The 2025 NBA Playoffs have arrived with three clear powerhouses leading the charge: the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West, and the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers in the East. While a Celtics-Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals showdown seems inevitable, the Western Conference presents a far more unpredictable battlefield behind the top-seeded Thunder.
Each playoff matchup brings its own fascinating storylines and statistical advantages. Below is a breakdown of every first-round series with each team's key performance metrics – Net Rating, Offensive Efficiency, and Defensive Efficiency – providing insight into potential strengths and vulnerabilities that could determine who advances.
Eastern Conference
• 1. Cleveland Cavaliers (2nd Net Rating, 1st Offensive Rating, 8th Defensive Rating) vs. 8. Miami Heat (15th Net Rating, 21st Offensive Rating, 10th Defensive Rating)
• 2. Boston Celtics (3rd Net Rating, 2nd Offensive Rating, 5th Defensive Rating) vs. 7. Orlando Magic (17th Net Rating, 27th Offensive Rating, 2nd Defensive Rating)
• 3. New York Knicks (8th Net Rating, 5th Offensive Rating, 13th Defensive Rating) vs. 6. Detroit Pistons (13th Net Rating, 16th Offensive Rating, 11th Defensive Rating)
• 4. Indiana Pacers (12th Net Rating, 9th Offensive Rating, 14th Defensive Rating) vs. 5. Milwaukee Bucks (11th Net Rating, 11th Offensive Rating, 12th Defensive Rating)
Western Conference
• 1. Oklahoma City Thunder (1st Net Rating, 3rd Offensive Rating, 1st Defensive Rating) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (6th Net Rating, 6th Offensive Rating, 9th Defensive Rating)
• 2. Houston Rockets (7th Net Rating, 13th Offensive Rating, 4th Defensive Rating) vs. 7. Golden State Warriors (10th Net Rating, 14th Offensive Rating, 7th Defensive Rating)
• 3. Los Angeles Lakers (14th Net Rating, 12th Offensive Rating, 15th Defensive Rating) vs. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves (4th Net Rating, 8th Offensive Rating, 6th Defensive Rating)
• 4. Denver Nuggets (9th Net Rating, 4th Offensive Rating, 22nd Defensive Rating) vs. 5. Los Angeles Clippers (5th Net Rating, 15th Offensive Rating, 3rd Defensive Rating)