Luka's Lakers, Boston Back-to-Back, A New Chapter in Cleveland or The Beginning of a Thunder Storm? Predicting the Entire 2025 NBA Playoffs

Written by Lachlan Sherriff

Another NBA playoffs series is upon us. Another chance for sixteen teams to take home the ultimate prize. And with that, it's time to predict who's going to be holding the Larry O'Brien trophy at the end of the season.

First Round

Cavaliers vs Heat

This game would've been a close battle twelve months ago.

Nowadays, not so much. This Miami Heat team is in a bit of an identity crisis. The face of their last two finals appearances, Jimmy Butler, is now in Golden State. There's still Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins has proven to be a viable piece to this team. But without Butler, this team won't get anywhere serious, at least this year. This season, the Cavaliers went from a fun team on the up, to the best team in the East. The backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell has silenced a lot of it's haters, and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley provide a strong back court duo. Throw in the fact that Cleveland's bench is significantly stronger, and I don't think this will be close. Miami may have played well in the play-ins, and may be the first tenth seed to ever qualify for the playoffs, but at the end of the day they're still a 37-45 team going against a squad who won 27 more games. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a sweep, but I'll play it safe and give Miami a game.

Prediction: Cavaliers win 4-1

Thunder vs Grizzlies

Incredibly, two playoff teams decided to basically shoot themselves in the foot by firing their coach right before playoffs started. One of those teams was the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies have bounced back after their gap year last season, though not to the extents of their 2023 team. Ja Morant is back, and while he's still the go to guy in Memphis, it's fair to say he's not the player he was two years ago. Oklahoma City also have a young guard, but unlike Morant, he's taken significant progress since 2023. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP candidate, and for good reason. He's the best scorer in the league and can give you production defensively as well. Oklahoma City also have the likes of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort, as well as a strong bench. Memphis have Jaren Jackson Jr, who's arguably the third best player in this series, but it drops off from there. Memphis have a bright future. Unfortunately for them, it looks dim compared to OKC's. This could again be a sweep, but I'll play it safe once more.

Prediction: Thunder win 4-1

Celtics vs Magic

Boston are back to defend their title. And I don't think their first round matchup will provide any real competition for that. The Magic are still a good team. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are great, and they've got solid pieces around them. Unfortunately, Boston are simply too strong. Jayson Tatum has had another great season and will probably make the All-NBA first team, while Jaylen Brown has proven he rises in the playoffs.

Throw in Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, with Al Horford and Payton Prichard leading the bench unit, and I don't think the Magic will even steal a game. Get the brooms out.

Prediction: Celtics win 4-0

Rockets vs Warriors

Well, we've been here before. But the main difference is this time, it's Houston who are favourites. At least on paper.

The Rockets are very good. They might not feel like a second seed, but that's only because Oklahoma City are so far ahead of them and every other team in the West. Alperen Sengun is as good as ever. Jalen Green and Amen Thompson have taken the necessary leaps in their game, while Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet all provide a needed veterans experience. Speaking of veterans experience, the Warriors have a lot of it. When your big three is Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, that'll come naturally. Curry and Butler have both looked better ever since the latter arrived in the Bay, with Steph getting the help he needed on the offensive side of the floor. Draymond, meanwhile, has had his best defensive season in years, and his controlled his temper - at least more then it was last season. This series could go either way. The young Rockets could avenge the James Harden era and finally get one over the Warriors, or Steph Curry and his Golden State Warriors could have one last trick up their sleeve to create more heartbreak in Houston. There's no right answer. But if the Warriors had Butler all season, you'd imagine them being higher then a seventh seed. They're 23-7 when Butler plays, after all. With that, I'm gonna back Curry for one last dance, as he leads the Warriors to yet another series win over the Rockets.

Prediction: Warriors win 4-3

Knicks vs Pistons

Right now in Detroit, Pistons fans feel something they probably haven't felt since 2004. Hope.

Cade Cunningham is the real deal. Averaging 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds a game, Cunningham has shut up any doubters who believe the Pistons made a mistake taking him with the first pick in 2021.

Malik Beasley is one of the best shooters in the league. Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart are there to protect the paint. And, as much criticism as he got last season, Tobias Harris has been a great addition for Detroit. Then there's the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns was a superb addition, as he's officially cemented himself as the best center in the league not named Nikola Jokic. Jalen Brunson is still an elite point guard and Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby provide the defensive spark New York needs. So what's the issue? Tom Thibodeau is the coach. Thibs is a great tactician. He draws superb plays when you need them. But his crime is that he runs his players to death in the regular season. Hart played more minutes then anyone else in the league this past regular season. Bridges and Anunoby were right behind him, in third and sixth respectively. You might not think this is a problem. But you also probably thought that last year, when New York lost to an Indiana team who were significantly weaker on paper. This Pistons team is young, hungry and energetic. And Thibodeau's inability to manage minutes will haunt him once again, especially in close games. Maybe I'm too harsh on Thibs. But history suggests I'm not.

Prediction: Pistons win 4-2

Lakers vs Timberwolves

I know you probably still think it's a dream. You probably still pinch yourself every now and again, just to make sure you're not asleep. But you're not. Luka Doncic really is a Laker.

