Each team’s ultimate goal every year is to win the NBA Finals. On April 19, 2025, the NBA playoffs kicked off round one matchups, with all 16 teams chasing an opportunity to bring a finals victory back to their city.
The format of the playoff bracket is set up so eight teams from the Western Conference play one another, and eight teams from the Eastern Conference do the same in their separate matchups. Based on each team’s record from the regular season, they get seeded one through eight to determine who will play each other in each round. The rounds consist of a best-of-seven game series, meaning the first team to win four games advances.
This year, teams are loaded with young talent and future Hall of Famers, making the matchups all the more exciting. In the Western Conference, the number one seed Oklahoma City Thunder, swept the Memphis Grizzlies to advance to the second round. Not only is the Thunder one of the favorite teams to win the championship, but they have a MVP-caliber player leading the charge, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“I believe that the Oklahoma City Thunder will win this year… I would say my favorite player right now is Shai from the Thunder,” senior Tyson Bell said.
On the Eastern side of the bracket, the games have been fairly one-sided. The number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Miami Heat, allowing them to advance to the second round.
Another team in the East that is a favorite for this year’s finals is the Boston Celtics. They are the defending champs from the 2024 finals and look to make a run again this year. The Celtics are led by superstar Jayson Tatum. They have moved on to the second round, beating the Orlando Magic in a four-to-one series.
Despite this, some believe they do not have what it takes this year, as sophomore Devin Freeman thinks they will not meet expectations.
Back on the Western side of the bracket, legends Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors never fail to get viewers’ attention. Although Golden State sits as the seven seed, some still think they will be able to win it all.
“I think that the Golden State Warriors will win the NBA finals this year… I really like Steph Curry,” junior Keira Isabelle Tupua said.
Golden State currently leads the Houston Rockets three games to two.
The Lakers are led by two superstars, Lebron James and Luca Dončić, and they are both fan favorites.
Freeman believes the Lakers will win the Finals this year because “they have Lebron on their team.”
Others think the Lakers will be out early.
“I’m gonna have to say probably the Lakers… I don’t think they’re gonna make it super, duper far into the playoffs,” Bell said.
The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 1, making the series four to one, allowing Minnesota to advance to the second round.
As of now, round two of the playoffs is almost fully decided. In the Eastern Conference, the matchups are set. The one seed Cleveland Cavaliers will play the four seed Indiana Pacers, and the two seed Boston Celtics will play the three seed New York Knicks. In the Western Conference, the games have yet to be finalized. The one seed Oklahoma City Thunder will either play the Denver Nuggets or the LA Clippers, and the six seed Minnesota Timberwolves will play the Houston Rockets or the Golden State Warriors.
This year’s finals will be a spectacle like never before, and one people will not want to miss it. Who do you think will win this year’s NBA Finals?
