The NBA playoffs are finally here. After an exciting few days of Play-In games, the real “second season” begins. In this article, we’ll take a look at each series, giving our opinions on who will win.
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(5) Bucks vs. (4) Pacers
The Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers start off the first day of the 2025 NBA playoffs. Which team has the advantage?
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The Bucks won 48 games during the season but had to deal with injuries throughout the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo played in just 67 games, and Damian Lillard played 58 games.
The Pacers won 50 games, thanks to the strong play of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Indiana averaged 117.4 points scored this year, seventh best in the league.
The Pacers were seventeenth in points allowed at 115.1. This shows how consistent Indiana has been as a team this year.
The Bucks averaged 115.5 points scored as a team, good for eleventh, and gave up 113.0 points per game, thirteenth best. Both teams are solid on both ends of the court.
Which team has the advantage? A healthy Antetokounmpo and the fact Lillard has been cleared to return give the Bucks the advantage.
Prediction: Bucks win 4-2
(5) Clippers vs. (4) Nuggets
The Los Angeles Clippers played a great season. After losing Paul George and the constant injury situation of Kawhi Leonard, many wondered if LA could reach the playoffs.
Not only did the Clippers make the playoffs, but they earned the fifth seed after winning 50 games. James Harden played great basketball this season averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game.
Leonard only played in 37 games, but he is considered healthy now, as he’s not listed on the injury report. A healthy Leonard is a scary player in the playoffs.
As for the Nuggets, they won 50 games but struggled towards the end of the season. Denver had some internal issues, which led to the firing of head coach Mike Malone.
Still, the Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, who is playing at an MVP level we’ve never seen before. This series pits one of the best defensive teams in the Clippers against one of the best offensive teams in the Nuggets.
The Clippers allowed their opponents to score 108.2 points per game, fourth best in the league. The Nuggets averaged 120.8 points scored, which was third-best in the NBA.
They say defense wins championships, but Jokic has proven to be a historic talent. His play will be the difference in the series.
Prediction: Nuggets win 4-3
(6) Pistons vs. (3) Knicks
The Detroit Pistons shocked everyone by winning 44 games and earning the sixth seed in the East. Their young core played with a lot of heart and played solid offense and defense.
The Pistons were twelfth in points scored at 115.5 and fourteenth in points allowed at 113.6. Do the Pistons have enough to stop the high-scoring Knicks?
Yes, the Knicks can score, but they can also play defense. New York was ninth in points scored at 115.8 and ninth in points allowed at 111.7.
The Knicks also have star power and playoff experience. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns give New York an edge that Detroit just doesn’t have. This makes the Knicks the clear favorite in the series.
Prediction: Knicks win 4-1
(6) Timberwolves vs. (3) Lakers
This series will likely be the most competitive and most fun for fans to watch in the first round. The Minnesota Timberwolves had a down season, as they were predicted to be a top team out West.
Minnesota won 49 games, earning the sixth seed. Last season, they had 56 games, good enough for third out West, so there certainly was a decline.
The Timberwolves were first in points allowed last season, but this year were fifth at 109.3. This is still good and with Anthony Edwards on offense, Minnesota can still score the ball, averaging 114.3 points as a team, thirteenth in the NBA.
The Lakers are a completely different team now from when the season started. Despite being 40 years old, LeBron James is still at the top of his game. Now, adding Luka Doncic in the mix gives the Lakers the best two-way punch in the entire league.
The team as a whole won 50 games during the season and was surprisingly a decent defensive team. LA only gave up 112.2 points per game, which was tenth in the NBA.
The Lakers only averaged 113.4 points scored as a team, which was nineteenth in the NBA. This is a bit surprising in itself, but LA only had Doncic on the roster for 28 games.
Despite the Timberwolves being the better scoring and defensive team, the Lakers clearly have the two best players and this should give them the edge in the series.
Prediction: Lakers win 4-2
There you have it—our predictions for the first day of the NBA playoff series. Will they hold true, or are we in for some upsets? Stay tuned!
The action kicks off with the Bucks facing the Pacers at 1:00 PM EST.