Doncic has struggled with injuries this season. But when he's played in the gold and purple, he's looked just as good as he did in Dallas. Los Angeles also have LeBron James, who for the first time in his career, and probably his life, isn't the best player on his basketball team. But he's still very good, and can heat up when the Lakers need him, as can Austin Reaves, who's developed into a true third option this year. The problem with the Lakers is their lack of height. Their only center who plays is Jaxson Hayes. If Karl-Anthony Towns was still a Timberwolf, this might have been a problem. Thankfully, he isn't. Rudy Gobert might be slightly more productive on offense then he usually is, but it won't be enough to seriously hurt the Lakers. Julius Randle, meanwhile, hasn't been the same player in Minnesota, and the Wolves will need him to somehow find that form he had in New York if they want a chance of winning this series. Anthony Edwards is great, and will definitely get his over the series. But the Doncic and James duo should simply overpower the Wolves in the end. Minnesota, Arizona, North Dakota, it don't matter. Lakers in five.

Prediction: Lakers win 4-1

Pacers vs Bucks

This was a series we got to watch last year. And neither team is really that different this year.

Indiana prevailed last season, though Milwaukee battled injuries all throughout that series. And it's not different this time, as Damian Lillard only just returns from a blood clot, and still may not be 100%. What is different this time is that Khris Middleton isn't on the Bucks anymore. He's now a Wizard, and Kyle Kuzma has taken his place. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, Kuzma hasn't looked anything near what Bucks fans were hoping. It wouldn't be ridiculous to say that an aging, injury prone Middleton is still a better player then Kuzma. Indiana are once again looking good. Tyrese Halliburton had a slow start to the season, and his numbers have dropped slightly, but he's still a valuable piece to this Pacers team. Pascal Siakam has averaged over twenty points for a sixth straight season, and the Pacers have more depth than their opponents. But Indiana don't have the best player in the series. Milwaukee do. Giannis Antetokounmpo has once again had an elite season. With thirty points, twelve rebounds and six and a half assists a game, Antetokounmpo has been a top three player in the league this year, and would probably be in the MVP race if the Bucks had a better record. But unfortunately, that's been the story of their season. Lillard has been injured, and isn't the same player he was in Portland, while Kuzma has offered nothing of value. Giannis will get Milwaukee a game. He might even get them two games. But Indiana should prevail in the end. Prediction: Pacers win 4-2

Nuggets vs Clippers

Nikola Jokic has done it again.

With a career high in both points and assists per game, Jokic has had one of the greatest individual campaigns we've ever seen. He's finally averaged a triple double over the course of a season, becoming only the third player in history to do so, and the first big man. Coincidentally, he's teammates with one of the other two people to average a triple double over a season, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook's OKC days are long gone, and he's had his ups and downs as a Nugget. But when he's on form, he's a huge help to this team. Throw in Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, and arguably the greatest playoff riser of all time in Jamal Murray, and Denver look good. The Clippers also look good. James Harden has proved he's still got something left in the tank, silencing a lot of his critics. The Beard may not have the scoring ability he did in Houston anymore, but he still knows how to find a basket, whether it's for himself or one of his teammates. Kawhi Leonard isn't the same player anymore either, and he only played 37 games this season. But he did look good in those 37 games, and he's going into the playoffs in good form. But what really makes this Clippers team is the bench. In the wake of Paul George, leaving, Norman Powell excelled in a new role, while Ivica Zubac also improved massively this season. Derrick Jones Jnr, Nicolas Batum and Kris Dunn all proved to be good signings, and even Ben Simmons is looking better then he ever did in Brooklyn. The only problem for the Clippers is that they don't have Nikola Jokic. Zubac and Simmons will do all they can to stop him, but truth be told, there's not a single person on this earth who can stop Jokic. The Clippers will make it a close series. But in the end, I expect the Joker to get it done for Denver.

Prediction: Nuggets win 4-3

Second Round

Cavaliers vs Pacers

While it might not be the most eye-catching series, I do think Cleveland and Indiana match up against each other well. Both teams are led by guards, with Donovan Mitchell leading the show in Cleveland and Tyrese Halliburton in Indiana. The Cavs have two reliable bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but so do the Pacers with Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. And both teams have good depth. The difference is that Cleveland are just better. Indiana's team isn't bad by any means, but compared to this Cavs team, they don't look as strong. I could easily see this being one of those series that feel much closer then they actually are. Indiana will play the Cavs tough, and there'll be a lot of close games. But I expect this Cavs team to prevail every time, and I can't see this going past five. I'm actually gonna call a sweep. Again, it's not really anything to do with Indiana. But when Cleveland are hot, they're arguably the best team in the league, and when the going gets tough I think they'll get the job done against the Pacers four consecutive times. Prediction: Cavaliers win 4-0

