The second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western conference semifinals.
The No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers kicked off the East semis Sunday night by taking home-court advantage away from the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers with a 121-112 victory. The Cavs fell to the Pacers again Tuesday 120-119 after Tyrese Haliburton drilled a 3-pointer with one second left.
After the No. 7 seed Golden State defeated the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88 on Tuesday, the Wolves bounced back Thursday night defeating the Warriors 117-93 in Game 2 to tie the series.
The East’s third-seeded New York Knicks beat the 2-seed Boston Celtics in overtime in Game 1 behind Jalen Brunson’s 29 points before shocking Boston again Wednesday in a 91-90 comeback victory to take a 2-0 series lead. The 4-seed Denver Nuggets toppled the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the West after a fourth-quarter surge in Game 1, but the Thunder came back in Game 2 to even the series with a 43-point win.
As teams continue to chase the Larry O’Brien Trophy, here’s what matters most in both conferences and what to watch for in all four series.
Jump to a series:
Cavaliers-Pacers | Knicks-Celtics
Thunder-Nuggets | Warriors-Timberwolves
More coverage:
Schedules and results | Offseason guides
Western Conference
Game 2: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 93
What we learned: Minnesota came out with the necessary force to even this series, starting Game 2 with a 13-0 run with Julius Randle setting the tone with two assists and five points during that surge. With Stephen Curry on the sideline with a strained left hamstring, Golden State fell behind 25-7. The Warriors’ offense went through Jimmy Butler, but there wasn’t enough offense from him as he took only 13 shots. Buddy Hield, now facing better defenders with Curry out, was held in check for much of the game before finishing with 15 points. Brandin Podziemski contributed 11 points, six rebounds and six assists but will probably have to score 20 or more with Curry out for Golden State to have a chance to win. And after hitting four 3-pointers in Game 1, Draymond Green went 1-for-6 from behind the arc. Steve Kerr — who played 14 players in the first half, most by a team since 1998 — found a spark in Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Kuminga hit his first seven shots before finishing with 18 points, and Jackson-Davis had 15 points while making all six of his attempts. But they couldn’t overcome the Wolves, especially with Anthony Edwards returning for the second half after he injured his left ankle. Edwards had 20 points and nine rebounds while Randle added 24 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Jaden McDaniels also played well with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Golden State got within seven in the third quarter but couldn’t get any closer. The Warriors will head back to San Francisco still looking to find where the offense will come from without Curry. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Game 3: Wolves at Warriors (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
What to watch: After being held under 100 in its Game 1 win, Golden State continued struggling to score without Curry in Game 2. Golden State’s 39 points in the first half were the fewest it has scored out of its nine playoff games, and it finished with just 93. Without the surprise contributions from Kuminga (18 points on 8-for-11 shooting) and Jackson-Davis (15 points on 6-for-6 shooting), the Warriors’ offense would have been totally inept. The Warriors struggled from 3, going 9-for-32 (28.1%), and Butler, Hield and Green combined to score just 41 points after combining for 62 in Game 1. They will need to generate more points to stay in this series. — Dave McMenamin
Game 2: Thunder 149, Nuggets 106
What we learned: The Thunder looked every bit like the NBA’s youngest team in Game 1, but they had a hell of a response in Game 2. The first half felt like one of those fast-moving thunderstorms that can roll across Oklahoma City in seconds. Just as the rest of the country was tuning in after the Knicks’ stunning comeback in Boston, the Thunder went up 24 in the first quarter. By the second quarter, they had gone up by as many as 39 before breaking the NBA record for points in a first half (87). MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone with a hyperefficient 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting with eight assists.
Game 3: Thunder at Nuggets (Friday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN)
What to watch: Let’s be clear: The Nuggets lost this game on the court. But you’re going to hear a lot about how three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was refereed in Game 2. Officials called him for two straight offensive fouls, leading to him fouling out toward the end of the third quarter. The Thunder made a great adjustment by switching Jaylin Williams onto him in Game 2 in place of Chet Holmgren after Jokic destroyed the OKC frontline Monday. It’ll be interesting to see Denver’s counter in Game 3. — Ramona Shelburne
Eastern Conference
Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
What we learned: Game 1 apparently wasn’t a fluke. Like Game 1, the Celtics pulled ahead in the first half, and built a 20-point advantage in the third quarter. Like Game 1, the Knicks came roaring back while Boston’s offense went ice cold — this time for a nearly nine-minute span without a basket in the fourth quarter. And like Game 1, Jalen Brunson and the cardiac Knicks were able to hold on late and stun the defending champions, who have now blown back-to-back 20-point leads and find themselves down 2-0 heading to Madison Square Garden over the weekend.
Game 3: Celtics at Knicks (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
What to watch: A few things: Are the Celtics, who have been historically good on the road this season, any more comfortable shooting from 3 in New York? After hitting just 15-for-60 in Game 1, they hit the same brutal 25% on Wednesday, going 10-for-40 in Game 2. Also, is Kristaps Porzingis able to extend his minutes? And, more than anything, are the battle-tested Celtics in a decent headspace after blowing a pair of monumental leads? We’ll find out in Game 3. — Chris Herring
Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
What we learned: Tyrese Haliburton did it again. The Pacers had been behind all game long before a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, when Indiana outscored Cleveland 36-21, punctuated by a step-back game-winning 3-pointer from Haliburton to stun the home crowd and give Indiana a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. The Pacers were down by as many as 20 points thanks to a superstar performance from Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 48 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds, joining LeBron James as the only Cavs players with 45 points and 5 assists in a playoff game. But it wasn’t enough to rally a top-seeded Cavs team missing three key rotation players; after dropping two home games to open the series, they head to Indianapolis needing a fast response.
Game 3: Cleveland at Pacers (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
What to watch: The short-handed Cavs travel to Indy down 0-2, and their injury concerns will be a question mark for the rest of the series. None of the three Cavs on the injury report for Game 2 — Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter — took the floor for a workout on Tuesday, and there is concern about their status going forward. Garland hasn’t played since April 23, and Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson expressed concern over putting him on the court at less than 100 percent with the fast-paced nature of this series. Mobley has been walking with a noticeable limp since Sunday’s game, and Hunter dislocated the thumb on his shooting hand in Game 1. — Jamal Collier