When it comes to the world of sports, this time of year is my favorite. It is the playoff season for the NBA. With Round 1 coming to a close, we have some interesting matchups to break down as we get closer and closer to crowning a champion.
New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics
These two great cities meet each other in the playoffs for the first time since 2013, a series that ended in a Knicks victory. This time, however, the Knicks face a Celtics team much tougher than in 2013. The Celtics of 2025 are the NBA’s reigning champions. Led by superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with an incredible supporting cast, the Boston Celtics are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They finished the regular season with a record of 61-21 and defeated the Orlando Magic in five games in the first round of the playoffs. Their roster is practically the same as their championship team from a year ago, and they are the likely favorite to win the Eastern Conference in the playoffs again this year.
On the other hand, the New York Knicks finished the regular season with a record of 51-31. They had a tough time in the first round against a tough Detroit Pistons team, but managed to close it out in 7 games. New York is led by the NBA’s 2025 Clutch Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson. Captain Clutch has a strong supporting cast of All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and multiple hard-working players in OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.
The Celtics are certainly the favorites in the series, as they were 4-0 against the Knicks in the regular season. I think the Celtics will win in 6 games, but I would not put anything past the Nova Knicks, as anything can happen in the NBA Playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers
Cleveland and Indiana each lie in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. Cleveland won the Eastern Conference this year with 64 wins. The Pacers had 50 wins and finished with the 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs are coached by the NBA’s 2025 Coach of the Year, Kenny Atkinson. Superstar Donovan Mitchell and Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley combine for a scary duo against any team. Cleveland also has great depth with Darius Garland, Ty Jerome, Jarrett Allen, and DeAndre Hunter. Simply put, the Cavs are a team with many quality players and are true contenders to win it all this season.
Indiana is a team quite similar to the Cavaliers as far as depth. Their team is led by Tyrese Haliburton, who, despite having a down year this season, has thrust himself back into the conversation of top players in the league these playoffs. Halliburton is accompanied by young talent like Benedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith, along with veteran players like Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and T.J. McConnell. This mix allows for a rounded-out roster for the Pacers.
This is likely to be a close series that could truly go either way. I think Cleveland will take down the Pacers in seven games and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Denver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
The main storyline of Denver vs OKC is a battle between the leaders of each team.. For Denver, their leader is one of the best players on the planet, Nikola Jokic. The Serbian Big Man is a finalist for his 4th MVP this season. OKC is led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a quickly rising star who is looking for his first MVP this year.
In the regular season, the Denver Nuggets struggled at times in a tough Western Conference. For the most part, they were able to overcome these struggles as they finished the regular season with 50 wins. They narrowly escaped the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers, winning the series in seven games.
As for the OKC Thunder, their season went almost perfectly. The Thunder finished with this year’s best record, 68 wins and 14 losses. They swept their first-round opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, in 4 games – continuing their dominance into the postseason.
Both teams are very talented with great skill and depth. However, OKC is younger and does not have the same playoff experience that Denver does. Experience is crucial, especially in the NBA playoffs. I think the Nuggets will beat the Thunder in 6 games and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Golden State Warriors vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Ooh baby, we are in for a good one with this matchup. The young Anthony Edwards has already taken down two NBA legends: his hero, Kevin Durant, and The King, Lebron James. This past season, Edwards led the T-Wolves to a 49-33 record, 6th in the Western Conference. He was one of the best players when it came to shooting from beyond the arc and over the past few years, he has become one of the most popular players in the league. Although the T-Wolves struggled at times during the regular season, they had no problem defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of this year’s playoffs. After making the Conference finals last year, Edwards could very well lead his team back to another Western Conference Finals this year.
The Warriors also had a difficult year, and at one point, it looked like they might not even make the playoffs. This changed when they acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. Since then, Butler has helped the greatest shooter of all time, Steph Curry, bring the Warriors back into talks for playoffs and even finals contenders. They had a hard-fought opening first round against the #2-seeded Rockets, but Golden State was able to prevail in Game 7.
If the Timberwolves can prevail, Edwards will be in talks as one of the league’s best players. Back-to-back Conference Finals is no small feat, and if Edwards is able to knock off another Hall of Fame player in the process, he could emerge as the new face of the NBA. If the Warriors come out of this series alive, Steph Curry is one step closer to capturing his 5th NBA title, and superstar Jimmy Butler would further establish his legacy as one of the greatest playoff performers ever. With this being said, I think the Warriors will defeat the T-Wolves in 6 games.
Closing Statements
Eight teams remain in the 2nd round, but only four will make it out alive. Ultimately, I see the Boston Celtics returning to the NBA finals to match up against the Denver Nuggets. I think it will be a hard-fought series, but I think the Celtics will end up winning back-to-back NBA titles. A large accomplishment that has not been done since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. That being said, all that is left to do is sit back and watch it all unfold. History will be made this Summer, and I, for one, can not wait to see it.