Thunder vs Nuggets

Remember earlier when I said that the Grizzlies were one of two teams who shot themselves in the foot by firing their coach right before the playoffs? The Nuggets were the other team. I didn't see this being too much of a problem in the first round because, well, Jokic. But when you go up against this stacked OKC team? You could do with a coach you've played under for more then a month. I didn't think there was anything wrong with Michael Malone. But even if the front office did, firing him right before the playoffs start was strange. And against OKC, it'll cost them. Of course, Jokic will do what he always does. Chat Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein won't be able to limit him, but then again, who can? Unfortunately, the rest of the Nuggets squad doesn't compare to the Thunder team. Expect Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be the maestro, as he scores, assists and plays well on defence all series. Shai might not be the MVP over Jokic, but he is going to win this series. I can see Jokic getting Denver a game, but not much more. Prediction: Thunder win 4-1

Celtics vs Pistons

Well, this is a bit of a mismatch. Sure, the Pistons have done great this season. As previously mentioned, they've finally brought back hope into Detroit. But they're young, and inexperienced, and also, they're simply not as good as Boston.

Cade Cunningham has been great all season, but expect him to look limited under the defence of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Ausar Thompson will be a great defender in the future, but as of today, he won't be able to do much on Jaylen Brown. And who's guarding Tatum? Tobias Harris? I know I said he's been good, but not that good. It's been a memorable season for Detroit. But expect a rough ending. Another sweep. Prediction: Celtics win 4-0

Lakers vs Warriors

Well, if everything goes the way I've predicted, we'll get another Steph vs LeBron matchup. Are you excited? Probably not as much as Adam Silver is. Cha-ching! Both teams made a trade halfway through the season, and have looked better since. Jimmy Butler has made Golden State look much more coherent, and has taken a load of Steph, which makes them both much better. Unfortunately for Golden State, they didn't get Luka Doncic. The Lakers did. There's not really anyone who can contain Luka on the Warriors roster. Jimmy and Draymond will both try, but I expect Luka to get the last laugh over both of them. And even if he doesn't, there's still LeBron James. Throw in some inevitable Austin Reaves heat checks, and it's looking good for the purple and gold. It won't be easy. Golden State will probably take multiple games. But expect the Lakers to get it done.

Prediction: Lakers win 4-2

Conference Finals

Cavaliers vs Celtics

Well, here's our eastern conference finals. No surprises for guessing who I've got in it. The Cavaliers finished on top of the East, and they deserved it. But at the same time, you wouldn't be criticized too much for thinking Boston are better. There's talent everywhere you look. Both rosters have been constructed perfectly, and there's not much separating them. In the end, I'm gonna give the advantage to Boston, purely because of experience. This Cavs team hasn't been here before. This would be their first conference finals appearance without LeBron James since 1992. Boston, meanwhile, have featured in four of the last five Eastern conference finals. Experience isn't everything, but it does play a huge role. Cleveland will definitely push it close. But unfortunately, it'll be so close, but so far. I've got Boston advancing to the finals for the second straight year. Prediction: Celtics win 4-2

Thunder vs Lakers

Well, if experience matters like I said, then look no further then LeBron James. Having played in the conference finals twelve times, and just having played in the NBA since 2003, no one has more experience in this league then LeBron. Hell, Cason Wallace gets significant minutes in OKC's rotation, and on the day he was born, LeBron scored 23 points in a narrow loss to Reggie Miller's Pacers. Oklahoma City have better depth. They also might finally make the Lakers regret not trading for a big man to replace Anthony Davis. Chet Holmgren isn't anything super special on the offensive end, but he's still better at scoring then any center Minnesota or Golden State had to offer. The only thing I can say is that at least it isn't Jokic. If I had the Lakers meeting Denver in this scenario, things might have gotten ugly. Not only do OKC give the Lakers a contest on the offensive end, but also the defensive end, especially from Lu Dort. While Dort does get criticism for being a dirty player, he is still an elite defender. Expect him to play minutes on both Luka and LeBron. Of course, Luka will still get buckets. There's no denying that. But against this defensive unit in Oklahoma City, there'll be nights where he's contained. And I don't think the Lakers can contain Shai nearly as much. Once this new-look Lakers team gets a full season with Luka, they'll be scary. But I think it's a year too soon. Oklahoma City should get it done. Prediction: Thunder win 4-3

Finals

Thunder vs Celtics

Well, there you go. In this scenario, we've got the reigning champions against the team with the best record this season. Might not be the most exciting prediction, but you can't say it's unlikely. As good as Boston's stars are, the best player in this series is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It's hard to stop Shai, but if there's anyone who could do it, it would be Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Of course, OKC have their own defensive stopper in Lu Dort. He's proven time and time again that he's not afraid of the challenge guarding the best players in the league brings, and I think he'll do pretty well against Jaylen Brown. That leaves Jayson Tatum. After underperforming in the finals last year and missing out on the Finals MVP, Tatum will look for vengeance. And I wouldn't be surprised if he finds it.

There's also the experience factor. Aside from Alex Caruso, no one on the Thunder roster has gotten close to this stage before. Most Celtics players have played in two finals series, with Jrue Holiday even winning both of his. This isn't the end for OKC, absolutely not. They're a young team who will only get better, and with all the draft capital they have, it's about to get scary. Unfortunately, I don't think this is their year. Instead, I think Boston are going back-to-back. Prediction: Celtics win 4-2