3:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Knicks vs. Pistons, 6 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Sunday, April 20
Game 1: Thunder vs. TBD, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Monday, April 21
Game 2: Knicks vs. Pistons, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Nuggets vs. Clippers, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
Tuesday, April 22
Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks, 7 p.m., NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Thunder vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
Wednesday, April 23
Game 2: Celtics vs. Magic, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 2: Cavaliers vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV/fubo
Game 2: Rockets vs. Warriors, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Thursday, April 24
Game 3: Pistons vs. Knicks, Time/TV channel TBD
Game 3: TBD vs. Thunder, Time/TV channel TBD
Game 3: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV channel TBD
Friday, April 25
Game 3: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 3: Bucks vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., ESPNU/NBA TV/fubo
Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Saturday, April 26
Game 3: TBD vs. Cavaliers, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: TBD vs. Thunder, 3:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 4: Clippers vs. Nuggets, 6 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 3: Warriors vs. Rockets, 8:30 p.m., TV TBD
Sunday, April 27
Game 4: Pistons vs. Knicks, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 4: Magic vs. Celtics, 7 p.m., TNT/Max
Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers, 9:30 p.m., TNT/Max
Monday, April 28
Game 4: TBD vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Thunder vs. TBD, Time/TV TBD
Game 4: Warriors vs. Rockets, 10 p.m., TNT/Max
Tuesday, April 29
*Game 5: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Knicks vs. Pistons, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Pacers vs. Bucks, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD
Wednesday, April 30
*Game 5: Cavaliers vs. TBD, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/TV TBD
*Game 5: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, Time/TV TBD
Thursday, May 1
*Game 6: Magic vs. Celtics, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Pistons vs. Knicks, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: TBD vs. Thunder, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Clippers vs. Nuggets, Time/TV TBD
Friday, May 2
*Game 6: TBD vs. Cavaliers, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Bucks vs. Pacers, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Warriors vs. Rockets, Time/TV TBD
*Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, Time/TV TBD
Saturday, May 3
*Game 7: Celtics vs. Magic, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Knicks vs. Pistons, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Thunder vs. TBD, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Nuggets vs. Clippers, Time/TV TBD
Sunday, May 4
*Game 7: Cavaliers vs. TBD, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Pacers vs. Bucks, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Rockets vs. Warriors, Time/TV TBD
*Game 7: Lakers vs. Timberwolves, Time/TV TBD
Key dates for 2025 NBA playoffs
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals begin
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